- What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)
- Identity and Scope: GLI06 Master or Mate Less Than 100 GRT
- The Five Preparation Groups at a Glance
- Rules of the Road: Q100 or Q300
- Deck General (Q347) Must-Knows
- Deck Safety (Q348) Must-Knows
- Navigation General: Great Lakes and Inland (Q349)
- Chart Plot (Q350) Quick Facts
- Route Traps and Footnote 3 Topics
- Sequencing Your Review Around the Five Groups
- Frequently Asked Questions
- NM1GI here is National Master 100 GL and Inland, governed by the U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center (NMC).
- Prepare in five groups: Rules (Q100 or Q300), Deck General Q347, Deck Safety Q348, Navigation General Q349, Chart Plot Q350.
- Your approval to test, not this sheet, determines which modules and which Rules route you actually sit.
- Heavy-weather handling and launching lifeboats/liferafts in heavy weather are marked as Great-Lakes-specific topics.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)
This is a one-page-style review of the facts that matter most when preparing for the National Master 100 GL and Inland (NM1GI) credential. It is built around the published module and topic catalog the NMC uses for the GLI06 route, Master or Mate less than 100 GRT. Use it as a map of what to study, then verify details against your own paperwork.
One honest caveat up front: the NMC does not publish official percentage weights for these modules in the sources behind this sheet. The five groups below are unweighted, route-aware preparation groups, not a single common mandatory examination. The NMC Examination Guide referenced here reflects regulations effective 2014-03-24, so treat it alongside the current published NMC module-topic index and your individual approval to test, not as a brand-new 2026 universal exam specification.
If you want the bigger picture before drilling facts, start with our What Is NM1GI? overview, then come back here for the quick-reference layer.
Identity and Scope: GLI06 Master or Mate Less Than 100 GRT
The credential covered on this site is the Master identity within the GLI06 route: Master or Mate of vessels less than 100 gross register tons, with Great Lakes and Inland applicability. Keep these anchor facts straight:
- Governing body: United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center.
- Route code: GLI06, Master or Mate less than 100 GRT.
- Identity to retain: the selected Master credential, not a Mate-only framing.
- Controlling document: your NMC approval to test, which assigns the modules, the applicable route, and any credit you receive.
The approval to test is the single most important document in this entire process. Two candidates studying side by side can be assigned different modules because of prior credit or a different approved route. If you are still working out eligibility, see NM1GI Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
The Five Preparation Groups at a Glance
For a full original-style preparation plan, think in five groups. The Rules choice counts once, because you take either the International and Inland module or the Inland-only module depending on your approved route.
| Group | Module | Core Theme |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rules of the Road: International and Inland (Q100) OR Inland (Q300) | Watchkeeping, COLREGS, Inland Navigational Rules |
| 2 | Deck General (Q347) | Seamanship, vessel handling, maritime law, shipboard management |
| 3 | Deck Safety (Q348) | Stability, fire, emergencies, communications and signals |
| 4 | Navigation General: Great Lakes and Inland (Q349) | Piloting, compass, electronic navigation, weather, tides |
| 5 | Navigation Problems: Chart Plot (Q350) | Applied chart work: fixes, dead reckoning, distance off |
For a deeper walkthrough of how these map to content areas, read NM1GI Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 5 Content Areas.
Rules of the Road: Q100 or Q300
The first group is a choice, not a stack. Depending on your approved route, you sit Q100 (International and Inland) or Q300 (Inland). Never study both as though both will appear unless your approval says so.
Rules of the Road Topics in the Catalog
The published topic list for this group is compact, which makes it high-leverage for focused study.
- Watchkeeping: the lookout, safe speed, and keeping a proper watch as the foundation for every Rules scenario.
- COLREGS: the international regulations, relevant for the Q100 route.
- Inland Navigational Rules: the inland regime, relevant to both Q100 and Q300 candidates.
The practical difference matters: the Inland rules and the international rules are similar in spirit but differ in specific signals, whistle and maneuvering conventions, and applicability lines. Candidates who learned one set on the job often get tripped up by the other. Keep a short list of "where Inland and COLREGS diverge" and quiz yourself on it.
Deck General (Q347) Must-Knows
Deck General is the broadest seamanship group and the one most tied to real vessel-handling experience. The catalog breaks into clear clusters.
