Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) Boating Safety Test
Rules of the road: practice questions
Our Pleasure Craft Operator Card (Canada) bank has 45 questions on this topic. Here are 5 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.
Question 1
How long is a prolonged blast?
- 10 seconds
- 4 to 6 seconds
- 2 seconds
- About 1 second
Show the answer
B. 4 to 6 seconds — Collision Regulations Rule 32: a prolonged blast is 4 to 6 seconds; a short blast about 1 second.
Question 2
In restricted visibility, a power-driven vessel making way sounds:
- Two short blasts every minute
- Five short blasts at least every 2 minutes or less
- A bell every minute
- One prolonged blast at least every 2 minutes
Show the answer
D. One prolonged blast at least every 2 minutes — Collision Regulations Rule 35(a).
Question 3
Two sailboats meet with the wind on different sides. Which keeps clear?
- The smaller boat
- The one with the wind on its port side
- The one with the wind on its starboard side
- The one to leeward
Show the answer
B. The one with the wind on its port side — Collision Regulations Rule 12(a)(i).
Question 4
A sternlight shows white over an arc of:
- 360 degrees
- 225 degrees
- 112.5 degrees
- 135 degrees
Show the answer
D. 135 degrees — Safe Boating Guide definitions: 135 degrees, 67.5 degrees from right aft on each side.
Question 5
Each sidelight shows over an arc of:
- 225 degrees
- 135 degrees each
- 112.5 degrees
- 180 degrees
Show the answer
C. 112.5 degrees — Safe Boating Guide definitions: each sidelight shows over 112.5 degrees, from right ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam.