Mariners
just getting started in boating and those who may have
just forgotten often find they have equipment on their
boats they are not sure they know how to operate.
Let’s test your knowledge, especially if you have
just acquired a used boat and are not familiar with its
equipment.
1. You are taking your boat out for the first time
for a shakedown. You’re running along with another boater
but would prefer not to ask questions that make you look
like a landlubber. As you leave the dock, your friend said
to set your radio on channel 16 – Why?
A. It is the hailing and emergency channel.
B. It is the channel that works best on his radio.
C. He knows you have channel 16 because all vessel
operators are required to listen on channel 16.
D. Because he heard everyone else using it.
2. As you get underway, you call your friend on channel
16 and he responds, “Switch
to channel 68.” Once you have switched you hang up the mike and wait to
hear from him. A few minutes later he repeats the request. Once more you switch
and put the mike back on the clip. When you look back at your radio however you
see it is still set on channel 16 – Why?
A. Because your radio has no channel 68.
B. Channel 68 does not work in the area you are in.
C. Your radio is defective.
D. Your radio is equipped with an automatic switch
on the mike clip that takes it to channel 16 when
you hang it up.
3. As you cruise along with the radio now set on
channel 68 your friend tells you are breaking
up. You verify the radio is on channel 68 and
you are just
a short distance behind him so what could the problem be?
A. You are too close together and your signal is
so strong it is going over his antenna. Turn
your radio to 1 watt or its lowest setting.
B. He probably has a poor radio that can’t receive while the vessel is
underway.
C. You’re not talking loud enough even though you’re speaking directly
into the mike.
D. He is probably losing his hearing after all he is over 50.
4. While continuing your cruise, you notice your
compass is acting up. It was ok before your radio
problem and as you hang up the
mike it suddenly
clears up.
What is wrong?
A. You hollered so loud over the radio you blew out
the compass.
B. Your friend was too loud when he called and he
blew out the compass.
C. When you set the mike on the dash next to the compass so
it would not switch to 16, the mike distorted the compass.
D. Your friend is running in front of you and is leaving too
much wake so the compass can’t stay on course.
5. Your friend said he was on a course of 271 but
your compass is reading 259. Why the difference?
A. Your compass is off 12 degrees.
B. Your friend’s compass is off 12 degrees.
C. Your friend’s compass is up on his fly bridge but you have no bridge
so he is closer to the sun.
D. One or both compasses are off and need calibration.
6. How can you verify the problem with the compass
before you take a trip in a few days?
A. If you’ve taken a charting course and have a chart on board you can
determine which compass is off.
B. If you tell your friend to go ahead and check your
course after he is farther along you can tell which
compass is
off.
C. If you or your friend has a GPS you can check your
present course and determine which compass is off.
D. You can find a new boater friend and try to check
with his compass.
7. You turned on all the dash switches and none seem
to work - why?
A. You failed to note which way turns the switches
on – try the other way.
B. You may have a master switch on the power to
the controls and it is turned off.
C. You must have the ignition key on for instruments
to work.
D. Any of the above could apply.
8. While checking the boat out you note there is
water in the bilge, what should you do?
A. Turn on the bilge pump switch.
B. There are more than one pump switches and
you must find the correct one so try them each
individually.
C. Mark or determine exactly how much water
there is in the bilge and re-check to be sure
you are
extracting bilge
water.
D. The water level seems to be going down slowly
so using caution and monitoring the water level
continue to the
nearest port
if you are
not certain your
bilge is ok.
9. Among the many switches on the dash you’ve found some that don’t
seem to operate – why?
A. If you have no schematic, you should carefully
check fuses and wiring. Make a list and
mark each wire and
switch.
B. Some vessels have a separate switch
for the binnacle light. Since the light
cast
by it is
so dim, you
may not be able
to notice it’s on during the
daylight.
C. Some switches turn on the power to a
float operated bilge pump. If the float
is not
in water, the pump
will not run.
This switch
should be wired
to a small
indicator light to avoid being left on
accidentally.
D. Some vessels are manufactured with extra
switches for use to power an added option
later.
ANSWERS:
1. A & C
2. D
3. A
4. C
5. D
6. A
7. D
8. All are correct
9. All are correct
If you missed any questions perhaps you
should become more familiar with your
boat before
cruising alone.
Study the
proper manuals
to fully understand
the
operation of your equipment.