California Boater Card Practice Test 2026: Practice test 3

Practice test 3 of 6 for the California Boater Card Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Boating
California
132 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 25
A collision causes $3,000 in damage but no injuries. How soon must it be reported?
- Within 10 days
- It does not need to be reported
- Within 2 hours
- Within 48 hours
Show answer
Answer: A. Within 10 days
Accidents with damage only (of $2,000 or more) must be reported within 10 days.
Question 2 of 25
What does "not under command" mean in the Navigation Rules?
- A vessel with no licensed captain on board at the time
- A vessel that cannot maneuver because of a problem, such as a steering failure
- A vessel that is going faster than the posted speed limit
- A vessel that is anchored or tied to a mooring buoy
Show answer
Answer: B. A vessel that cannot maneuver because of a problem, such as a steering failure
A vessel not under command cannot keep out of the way because of an exceptional circumstance. Other vessels, including sailboats, must keep clear of it.
Question 3 of 25
You are in a No Discharge Zone. What must you do with your marine sanitation device?
- Discharge only sewage that has been treated
- Remove the toilet from the boat completely
- Secure it so it cannot discharge, such as with a padlock
- Discharge only at night when no one is swimming
Show answer
Answer: C. Secure it so it cannot discharge, such as with a padlock
In a No Discharge Zone, no sewage may be discharged, and the device must be secured, such as with a padlocked valve or locked door.
Question 4 of 25
Is it legal to tie your boat to a navigation buoy?
- No, it is dangerous and illegal
- Yes, if you stay less than an hour
- Yes, if the buoy is green
- Yes, but only in daylight
Show answer
Answer: A. No, it is dangerous and illegal
Do not tie up to aids to navigation. It is dangerous and illegal, and it can hide the aid from other boaters.
Question 5 of 25
This marker shows a diamond with a cross and the words "SWIM AREA". What must boaters do?
- Keep it on your right when returning
- Keep out of the marked swimming area
- Anchor there to swim
- Slow down and pass through it
Show answer
Answer: B. Keep out of the marked swimming area
A diamond with a cross means boats keep out. Here it protects a swimming area.
Question 6 of 25
At night you see another boat's red sidelight on your starboard side. What should you do?
- Hold course, since you are the stand-on boat
- Speed up to cross in front of it quickly
- Give way, because it is crossing from your right
- Turn off your lights so you do not confuse it
Show answer
Answer: C. Give way, because it is crossing from your right
A red light on your right means a boat is crossing from your starboard side. You are the give-way vessel.
Question 7 of 25
Several people are in cold water wearing life jackets. How can they stay warmer?
- Spread out to be seen
- Float on their backs far apart
- Huddle close together
- Take turns swimming laps
Show answer
Answer: C. Huddle close together
The huddle position reduces heat loss and keeps the group together for rescuers.
Question 8 of 25
What colors are used on regulatory and information markers?
- Red and white vertical stripes
- Green with a wide red band in the middle
- Black with one or more yellow bands
- White with orange bands at top and bottom
Show answer
Answer: D. White with orange bands at top and bottom
Regulatory and information markers are white with an orange band near the top and bottom. The orange shape shows the meaning.
Question 9 of 25
For which activities does the Coast Guard recommend wearing a life jacket, and many states require it?
- Only fishing from a dock or a pier
- Only when the boat is anchored offshore
- Only boating after dark on large lakes
- Water skiing, PWC riding, whitewater and sailboarding
Show answer
Answer: D. Water skiing, PWC riding, whitewater and sailboarding
The Coast Guard recommends wearing a life jacket for high-risk activities like water skiing, PWC riding, whitewater and sailboarding, and many states require it.
Question 10 of 25
How many wearable life jackets must a recreational boat carry?
- One for every two people on board
- One approved life jacket for each person
- Two for the whole boat, of any size
- One for the operator only
Show answer
Answer: B. One approved life jacket for each person
Federal rules require one wearable, Coast Guard-approved life jacket for each person aboard.
Question 11 of 25
Which vessels are exempt from carrying day visual distress signals?
- Any boat that has a working VHF radio
- Boats with inboard gasoline engines
- Manually propelled boats, such as canoes
- All boats over 26 feet with a cabin
Show answer
Answer: C. Manually propelled boats, such as canoes
Manually propelled boats, boats under 16 feet, open sailboats under 26 feet without propulsion, and boats in organized events are exempt from day signals.
Question 12 of 25
Where should swimmers stay away from while a boat's engine or generator is running?
- The shoreline and shallow water nearby
- The bow, where the anchor is stored
- The swim platform and the back of the boat
- The anchor line at the front of the boat
Show answer
Answer: C. The swim platform and the back of the boat
Exhaust gases with carbon monoxide collect near the stern and swim platform. Do not swim or sit there while engines or generators run.
