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The subjects listed below are currently available for testing in the new online study room and are available for download to your computer. Click on subject below for details. Engineering Examination Questions Deck Examination Questions Operator Uninspected Passenger Vessel Advanced Subjects, Unlimited Oceans Master, Mate Aids to Navigation Glossary Included Fire Fighting Glossary Included Meteorology "Glossary Included" Previews of Deck and Engine Room Questions Pollution Control and Prevention Plotting/Navigational Problems Seamanship Glossary Included Ships Construction Glossary Included Stability and Trim Glossary Included Tides and Currents Glossary Included |
Download 1993 light list block island and eastern long island sound_part 1_section A
Download 1993 coast pilot block island and eastern long island sound_part
1_section B Glossary of Aids to Navigation Terms Adrift: Afloat and unattached in any way to the shore or seabed. Aid to navigation: Any device external to a vessel or aircraft specifically intended to assist navigators in determining their position or safe course, or to warn them of dangers or obstructions to navigation. Alternating light: A rhythmic light showing light of alternating colors. Arc of visibility: The portion of the horizon over which a lighted aid to navigation is visible from seaward. Articulated beacon: A beacon-like buoyant structure, tethered directly to the seabed and having no watch circle. Called articulated light or articulated daybeacon, as appropriate. Assigned position: The latitude and longitude position for an aid to navigation. Beacon: A lighted or unlighted fixed aid to navigation attached directly to the earth's surface. (Lights and daybeacons both constitute beacons.) Bearing: The horizontal direction of a line of Sight between two objects on the surface of the earth. Bell: A sound signal producing bell tones by means of a hammer actuated by electricity on fixed aids and by sea motion on buoys. Bifurcation: The point where a channel divides when proceeding from seaward. The place where two tributaries meet. Broadcast Notice to Mariners: A radio broadcast designed to provide important marine information. Buoy: A floating object of defined shape and color, which is anchored at a given position and serves as an aid to navigation. Characteristic: The audible, visual, or electronic signal displayed by an aid to navigation to assist in the identification of an aid to navigation. Characteristic refers to lights, sound signals, RACONS, radio beacons, and daybeacons. Commissioned: The action of placing a previously discontinued aid to navigation back in operation. Composite group-flashing light: A group flashing light in which the flashes are combined in successive groups of different numbers of flashes. Composite group-occulting light: A light similar to a group-occulting light except that the successive groups in a period have different numbers of eclipses. Conventional direction of buoyage: The general direction taken by the mariner when approaching a harbor, river, estuary, or other waterway from seaward, or proceeding upstream or in the direction of the main stream of flood tide, or in the direction indicated in appropriate nautical documents (normally following a clockwise direction around land masses). Daybeacon: An unlighted fixed structure which is equipped with a dayboard for daytime identification. Dayboard: The daytime identifier of an aid to navigation presenting one of several standard shapes (square, triangle, rectangle) and colors (red, green, white, orange, yellow, or black.) Daymark: The daytime identifier of an aid to navigation. Diaphone: A sound signal which produces sound by means of a slotted piston moved back and forth by compressed air. A "two tone" diaphone produces two sequential tones with the second tone of lower pitch. Directional light: A light illuminating a sector or very narrow angle and intended to mark a direction to be followed. Discontinued: To remove from operation (permanently or temporarily) a previously authorized aid to navigation. Discrepancy: Failure of an aid to navigation to maintain its position or function as prescribed in the Light List. Discrepancy buoy: An easily transportable buoy used to temporarily replace an aid to navigation not watching properly. Dolphin: A minor aid to navigation structure consisting of a number of piles driven into the seabed or riverbed in a circular pattern and drawn together with wire rope. Eclipse: An interval of darkness between appearances of a light. Emergency light: A light of reduced intensity displayed by certain aids to navigation when the main light is extinguished. Establish: To place an authorized aid to navigation in operation for the first time. Extinguished: A lighted aid to navigation which fails to show a light characteristic. Fixed light: A light showing continuously and steadily, as opposed to a rhythmic light. (Do not confuse with "fixed" as used to differentiate from "floating.") Flash: A relatively brief appearance of a light. In comparison