COLREG and IALA buoyage, made simple

Free, plain-words study for your boat licence or deck exam: the rules of the road, buoys, lights, sound signals and radio. Then test yourself.

…and any other nautical topic, course or certificate you need.

Free with an account · 512 practice questions to help you prepare.

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Your Academy: lessons, exam practice and study progress

Built on the official rules from

  • IMO
  • IALA
  • ITU
  • IHO
  • WMO
  • USCG
  • DGMM
  • RYA

Learners preparing for

  • PER
  • PNB
  • Patrón de Yate
  • RYA Day Skipper
  • ICC
  • USCG OUPV
  • STCW II/1

Everything for your exam, in Academy.

What Academy can do for you

Try 5 quick questions

Five real exam questions. Two minutes. No account needed.

Question 1 of 5
COLREG

Two power-driven vessels in sight meet on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses with risk of collision. Under Rule 14, each shall:

Tap an answer to check it

Turn the propeller.

Academy's 15 propulsion lessons come with real 3D models. Try one right here.

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Propulsion · 15 lessons

Why does the stern swing to one side when I go astern?

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From learners

What learners say

In their own words, from people who studied here for their licence.

“The clear explanations and practice quizzes helped me understand the rules and feel more confident preparing for my exam.”
María Martín, Maritime student preparing for her professional skipper exams
“Even after years at sea, it’s good to brush up on the rules. I do a few quizzes between trips—it keeps me sharp and sometimes catches things I’d forgotten.”
James Bennett, Merchant navy deck officer who refreshes his COLREG knowledge between voyages
“I’m happiest out on the water, but I’d sometimes second-guess myself when another boat came into view. A bit of practice here has helped me feel more confident—and enjoy my sailing even more.”
Peter Collins, Carpenter, 54, and keen weekend sailor
  • 512 practice questions
  • 14 languages
  • 41 COLREG rules explained
  • 27 official exams covered
  • Built on IMO · IALA · ITU texts
  • Free with an account

Built for the rules part of your exam

Study the International COLREG rules with source texts, explanations, vessel-light models and sound examples. Practise individual topics or use a timed practice exam.

Read more

Start wherever you like. Read a rule, take a short quiz on it, then sit a full mock exam when you feel ready. Learning is free; an optional Exam Pass adds unlimited practice for the final push. We're independent, so we don't sell courses or issue licences. We just want you to walk into your exam feeling prepared.

Good to know before you start

What's free, and what does the Exam Pass add?
Learning is free: every lesson, rule page and guide, the first 10 questions of every quiz, one timed mock exam a day for each exam and the first scenario of each simulator, with no account needed. The Exam Pass is optional: one payment for 12 months of unlimited practice. Analytics cookies are only used if you accept them.
Will this be enough to pass my exam?
It covers the rules of the road, buoyage, lights and sound signals asked in most boating and deck exams, plus GMDSS radio, and the mock exams show you when you're ready. Your exam may also test chart work, engines or a practical, so check your syllabus; each exam guide lists the parts we cover.
Which exams do you cover?
The exam guides explain selected national qualifications. The practice material covers International COLREG, IALA and GMDSS topics; it is an independent study bank, not an official examination bank.
Do you cover the US Inland Rules as well as the international COLREGs?
The rule pages follow International COLREG. U.S. examinations may also require the Inland Rules; consult the USCG texts and the demarcation lines in 33 CFR 80 for their areas of application.
Can I download the rules as a PDF?
Our sources page links official publications and available PDFs. The site adds interactive lights, sound examples and practice questions.