Navy BM1 Advancement Exam Practice Test: Boatswain's Mate E-6 Questions

360 practice questions for the BM E-6 advancement exam: ground tackle, mooring and towing, marlinspike, UNREP, boats and davits, bills and safety. We wrote every one from the public references on the March 2027 BM bibliography, and each answer links the page it comes from. Practice tests are 50 questions; aim for 35.

The real test: Your Navy-wide advancement exam is drawn from your rate's bibliography and comes back as a standard score that counts toward your final multiple; the Navy publishes no pass mark. Our practice test is 50 of our own questions with a 70% target.

Here: 360 questions. Our own practice questions, written from public references on the Navy BM bibliography (NAVEDTRA 14067 Seaman, the U.S. Navy Towing Manual, OPNAVINST 3120.32D SORM, OPNAVINST 5100.19F NAVOSH, USCG Navigation Rules, U.S. Navy Regulations). Not Navy exam questions. Free.

What's on the test

10 sample questions

1. In ships with a deck department, the head of the department is designated the:

   • A.Ship's boatswain, as the senior BM aboard
   • B.First Lieutenant (1LT)
   • C.Weapons officer
   • D.Executive officer
   Show answer

   B. First Lieutenant (1LT)

   BM6-14n0w · Administration: records, logs and bills · SORM OPNAVINST 3120.32D p. 106

2. Who is responsible for the ship's boats, except their machinery?

   • A.The ship's boatswain, under the engineer officer
   • B.The 1LT
   • C.The engineer officer
   • D.The boat group commander
   Show answer

   B. The 1LT

   BM6-dw58f · Boat handling · SORM OPNAVINST 3120.32D p. 107

3. When the ship is anchored, the 1LT:

   • A.Stands the anchor watch personally and logs the strain on the chain every half hour until the ship weighs anchor
   • B.Keeps informed of the ground tackle and tells the CO of any corrective action needed
   • C.Reports the chain's condition only at sunrise and sunset
   • D.Turns the ground tackle over to the navigator
   Show answer

   B. Keeps informed of the ground tackle and tells the CO of any corrective action needed

   BM6-gesuy · Mooring, anchoring and towing · SORM OPNAVINST 3120.32D p. 106

4. At sea, the 1LT makes sure all gear about the weather decks is:

   • A.Properly secured and ready for use
   • B.Inventoried weekly
   • C.Tagged out
   • D.Struck below into the boatswain's locker
   Show answer

   A. Properly secured and ready for use

   BM6-bswsf · Seamanship fundamentals · SORM OPNAVINST 3120.32D p. 107

5. Who may order an emergency breakaway?

   • A.The CO of either the receiving or the delivery ship
   • B.Only the delivery ship's CO
   • C.Only the receiving ship's rig captain, by sound-powered phone
   • D.Only the officer in tactical command
   Show answer

   A. The CO of either the receiving or the delivery ship

   BM6-jbfm1 · UNREP operations · Seaman NAVEDTRA 14067 p. 111

6. On a heat stress survey sheet, which validation check must the surveyor make?

   • A.WB equals WBGT whenever the fan is running
   • B.DB equals GT, and WB equals the WBGT index
   • C.WBGT is greater than GT at every station
   • D.WB under DB, GT at least DB, WBGT between them
   Show answer

   D. WB under DB, GT at least DB, WBGT between them

   BM6-1ku8j · Safety (NAVOSH) · NAVOSH OPNAVINST 5100.19F p. 90

7. Which lockers does the 1LT supervise?

   • A.Sail lockers only
   • B.Paint, sail, and boatswains' lockers
   • C.Paint, small arms, and boatswains' lockers
   • D.Damage control and repair lockers
   Show answer

   B. Paint, sail, and boatswains' lockers

   BM6-1vq33 · Administration: records, logs and bills · SORM OPNAVINST 3120.32D p. 106

8. At sea, the 1LT makes sure the boats and life rafts carry:

   • A.Nothing extra, to keep the weight down
   • B.Only life jackets
   • C.Fresh water, provisions and other necessary articles
   • D.A full fuel can and a spare battery for every boat and raft
   Show answer

   C. Fresh water, provisions and other necessary articles

   BM6-6fco6 · Boat handling · SORM OPNAVINST 3120.32D p. 107

9. Made fast to a pier, the 1LT ensures the lines are:

   • A.Taken in to a single standing part
   • B.Left alone until the ship gets underway
   • C.Doubled up no matter the weather, with the slack all taken in
   • D.Tended for changes in weather, tides and currents
   Show answer

   D. Tended for changes in weather, tides and currents

   BM6-xur7f · Mooring, anchoring and towing · SORM OPNAVINST 3120.32D p. 107

10. The BMOW stands watch on the bridge and should be assigned during:

    • A.Condition IV steaming
    • B.In-port watches only
    • C.Sea and anchor detail only
    • D.General quarters only
    Show answer

    A. Condition IV steaming

    BM6-j7rzs · Seamanship fundamentals · SORM OPNAVINST 3120.32D p. 187

What the study guide does

• Short study rounds and flip cards.
• A practice test built like the real one: 50 questions, 35 to pass.
• Pass Meter: your chance of passing if you sat the test today, worked out from your own answers.
• An explanation for every answer.