Test Your Boating Knowledge Answers

Last week we ran a four day “Test Your Boating Knowledge” contest. Binnacle, was the winner. Here are the questions with the correct answers highlighted.

Q: A 20-meter power-driven vessel pushing ahead or towing alongside will display ___________

1. two masthead lights in a vertical line

2. a towing light above the stern light

3. two towing lights in a vertical line

4. two all-round red lights at the masthead

Q: What was the name of the boat on which Darwin traveled?

1. Endeavor

2. Resolution

3. Beagle

4. Agamemnon

Q: Which animal is a sign of bad luck on a ship?

1. Rabbit

2. Rat

3. Cat

4. Monkey

 Q: The term “Mayday” comes from what language?

1. Greek

2. French

3. Italian

4. Spanish

Test Your Boating Knowledge Part IV

Today is the last day of “Test Your Boating Knowledge” week.  Please share your knowledge with us by responding with the correct answer either in the comment section or by emailing me at captmatt@boatsafe.com . The person(s) at the end of the week with the most correct answers will receive a Nautical Know How T-shirt.

Q: The term “Mayday” comes from what language?

1. Greek

2. French

3. Italian

4. Spanish

Test Your Boating Knowledge Part III

For the remainder of this week, today and tomorrow, we will be posting a question each day to “Test Your Boating Knowledge.” Please share your knowledge with us by responding with the correct answer either in the comment section or by emailing me at captmatt@boatsafe.com . The person(s) at the end of the week with the most correct answers will receive a Nautical Know How T-shirt.

Q: Which animal is a sign of bad luck on a ship?

1. Rabbit

2. Rat

3. Cat

4. Monkey

Test Your Boating Knowledge Part II

For the remainder of this week we will be posting a question each day to “Test Your Boating Knowledge.” Please share your knowledge with us by responding with the correct answer either in the comment section or by emailing me at captmatt@boatsafe.com . The person(s) at the end of the week with the most correct answers will receive a Nautical Know How T-shirt.

Q: What was the name of the boat on which Darwin traveled?

1. Endeavor

2. Resolution

3. Beagle

4. Agamemnon

Test Your Boating Knowledge

For the remainder of this week we will be posting a question each day to “Test Your Boating Knowledge.” Please share your knowledge with us by responding with the correct answer either in the comment section or by emailing me at captmatt@boatsafe.com . The person(s) at the end of the week with the most correct answers will receive a Nautical Know How T-shirt.

Q: A 20-meter power-driven vessel pushing ahead or towing alongside will display ___________

1. two masthead lights in a vertical line

2. a towing light above the stern light

3. two towing lights in a vertical line

4. two all-round red lights at the masthead

Virginia is for BOATERS

Source: Daily Boater

The folks that promote tourism for the Commonwealth of Virginia are announcing a major travel sweepstakes for 2012, and it’s quite nautical.

They are calling the promotion LOVE Aquatic, and it features four grand prize adventures that combine family fun and learning on the water…

Sweepstakes Details
Each of the four prize packages is for a family of four and includes airfare, rental car, overnight lodging, cash card, admission to attractions and a specific aquatic experience with personalized expert instruction. Highlights of the prizes include:

Four nights in a waterside hotel in Norfolk along with VIP access to the tall ships during OPSAIL2012.

A vacation at Smith Mountain Lake, complete with pontoon boat rental for four days and boating safety lessons

Four nights in an inn on the Chesapeake Bay, along with two mornings of sailing instructions and a guided kayak tour of Westmoreland State Park.

A four night getaway in Richmond, complete with a five-hour river experience and fly fishing lessons on the James River.

Drawings will be held March 16, May 11, June 15 and August 10. Adults 21 and over can register online to win by visiting www.Virginia.org/sweeps.

The Clock is Ticking! Get Your Christmas Gifts Here

It’s that time of year to start thinking about presents for those boaters in your life. For today, we are offering the —

Nautical Know How Coastal Navigation Course

Order by Tuesday, December 20, 2011 to assure delivery by Christmas. Order will be shipped priority mail.

The Nautical Know How Coastal Navigation Course

Perfect for inland and near-shore boaters. This Navigation Course is a combination of a printed text/workbook for home study, sample and real-time chart work, online animated demonstrations and testing, chapter answers with step-by-step explanations and email instructor assistance.

For details and ordering click here.

Topics covered in the course include:

Introduction to Navigation Understanding Latitude & Longitude Reading the Nautical Chart Finding Latitude, Longitude & Distance Finding Direction Distance, Speed & Time Calculations Getting to Know Your Magnetic Compass Dead Reckoning

Two & Three Bearing Fixes Running Fixes Finding Set & Drift Estimated Position Finding Course to Steer Finding Relative Bearings Tide and Current Calculations Publications: Coast Pilot, Light List, Local Notice to Mariners Publication Excerpts Putting It All Together Final Exam

A recent email regarding this course said “I’ve tried to learn this stuff for years. Thanks to your course, I finally get it. Thanks!” Linda

For details and ordering click here.

Don’t Wait Til The Last Minute to Get Your Christmas Gifts

It’s that time of year to start thinking about presents for those boaters in your life. For today, we are offering the —

Safe Boating Reference Set – Skipper’s Onboard Source

Order by Tuesday, December 20, 2011 to assure delivery by Christmas. Order will be shipped priority mail.

Skipper’s Onboard Source– The information you need to know (and carry with you) in a portable, waterproof format.A “flip book” of 18 laminated pages (3.5″x9″) to carry onboard, covering aids to navigation, dayshapes, running lights, sound signals, rules of the road, weather, signal flags, radio procedures, required equipment, etc. For details and ordering click here.

Trivia Thursday

As we head into winter it is always a good idea to continue to brush up on our boating skills.

Question: Is the boat below coming in from sea or going out to sea and how can you tell?

Use the comment box below for your answer.

How Increased Radio Traffic Could Effect Your Navigation

We reported, back in May, in an article titled GPS Signals in Jeopardy about the potential interference in GPS signals caused by high-speed, broadband Internet and cell phone services. Back in January 2010 the FCC gave conditional approval to a private company, LightSquared, to build 40,000 ground stations within the U.S. that would transmit high-powered signals in the middle of the existing satellite band of frequencies.

The United States Departments of Transportation and Defense, on behalf of the National Executive Committee for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing, sent a letter to the Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The Departments asked the NTIA Administrator to advise the Federal Communications Commission to continue to withhold authorization for LightSquared to commence commercial service per its proposed deployment of a terrestrial service within the 1525-1559 MHz bands. LightSquared’s proposal is to deploy a network of 40,000 base stations along with some satellite coverage over 139 major markets in the United States.

The Departments’ position follows an interagency review of the findings of the National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Systems Engineering Forum (NPEF), which was tasked to assess the GPS impacts of LightSquared’s deployment plan as originally filed. The NPEF determined that, if permitted to operate as originally planned, LightSquared’s signals would significantly interfere with GPS users and, as a result, impact national security, economic security, and public safety nationwide.

The NTIA Administrator forwarded the letter and report to the FCC Chairman. These materials can be found at http://www.pnt.gov/.

The Departments continue to support the National Broadband Plan, but cannot do so at the expense of a global, ubiquitous utility such as the Global Positioning System. The Departments encourage further assessment of any alternative spectrum and/or signal configuration plans.