Free M1GL Practice Questions

Question 1

In clear daylight on U.S. inland waters, a motorboat approaches your launch from the port bow on a crossing course. Neither vessel is in a narrow channel. While still well separated, the motorboat makes an early, substantial turn to pass astern. Continued observation shows that it will pass well clear if you hold course and speed. A passenger urges you to stop. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Maintain course and speed while monitoring the motorboat until it is past and clear.

Answer

Stop the launch and wait for the motorboat to complete its passage behind you.

Answer

Turn to port and arrange to pass astern of the motorboat instead of ahead.

Answer

Increase speed to get across the motorboat's track well before it reaches your present position.

Question 2

Your launch is entering a U.S. harbor in the conventional direction of buoyage. At a fork, the junction buoy has red and green horizontal bands with green on top. The destination lies in the port-hand branch, which the current chart shows has adequate depth and clearance for the launch. Neither branch is closed. How should you use the port-hand branch?

Accepted Answer

Enter it with the junction buoy to starboard; the nonpreferred branch may be used.

Answer

Do not use it; the green top band requires vessels to take the preferred branch.

Answer

Enter it with the junction buoy to port, treating the top band as a port-hand mark.

Answer

Pass either side of the buoy; mixed-color bands give it no lateral significance.

Question 3

A passenger who fell overboard is now alongside the launch's designated stern recovery ladder. A crewmember has secured a recovery line to the person, and the launch is clear of traffic in calm water. Several seated passengers start moving aft to help. Which instruction best controls the immediate recovery hazards?

Accepted Answer

Stop the engine, keep the other passengers seated, and have the crew recover the person at the ladder.

Answer

Keep the engine in neutral and gather the adult passengers at the ladder to lift together.

Answer

Use idle ahead to maintain steering while the crew brings the person onto the stern ladder.

Answer

Use short bursts astern to keep the ladder close while the other passengers remain seated.

Question 4

The Certificate of Inspection for a launch permits 18 passengers, limits the vessel to 20 total persons, and requires a master and one deckhand. Today, a second working deckhand will also remain aboard. The crew assignment will not change, and loading and stability requirements are otherwise satisfied. What is the maximum passenger count for this departure?

Accepted Answer

17 passengers, because all three crewmembers count toward the total-person limit.

Answer

15 passengers; deduct all three crewmembers from the 18-passenger limit.

Answer

16 passengers; deduct the two required crewmembers from the passenger limit.

Answer

18 passengers, because the extra deckhand does not change the stated passenger allowance.

Question 5

Two power-driven launches are meeting in sight of one another, 0.3 nautical mile apart, on U.S. inland waters. Their present tracks permit a safe starboard-to-starboard passage. The other launch sounds two short blasts. You understand its intention and agree that the passage is safe. Your whistle reply should be:

Accepted Answer

Two short blasts, agreeing to the starboard-to-starboard passage.

Answer

One short blast, acknowledging the other launch's proposal to pass.

Answer

One prolonged blast, confirming agreement before the launches meet.

Answer

At least five short blasts, requiring a pause before accepting the passage.

Question 6

At a camp pickup, a child weighs less than the minimum marked on every adult lifejacket aboard an inspected launch. The child-size jackets are already needed by the other small children. There is room for the additional passenger, and an unused adult jacket can be tightened around the child. What must be provided before carrying this child?

Accepted Answer

An additional approved lifejacket of the appropriate size for the child.

Answer

The spare adult lifejacket, worn throughout the trip rather than kept in its rack.

Answer

The spare adult lifejacket and a seat beside a guardian who will hold the child.

Answer

An adult lifejacket at the child's seat and a ring buoy kept ready beside it.

Question 7

At a sheltered landing in calm water, a launch's verified depth sounder reads 4.7 ft below its transducer. The transducer is 0.8 ft below the waterline; the vessel's deepest point is 3.0 ft below the waterline. The operating procedure requires at least 2.0 ft of static under-keel clearance. Which assessment correctly interprets the water depth directly beneath the vessel?

Accepted Answer

Clearance is 2.5 ft; the stated minimum is met.

Answer

Clearance is 1.7 ft; the stated minimum is not met.

Answer

Clearance is 3.9 ft; the stated minimum is met.

Answer

Clearance is 4.7 ft; the stated minimum is met.

Question 8

During an October 2026 boarding in Massachusetts, a launch operator born in 1994 produces a current USCG Merchant Mariner Credential endorsed as Limited Master. It is aboard and available for inspection, and the operation complies with its restrictions. The operator does not carry a separate Massachusetts boater safety certificate. Does that missing certificate, by itself, prohibit operation?

Accepted Answer

No; the qualifying USCG credential carried aboard satisfies the statutory education exemption.

Answer

Yes; operation must stop until a separate Massachusetts boater safety certificate can be produced.

Answer

No; the vessel's Certificate of Inspection exempts whoever operates it.

Answer

Yes; the exemption requires the vessel to be federally documented.

Question 9

Under sail alone, a sloop catches a power-driven launch from directly astern in open U.S. inland waters. The vessels remain in sight. The sloop advances along the launch's starboard side until their bows are level, but it has not passed clear. Its skipper now claims the launch must give way to a sailing vessel on its starboard side. Which statement correctly assigns the keep-clear duty?

Accepted Answer

The sloop must keep clear until finally past and clear; coming abeam does not turn overtaking into crossing.

Answer

The launch must give way because the other vessel is propelled by sail alone.

Answer

The launch must give way because the sloop is now on its starboard side.

Answer

The overtaking duty ended when the two bows became level, so neither vessel is stand-on.

Question 10

A fire is confirmed inside a gasoline launch's engine compartment, and the hatch is closed. Everyone is accounted for outside that space, passengers have been moved clear, and a crewmember is calling for assistance. The installed fixed fire-extinguishing system is ready for manual release. Before releasing it, the master must ensure that:

Accepted Answer

the fuel supply and mechanical ventilation to the affected space are shut off.

Answer

the engine-compartment hatch is opened to ventilate the space.

Answer

the ventilation blower remains running to extract smoke during discharge.

Answer

the gasoline engine is kept idling to preserve electrical power during the fire-extinguishing system's discharge.

Free M1GL Practice Questions

Domain 1: Rules of the Road

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Domain 2: Aids to navigation

Question 4

Question 5

Domain 3: Safe boating subjects

Question 6

Question 7

Question 8

Domain 4: State regulations

Question 9

Domain 5: Federal regulations

Question 10

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