with the longest interval of darkness in the same character. Flash tube: An electronically controlled high-intensity discharge lamp with a very brief flash duration. Flashing light: A light in which the total duration of light in each period is clearly shorter than the total duration of darkness and in which the flashes of light are all of equal duration. (Commonly used for a single-flashing light which exhibits only single flashes which are repeated at regular intervals.) Floating aid to navigation: A buoy, secured in its assigned position by a mooring. Fog detector: An electronic device used to automatically determine conditions of visibility which warrant the activation of a sound signal or additional light signals. Fog signal: See sound signal. Geographic range: The greatest distance the curvature of the earth permits an object of a given height to be seen from a particular height of eye without regard to luminous intensity or visibility conditions. Global Positioning System (GPS): A satellite-based radio navigation system providing continuous worldwide coverage. It provides navigation, position, and timing information to air, marine, and land users. Gong: A wave actuated sound signal on buoys which uses a group of saucer shaped bells to produce different tones. Group-flashing light: A flashing light in which a group of trashes, specified in number, is regularly repeated. Group-occulting light: An occulting light in which a group of eclipses, specified in number, is regularly repeated. Horn: A sound signal which uses electricity or compressed air to vibrate a disc diaphragm. Inoperative: Sound signal or electronic aid to navigation out of service due to a malfunction. Interrupted quick light: A quick flashing light in which the rapid alternations are interrupted at regular intervals by eclipses of long duration. Isolated danger mark: A mark erected on, or moored above or very near, an isolated danger which has navigable water all around it. Isophase light: A rhythmic light in which all durations of light and darkness are equal. (Formerly called equal interval light.) Junction: The point where a channel divides when proceeding seaward. The place where a distributary departs from the main stream Lateral system: A system of aids to navigation in which characteristics of buoys and beacons indicate the sides of the channel or route relative to a conventional direction of buoy age (usually upstream). Light: The signal emitted by a lighted aid to navigation. The illuminating apparatus used to emit the light signal. A lighted aid to navigation on a fixed structure. Light sector: The arc over which a light is visible, described in degrees true, as observed from seaward towards the light. May be used to define distinctive color difference of two adjoining sectors, or an obscured sector. Lighted ice buoy (LIB): A lighted buoy without a sound signal, and designed to withstand the forces of shifting and flowing ice. Used to replace a conventional buoy when that aid to navigation is endangered by ice. Lighthouse: A lighted beacon of major importance. Local Notice to Mariners: A written document issued by each U.S. Coast Guard district to disseminate important information affecting aids to navigation, dredging, marine construction, special marine activities, and bridge construction on the waterways within that district. LORAN: An acronym for LOng RAnge Navigation, is an electronic aid to navigation consisting of shore based radio transmitters. The LORAN system enables users equipped with a LORAN receiver to determine their position quickly and accurately, day or night, in practically any weather. Luminous range: The greatest distance a light can be expected to be seen given its nominal range and the prevailing meteorological visibility. Mark: A visual aid to navigation. Often called navigation mark, includes floating marks (buoys) and fixed marks (beacons). Meteorological visibility: The greatest distance at which a black object of suitable dimension could be seen and recognized against the horizon sky by day, or, in the case of night observations, could be seen and recognized if the general illumination were raised to the normal daylight level. Mileage number: A number assigned to aids to navigation which gives the distance in sailing miles along the river from a reference point to the aid to navigation. The number is used principally in the Mississippi River System. Nominal range: The maximum distance a light can be seen in clear weather (meteorological visibility of 10 nautical miles). Listed for all lighted aids to navigation except range lights, directional lights, and private aids to navigation. Occulting light: A light in which the total duration of light in each period is clearly longer than the total duration of darkness and in which the intervals of darkness (occultations) are all of equal duration. (Commonly used for single occulting light which exhibits only single occultations which are repeated at regular intervals.) Ocean Data Acquisition System CODAS): Certain very large buoys in deep water for the collection of oceanographic