Boater Education Card Exam (NASBLA-approved boating safety course)
Environment: practice questions
Our Boater Education Card (U.S.) bank has 17 questions on this topic. Here are 4 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.
Question 1
In a No Discharge Zone, an acceptable way to secure a Type I or II MSD is to:
- Put a sign on the toilet
- Pump only at night
- Padlock or wire-tie the overboard valve closed
- Leave the valve open but slow down to no-wake speed
Show the answer
C. Padlock or wire-tie the overboard valve closed — The guide: padlock or non-releasable wire tie the valve closed, remove the handle, or lock the head door.
Question 2
Food waste, paper and glass (not ground up) may not be dumped at sea within:
- 25 miles of land
- 3 miles of land
- 12 miles of land
- 1 mile of land
Show the answer
C. 12 miles of land — The guide's MARPOL table: food waste, paper, rags, glass, metal and crockery prohibited less than 12 miles from nearest land.
Question 3
Under federal law, throwing plastic trash overboard is:
- Illegal everywhere
- Legal beyond 3 miles
- Legal on inland waters
- Legal beyond 12 miles
Show the answer
A. Illegal everywhere — The guide (MARPOL Annex V): discharging plastic is illegal everywhere.
Question 4
Untreated sewage may be discharged legally only:
- Within 1 mile of shore, but only at night
- In any river
- Anywhere outside a marina
- More than 3 nautical miles from shore
Show the answer
D. More than 3 nautical miles from shore — The guide: untreated sewage may be discharged beyond 3 nautical miles; treated sewage is allowed within 3 miles except in No Discharge Zones.