Question 163Navigation General

The correct answer is A) Leave it to your starboard. According to the U.S. Aids to Navigation System, a red flashing buoy marks the starboard (right) side of the navigable channel when traveling in the direction of the buoy. Therefore, you should pass this buoy, which is indicating the starboard side of the channel, by leaving it to your starboard (right) side as you head southward along the east coast. The other options are incorrect because B) leaving it to your port (left) side would be the wrong side of the channel, C) passing it 50 yards off either side is too close, and D) passing it well clear on either side is unnecessarily wide of the channel.