and meteorological information. All ODAS buoys are yellow in color and display a yellow light. Off shore tower: Monitored light stations built on exposed marine sites to replace lightships. Off station: A floating aid to navigation not on its assigned position. Passing light: A low intensity light which may be mounted on the structure of another light to enable the mariner to keep the latter in sight when passing out of its beam during transit. Period: The interval of time between the commencement of two identical successive cycles of the characteristic of the light or sound signal. Pile: A long heavy timber driven into the seabed or riverbed to serve as a support for an aid to navigation, Port hand mark: A buoy or beacon which is left to the port hand when proceeding in the "conventional direction of buoyage". Preferred channel mark: A lateral mark indicating a channel junction or bifurcation, or a wreck, or other obstruction which, after consulting a chart, may be passed on either side. Primary aid to navigation: An aid to navigation established the purpose of making landfall and coastwise passages from headland to headland. Quick light: A light exhibiting very rapid regular alternations of light and darkness, normally 60 flashes per minute, (formerly called flashing light). RACON: A radar beacon which produces a coded response or radar paint, when triggered by a radar signal. Radar: An electronic system designed to transmit radio signals and receive reflected images of those signals from a "target" in order to determine the bearing and distance to the "target". Radar reflector: A special fixture fitted to or incorporated in the design of certain aids to navigation to enhance their ability to reflect radar energy. In general, these fixtures will materially improve the aid to navigation for use by vessels with radar. Radio beacon: Electronic apparatus which transmit a radio signal for use in providing a mariner a line of position. Range: A line formed by the extension of a line connecting two charted points. Range lights: Two lights associated to form range which often, but not necessarily indicates a channel centerline. The Front Range is the lower of the two, and nearer to the mariner using the range. The rear range light is higher and further from the mariner. Rebuilt: A fixed aid to navigation previously destroyed, which has been restored as an aid to navigation. Regulatory marks: A white and orange aid to navigation with no lateral significance. Used to indicate a special meaning to the mariner, such as danger, restricted operations, or exclusion area. Relighted: An extinguished aid to navigation returned to its advertised light characteristics. Replaced: An aid to navigation previously off station, adrift, or missing, restored by another aid to navigation of the same type and characteristics. Replaced (temporarily): An aid to navigation previously off station, adrift, or missing, restored by another aid to navigation of different type and/or characteristic. Reset: A floating aid to navigation previously off station, adrift, or missing, returned to its assigned position (station). Rhythmic light: A light showing intermittently with a regular periodicity. Sector: See light sector. Setting a buoy: The act of placing a buoy on assigned position in the water. Siren: A sound signal which uses electricity or compressed air to actuate either a disc or a cup shaped rotor. Skeleton tower: A tower, usually of steel, constructed of heavy corner members and various horizontal and diagonal bracing members. Sound signal: A device which transmits sound, intended to provide information to mariners during periods of restricted visibility and foul weather. Starboard hand mark: A buoy or beacon which is left to the starboard hand when proceeding in the conventional direction of buoyage. Topmark: One or more relatively small objects of characteristic shape and color placed on an aid to identify its purpose. Traffic Separation Scheme: Shipping corridors marked by buoys which separate incoming from outgoing vessels. Improperly called SEA LANES. Watching properly: An aid to navigation on its assigned position exhibiting the advertised characteristics in all respects. Whistle: A wave actuated sound signal on buoys which produces sound by emitting compressed air through a circumferential slot into a cylindrical bell chamber. Winter marker: An unlighted buoy without sound signal, used to replace a conventional buoy when that aid to navigation is endangered by ice. Winter light: A light which is maintained during those winter months when the regular light is extinguished. It is of lower candlepower than the regular light but usually of the same characteristic. Withdrawn: The discontinuance of a floating aid to navigation during severe ice conditions or for the winter season. No pop ups, Banners, Spam, Garbage, Advertisements, Hidden Gimmicks or any proverbial "Fine Print" to deal with. What you see is what you get. Just down-to-earth information and this site is dedicated to keeping it that way. 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