USCG-CM-UNL Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts

What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)

This page is a compressed review of the National Chief Mate Unlimited OC or NC (USCG-CM-UNL) examination content published by the United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center (NMC). It is built to be scanned the week before your exam, not to replace a full curriculum. If you are earlier in your journey, start with the USCG-CM-UNL Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt and come back here for a final pass.

Two framing facts matter before you memorize anything:

• The modules are unweighted. The NMC lists the ONC01 module topics, but this cheat sheet does not assign percentage weights to them, because none are published. Treat every assigned module as a hurdle you must clear.
• The module list is not a universal requirement. This is not ten mandatory modules for every candidate. Your route qualifications and the USCG approval-to-test control which modules you sit.

The Module Map at a Glance

The exam content is organized into ten module-based domains. Here is the one-glance view, with the scope each module covers according to NMC topic listings.

For a deeper domain-by-domain walkthrough, see USCG-CM-UNL Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 10 Content Areas.

Route Logic: Near Coastal vs. Oceans

The single most useful fact on this cheat sheet is the route split. Misreading it is the fastest way to waste study time.

Q100: Rules of the Road Essentials

Q100 covers both the International (COLREGS) and Inland rules, plus safe watchkeeping. The dual coverage is the trap: many questions hinge on knowing which rule set applies and where they differ.

• Know both sets cold. Pair each COLREGS concept with its Inland counterpart, and note where terminology or sound signals differ.
• Lights and shapes. Be able to identify vessel type, size, and activity from a lights-and-shapes description.
• Steering and sailing rules. Practice conduct in sight of one another, restricted visibility, and narrow channels as scenarios, not as rote text.
• Watchkeeping. Expect questions that tie rule application to what a prudent watch officer actually does.

Because Rules of the Road questions reward precision, drill them in short, frequent sessions rather than one long block.

Q101 and Q102: Deck General Must-Knows

Q101 Deck General Part I

This module is the broad "how a ship is run and handled" domain. The NMC scope includes maneuvering and handling, pilot stations, rivers, estuaries and shallow water, maritime law and credentialing, and shipboard management and personnel training.

Q102 Deck General Part II

Q102 covers basic principles and watchkeeping, navigation safety requirements under 33 CFR 164, and cargo handling and stowage. Cargo is where many deck officers feel least rehearsed if their experience has been narrow, so give it a deliberate review block rather than assuming sea time has covered it.

• Know the intent of 33 CFR 164 navigation safety equipment and procedures, not just its existence.
• Review cargo handling and stowage principles across the cargo types relevant to your experience, and the ones that are not.

Q103 and Q104: Safety and Stability Problems

These two modules form a pair: Q103 is the knowledge side, and Q104 is the calculation side. Study them together so the theory in one directly supports the arithmetic in the other.

Q103 Deck Safety

Q103 is wide. The published scope runs from vessel construction, stability, trim and damage, through grounding, refloating, collision and temporary repairs, to passenger safety, fire, abandoning ship, emergency steering, lifesaving rules and operation, and search and rescue including AMVER and IAMSAR.

Q104 Deck Safety/Stability Problems

Q104 turns stability theory into numbers: trim, stability, damage stability, and stress calculations. You cannot memorize your way through this module. Work problems until the setup of each one becomes automatic, including how to read the information the problem gives you and how to check whether your answer is physically reasonable.

Q105 and Q106: Navigation General

These are the two route alternatives. You study one, not both, unless your approval says otherwise.

Q105 Navigation General - Near Coastal

The near-coastal knowledge module covers piloting, distances, bearings, fixes, charts, dead reckoning, instruments, aids and publications, notices, magnetic and gyro compass work including error correction, azimuth and amplitude and terrestrial fixes, and meteorology including weather, ocean currents, reports, and tides, plus safe watchkeeping.

Q106 Navigation General - Oceans

The Oceans module covers the relevant piloting, charts, dead reckoning, aids, instruments, publications, compass, weather, tides, and watchkeeping content, and adds nautical astronomy and celestial navigation: Polaris, fixes, star identification and selection, and meridian transit.

Q107 to Q109: Chart Plot and Navigation Problems

Q107 Chart Plot

Q107 is a hands-on plotting module covering piloting, chart fixes, dead reckoning, electronic navigation, instruments, aids, and publications. Practice with real chart-plotting tools and a consistent method so that you work accurately under time pressure.

Q108 Navigation Problems - Near Coastal

The near-coastal problem module covers ocean track and Mercator sailing, ETA, speed, RPM and fuel calculations, electronic navigation, piloting, chart and compass work, and tide calculations.

Q109 Navigation Problems - Oceans

The Oceans problem module is the heaviest calculation set. It covers ocean track, middle-latitude, Mercator, great-circle and parallel sailing, ETA, piloting, chart and dead reckoning, celestial, Polaris, meridian, and fixes, star selection, celestial-phenomenon times including zone time, sunrise, sunset, and twilight, compass azimuth and amplitude, and tide calculations.

Sequencing Your Review by Module

Generic study habits matter less than putting the right module in the right week. Here is a sample sequencing logic for a candidate on the Oceans route; Near Coastal candidates can drop the celestial emphasis and substitute Q105 and Q108.

The logic: get the knowledge modules in place first, then spend the final weeks on the calculation and plotting modules, where speed and accuracy only come from volume. To gauge how demanding this load is, see How Hard Is the USCG-CM-UNL Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026. Use the USCG-CM-UNL practice test to check your recall on the knowledge modules.

Common Pitfalls Specific to This Credential

• Studying the whole list instead of your assigned modules. The full Q100 to Q109 scope is a menu, not a mandate.
• Treating Q105 and Q106 as both required. They are route alternatives.
• Borrowing Master-level assumptions. Chief Mate preparation should stay within the Chief Mate module scope.
• Underinvesting in Q104, Q107, Q108, and Q109. These reward doing, not reading.
• Relying on invented numbers. Weights and percentages for these modules are not published, so ignore any source that claims precise ones. For what is and is not known on scoring, see USCG-CM-UNL Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass and USCG-CM-UNL Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.

If you are weighing the costs and career side of the credential, the USCG-CM-UNL Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown and the Is the USCG-CM-UNL Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 are the right next reads. When you are ready to drill, work through the questions on the main practice test site.

Frequently Asked Questions