Canada Boating Licence (PCOC) Practice Test 2026: Practice test 5

Practice test 5 of 6 for the Canada Boating Licence (PCOC) Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Boating
Canada
150 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 25
In fog, what sound signal does a power-driven vessel give while it is moving through the water?
- Continuous ringing of a bell
- One prolonged blast at least every 2 minutes
- Five short blasts every minute
- Two short blasts every 5 minutes
Show answer
Answer: B. One prolonged blast at least every 2 minutes
In restricted visibility, a power-driven vessel making way sounds one prolonged blast at intervals of no more than 2 minutes.
Question 2 of 25
In fog, a power-driven vessel is underway but stopped in the water. What signal does it give?
- One prolonged blast every 5 minutes
- Three short blasts every 2 minutes
- Two prolonged blasts at least every 2 minutes
- One short blast every minute
Show answer
Answer: C. Two prolonged blasts at least every 2 minutes
A power-driven vessel underway but not making way sounds two prolonged blasts, about 2 seconds apart, at intervals of no more than 2 minutes.
Question 3 of 25
In fog, what signal does a sailboat under sail give?
- One short blast, repeated every 30 seconds
- One prolonged and two short blasts, every 2 minutes or less
- Five short blasts, repeated once every minute
- Two prolonged blasts, at least every 2 minutes
Show answer
Answer: B. One prolonged and two short blasts, every 2 minutes or less
Sailing vessels, vessels fishing and some others sound one prolonged and two short blasts at intervals of no more than 2 minutes.
Question 4 of 25
In this diagram, light 1 is the sidelight on the port (left) side. What colour is it?
- Yellow
- Green
- White
- Red
Show answer
Answer: D. Red
The port sidelight is red and the starboard sidelight is green.
Question 5 of 25
Light 4 in this diagram is the sternlight. Over what arc does it shine?
- 112.5°, on the left side only
- 225°, toward the front of the boat
- 360°, all around the boat
- 135°, toward the back of the boat
Show answer
Answer: D. 135°, toward the back of the boat
The white sternlight shows over 135° behind the boat. The masthead light shows over 225° forward.
Question 6 of 25
Light 3 is the white masthead light. Where can it be seen from?
- From all around the boat, over 360°
- Only from the port side
- From ahead and from both sides, over 225°
- Only from directly behind
Show answer
Answer: C. From ahead and from both sides, over 225°
The masthead light shines forward over 225°, from dead ahead to just behind the beam on each side.
Question 7 of 25
Which lights may a power-driven vessel under 12 m show instead of a masthead light and sternlight?
- Its sidelights only, with no white light
- One flashing yellow light at the bow
- Two red all-round lights, one above the other
- One all-round white light, plus sidelights
Show answer
Answer: D. One all-round white light, plus sidelights
A power-driven vessel under 12 m may show an all-round white light and sidelights in place of the masthead light and sternlight.
Question 8 of 25
At night you see both a red and a green light straight ahead of you. What is happening?
- A vessel is anchored
- A vessel is moving away from you
- A vessel is coming toward you head-on
- A vessel is crossing from your left
Show answer
Answer: C. A vessel is coming toward you head-on
Seeing both sidelights means the vessel is pointed at you. Turn to starboard, as in a head-on situation.
Question 9 of 25
At night you see only a white light ahead, and you are catching up to it. What is it most likely?
- A boat in distress
- The masthead light of a boat coming at you
- A red buoy
- The sternlight of a boat you are overtaking
Show answer
Answer: D. The sternlight of a boat you are overtaking
If you see only a white sternlight, you are coming up from behind and you are the overtaking boat.
Question 10 of 25
At night, you see another boat's red sidelight on your starboard (right) side. What should you do?
- Turn off your lights so you do not confuse it
- Hold your course, because you have right of way
- Give way, because it is crossing from your right
- Speed up and cross in front of it quickly
Show answer
Answer: C. Give way, because it is crossing from your right
Seeing a red sidelight on your right means a boat is crossing from your starboard side. You are the give-way boat.
Question 11 of 25
Which light should a small boat show when it is anchored at night?
- An all-round white light
- A red all-round light
- A flashing yellow light
- Its sidelights only
Show answer
Answer: A. An all-round white light
A vessel at anchor shows an all-round white light where it can best be seen.
Question 12 of 25
You paddle a canoe after sunset. What light must you have?
