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. Plus navigation, weather, safety at sea, stability and maritime law, up to STCW and GMDSS level.
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Free with an account · 512 practice questions to help you prepare.
Everything a seafarer needs, in one place
- Rules of the road
COLREG: rules of the road
Rules 1–37, vessel lights and shapes, sound and distress signals, with 3D views; the annexes at officer level.
29 units - Aids to navigation
IALA buoyage
Lateral, cardinal, isolated danger, safe water, special and emergency wreck marks in Regions A and B.
17 units - Communications
GMDSS and radio
From your first VHF call to the GMDSS: DSC, NAVTEX, EPIRB and SART, the radio simulator and signal flags.
22 units - Navigation
Navigation
Charts and chartwork, compass, tides and tidal streams, pilotage, electronic navigation and radar, passage planning, the sailings and ECDIS.
47 units - Meteorology
Meteorology
From the forecast and the Beaufort scale to fronts, synoptic charts, GRIB models, tropical storms and ocean weather.
24 units - Seamanship
Seamanship basics: ropes, knots and the boat
16 knots in 3D, mooring, anchoring and seamanship basics.
15 units - Ship operations
Ship stability and stowage
GM, the GZ curve, trim, loading and ballast, from the stowage and stability studio.
Coming soon - Safety at sea
Emergencies at sea
Fire, flooding, man overboard, abandoning ship and search and rescue, as step-by-step drills.
Coming soon - Safety at sea
Medical care on board
First aid, wounds and burns, hypothermia, the medicine chest and radio medical advice. A training aid, not medical advice.
Coming soon - Seamanship
Manoeuvring and ship handling
Propeller walk, wind and current, berthing, anchoring and turning, with a docking simulator.
Coming soon - Navigation
Astronomy and celestial navigation
The sky at sea, the sextant, the noon sight and sight reduction, with a 3D night sky.
Coming soon - Ship operations
The ship: hull, engines and systems
Parts of the ship, ship types, the marine diesel engine, electrics, steering and fuel.
Coming soon - Communications
Maritime English and signals
Standard Marine Communication Phrases, VHF etiquette, signal flags, Morse and light signals.
Coming soon - Seamanship
Sailing and sail trim
How a sail works, points of sail, trim, reefing and rigging, with a wind and sail lab.
Coming soon - Professional
Maritime law, rules and watchkeeping
SOLAS, MARPOL, MLC and the law of the sea, safe watchkeeping, bridge teamwork and fatigue.
Coming soon - Ocean and environment
Ocean, tides and environment
Why tides happen, ocean currents and waves, pollution at sea, protected areas and marine life.
Coming soon
- subjects
- 16
- exam guides
- 55
- certificates: STCW, GMDSS
- 5
- countries
- 109
- languages
- 15
- Pro simulators
- 10
Take a look inside Academy
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
Try 5 quick questions
Five real exam questions. Two minutes. No account needed.
Question 1 of 5Two 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
Exams and certificates we prepare you for
From your first licence to an STCW officer certificate. Every guide is free.
| Certificate or exam | Type | Where |
|---|---|---|
| STCW II/1 · Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch (OOW) | Professional | International |
| MARINA deck officer | Professional | Philippines |
| Second Mate | Professional | India |
| GMDSS GOC · LRC · ROC · SRC | Radio | International |
| RYA Day Skipper | National licence | United Kingdom |
| USCG OUPV | National licence | United States |
| ICC | National licence | International |
| RYA Yachtmaster | National licence | United Kingdom |
| PER | National licence | Spain |
| Patrón de Yate | National licence | Spain |
How Academy gets you exam-ready.
Turn the propeller.
Academy's 15 propulsion lessons come with real 3D models. Try one right here.
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.”
“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.”
“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.”- 512 practice questions
- 15 languages
- 41 COLREG rules explained
- 56 official exams covered
- Built on IMO · IALA · ITU texts
- Free with an account
Explore free study tools
Quick, game-like practice for every topic, free and without an account. For full bridge and engine-room simulation, see the Pro simulators.
Practice labs and games
- Radio simulatorVHF, MF/HF, NAVTEX, EPIRB and SART with guided lessons
- Radar simulatorRelative motion, CPA and TCPA on a manoeuvring board
- Weather labClouds in 3D, front passages and weather charts
- Beaufort simulatorWind forces 0–12 and the sea in 3D
- Signal flag gameLearn the 26 International Code flags against the kraken
- Knot studioTie the bowline and more with a 3D rope, then check your knot
- Ship parts explorerFour vessels in 3D: hull, structure, rigging and lights, then a drag-and-drop test
- IMDG Dock CheckSign dangerous goods cargo before the crane comes
Exams by country
Built for every 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.