Question 13 of 25
Which light does a boat show when anchored at night?
- An all-round red light
- Its red and green sidelights
- An all-round white light
- A flashing yellow light
Show answer
Answer: C. An all-round white light
A vessel at anchor shows an all-round white light at night and a black ball by day.
Question 14 of 25
Your boat is 40 feet long and you operate on U.S. inland waters. What document must you keep on board?
- A copy of the boat's insurance policy
- A copy of the Navigation Rules
- A map of every state you will visit
- A list of marinas with fuel
Show answer
Answer: B. A copy of the Navigation Rules
Operators of vessels 12 meters (39.4 feet) or longer must keep a copy of the Navigation Rules on board on inland waters.
Question 15 of 25
Which non-pyrotechnic signal counts for daytime use only?
- An orange distress flag, 3 by 3 feet
- A white all-round anchor light
- An electric distress light
- A green flashlight, held up high
Show answer
Answer: A. An orange distress flag, 3 by 3 feet
An orange distress flag is a day signal. An electric distress light is a night signal.
Question 16 of 25
One 20-B fire extinguisher can replace how many required 5-B extinguishers?
- Two
- Four
- Three
- One
Show answer
Answer: A. Two
One 20-B extinguisher may be carried in place of two required 5-B extinguishers.
Question 17 of 25
How should a give-way vessel act?
- By speeding up to cross in front
- Late, with a small turn at the last moment
- Early and with a large, obvious change of course or speed
- By sounding five short blasts and holding course
Show answer
Answer: C. Early and with a large, obvious change of course or speed
The give-way vessel must take early and substantial action so the other operator can clearly see what it is doing.
Question 18 of 25
When is an operator NOT required to use the engine cut-off switch link?
- When there are passengers on board
- When the water is calm
- When the main helm is inside an enclosed cabin
- When the boat is going faster than 20 mph
Show answer
Answer: C. When the main helm is inside an enclosed cabin
The requirement does not apply when the main helm is inside an enclosed cabin. It is also not needed at slow speeds such as docking or trolling.
Question 19 of 25
Someone is injured and needs medical treatment beyond first aid. How soon must the written report be filed?
- Within 10 days
- Within 48 hours
- Within 30 days
- Within one year
Show answer
Answer: B. Within 48 hours
Reports are due within 48 hours for a death within 24 hours, an injury beyond first aid, or a disappearance. Other reportable accidents must be reported within 10 days.
Question 20 of 25
What is true about carbon monoxide (CO) from boat engines?
- It is safe outdoors on a boat
- It only comes from diesel engines
- It smells like gasoline, so it is easy to notice
- It has no color or smell and can kill quickly
Show answer
Answer: D. It has no color or smell and can kill quickly
Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless. It can build up around a boat, especially near the stern and swim platform, while engines or generators run.
Question 21 of 25
What must a boat 12 meters (39.4 feet) or longer carry for sound signals?
- A referee whistle for the operator
- A small hand bell kept at the helm
- A whistle audible for 1/2 nautical mile
- Nothing beyond a working VHF radio
Show answer
Answer: C. A whistle audible for 1/2 nautical mile
Vessels 12 meters or longer need a whistle (horn) audible for 1/2 nautical mile. Vessels 20 meters or longer also need a bell.
Question 22 of 25
When must the operator of a covered boat use the engine cut-off switch link?
- Only when towing a skier or a tube
- When on plane or above displacement speed
- Only when docking at a marina or ramp
- Only when operating after dark
Show answer
Answer: B. When on plane or above displacement speed
Since April 1, 2021, operators of covered boats must use the engine cut-off switch link when running on plane or above displacement speed.
Question 23 of 25
You are returning from sea. On which side should you keep this green buoy?
- On your port (left) side
- On your starboard (right) side
- On either side
- Directly ahead of you
Show answer
Answer: A. On your port (left) side
Green lateral markers mark the port side of the channel when you return from sea. Keep them on your left.
Question 24 of 25
What does this white marker with an orange diamond and a cross inside mean?
- Swimmers may not enter
- Boats keep out of the area
- Slow down to 5 mph
- Information about a nearby marina
Show answer
Answer: B. Boats keep out of the area
A diamond with a cross marks an exclusion area. Boats must keep out, for example near dams or swimming areas.
Question 25 of 25
A 70-foot (21-meter) boat must carry which sound-producing devices?
- A whistle, a bell and a gong
- A hand-held air horn only
- A whistle and a bell
- A whistle only
Show answer
Answer: C. A whistle and a bell
Vessels 20 meters or longer need a whistle and a bell. A gong is added at 100 meters or longer.

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