- No light, because canoes have no motor
- A flashing blue light mounted on the bow
- A white flashlight or lantern, ready to show
- A red and green bow light, always on
Show answer
Answer: C. A white flashlight or lantern, ready to show
A vessel under oars or paddles may show sailboat lights, but if not, it must have a white flashlight or lantern ready to show.
Question 13 of 25
What does this green buoy tell you when you are heading upstream?
- Keep it on your starboard (right) side
- Pass it on either side
- Do not go near it at all
- Keep it on your port (left) side
Show answer
Answer: D. Keep it on your port (left) side
A port hand buoy marks the port side of a channel. Keep it on your port side when going upstream.
Question 14 of 25
What kind of numbers are painted on green port hand buoys like this one?
- Letters only
- No numbers at all
- Odd numbers
- Even numbers
Show answer
Answer: C. Odd numbers
Port hand buoys are green and carry odd numbers, sometimes with letters.
Question 15 of 25
What does this red buoy tell you when you are heading upstream?
- Stop and wait for traffic
- Pass it on either side
- Keep it on your port (left) side
- Keep it on your starboard (right) side
Show answer
Answer: D. Keep it on your starboard (right) side
A starboard hand buoy marks the starboard side of a channel. Keep it on your starboard side when going upstream.
Question 16 of 25
What kind of numbers are painted on red starboard hand buoys like this one?
- Letters only
- Even numbers
- Odd numbers
- Numbers ending in zero only
Show answer
Answer: B. Even numbers
Starboard hand buoys are red and carry even numbers, sometimes with letters.
Question 17 of 25
What does "red, right, returning" mean?
- Red buoys mark places to anchor
- Keep red buoys on your right when heading upstream or returning from sea
- Keep red buoys on your right when heading out to sea
- Red buoys can be passed on either side
Show answer
Answer: B. Keep red buoys on your right when heading upstream or returning from sea
In Canada, red starboard buoys are kept on your right (starboard) side when you go upstream. Upstream means from the sea toward a river's source or into a harbour.
Question 18 of 25
In the Canadian buoy system, what does "upstream" mean?
- From the sea toward a river's source, or into a harbour
- Travelling away from the nearest town or city
- Travelling from north to south on any waterway
- Travelling into the wind, whatever the current
Show answer
Answer: A. From the sea toward a river's source, or into a harbour
The Canadian Aids to Navigation System defines upstream as the direction from seaward toward a river's headwaters or into a harbour.
Question 19 of 25
You are leaving a harbour and heading out to sea. Which side should red buoys like this be on?
- On your starboard (right) side
- Directly ahead of you
- It does not matter
- On your port (left) side
Show answer
Answer: D. On your port (left) side
Red buoys are kept on your right going upstream, so going downstream (out to sea) they are on your left.
Question 20 of 25
If this buoy has a light, what colour is it?
- White
- Green
- Red
- Yellow
Show answer
Answer: C. Red
Starboard hand buoys show a red light. Port hand buoys show a green light.
Question 21 of 25
This is a north cardinal buoy (black above yellow, two cones pointing up). Where is the safest water?
- Directly under the buoy
- All around the buoy
- To the north of the buoy
- To the south of the buoy
Show answer
Answer: C. To the north of the buoy
A cardinal buoy shows where the safest water is. Pass a north cardinal buoy on its north side.
Question 22 of 25
This is a south cardinal buoy (yellow above black, two cones pointing down). Where is the safest water?
- To the north of the buoy
- To the south of the buoy
- To the east of the buoy
- On any side of the buoy
Show answer
Answer: B. To the south of the buoy
Pass a south cardinal buoy on its south side. Its topmark is two black cones pointing down.
Question 23 of 25
This is an east cardinal buoy (black with a yellow band, cones base to base). Where is the safest water?
- To the east of the buoy
- Directly beside the buoy, any side
- To the west of the buoy
- To the north of the buoy
Show answer
Answer: A. To the east of the buoy
An east cardinal buoy is black with one broad yellow band, and its two cones point away from each other. Safe water lies to the east.
Question 24 of 25
This is a west cardinal buoy (yellow with a black band, cones point to point). Where is the safest water?
- To the south of the buoy
- Nowhere near it; turn back
- To the west of the buoy
- To the east of the buoy
Show answer
Answer: C. To the west of the buoy
A west cardinal buoy is yellow with one broad black band, and its two cones point toward each other. Safe water lies to the west.
Question 25 of 25
If a cardinal buoy like this has a light, what colour is it?
- White
- Yellow
- Green
- Red
Show answer
Answer: A. White
All cardinal buoy lights are white. The flash pattern tells you which cardinal buoy it is.

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