Seamanship and Rigging
- Marlinspike seamanship
- Purchases, blocks, and tackle
Vessel Maneuvering and Handling
- Handling in rivers and estuaries
- Maneuvering in shallow water
- Interaction with a bank or a passing ship
- Berthing and unberthing
- Anchoring and mooring, including dragging anchors and clearing fouled anchors
- Heavy weather operations
- Maneuvering for the launching of lifeboats and liferafts in heavy weather
General Handling Concepts
- Turn circle, pivot point, advance and transfer
- Wake reduction
Law, Credentialing, and Shipboard Management
- Maritime law and national maritime law
- Credentialing of seamen
- Ship sanitation
- Vessel alteration, repair, and hot work
- Safety and ship's business
- Certificates and documents required
Deck Safety (Q348) Must-Knows
Deck Safety rewards candidates who think in terms of "what do I do first, and why." The catalog groups into four themes.
Stability, Construction, and Damage Control
- Principles of vessel construction
- Trim and stability
Vessel Power Plants and Fire
- Small engine operations and maintenance
- Fire prevention and firefighting appliances
- Organization of fire drills
- Classes and chemistry of fire
- Firefighting systems and basic firefighting and prevention
Emergency Procedures
- Collision and temporary repairs
- Passenger and crew safety in emergencies
- Fire or explosion
- Abandon ship procedures
- Rescuing survivors from a ship or aircraft in distress
- Man overboard procedures
- Emergency towing
Communications and Signals
- Storm, wreck, distress, and special signals
The watchkeeping basics also appear in this group, so the lookout and watch-standing principles you review for Rules carry straight over here.
Navigation General: Great Lakes and Inland (Q349)
This is the theory-heavy navigation group. It is the knowledge side that supports the hands-on plotting in Q350.
Navigation and Position Determination
- Piloting, distance off, bearing problems
- Fix or running fix
- Chart navigation and dead reckoning
- Electronic navigation
- Instruments and accessories
- Aids to navigation
- Charts, navigation publications, and Notices to Mariners
Compass Work
- Magnetic and gyro compass
- Principles of the magnetic compass
- Magnetic compass error and correction
- Determination of compass error, including by terrestrial observation
Meteorology and Oceanography
- Characteristics of weather systems
- Weather charts and reports
- Tides and tidal currents
Compass error is the classic place where candidates lose points through sign mistakes: variation, deviation, and the direction of correction. Practice converting true, magnetic, and compass courses in both directions until it is automatic.
Chart Plot (Q350) Quick Facts
Q350 is where theory becomes drawing. The topic list overlaps with Q349's piloting content, which is intentional: you are expected to do the problems, not just describe them.
- Piloting and distance off: constructing lines and arcs of position accurately.
- Bearing problems: using successive bearings to establish position and distance.
- Fix or running fix: advancing a line of position and reading the result.
- Chart navigation and dead reckoning: laying courses, applying set and drift, and projecting position.
- Electronic navigation, instruments, aids to navigation, and publications: the tools and references you use to support the plot.
Chart plot is a skill that responds well to repetition with real tools. Because the candidate retains the chart plotting module (Q350) as a distinct group, give it its own dedicated practice time rather than assuming Q349 reading will cover it. For a sense of how demanding the plotting portion feels in practice, see How Hard Is the NM1GI Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Route Traps and Footnote 3 Topics
The NMC module table marks certain topics with footnote 3 as Great-Lakes-specific. Two stand out in the Deck General catalog: heavy weather operations and maneuvering for launching lifeboats and liferafts in heavy weather. Whether they are assigned to you depends on your approved route, which is another reason the approval to test governs everything.
| Item | What to Remember |
|---|---|
| Rules module | Q100 (International and Inland) OR Q300 (Inland): counted once, chosen by approved route |
| Footnote 3 topics | Heavy weather handling and launching lifeboats/liferafts in heavy weather are marked Great-Lakes-specific |
| Q352 | Navigation and Deck General/Safety: a separately listed raise-of-grade route module |
| Percentage weights | Not published in these sources; groups are unweighted |
| Controlling authority | Your NMC approval to test |
Key Takeaway
Q352 is easy to misread. It is a separately listed raise-of-grade module covering navigation and deck general/safety, so do not add it as a universal sixth group for a full original exam, and do not confuse it with a second Rules subject. If your approval lists Q352, study it; if it does not, leave it out of your plan.
Sequencing Your Review Around the Five Groups
If you only use one planning idea from this sheet, make it this: order your review by dependency, not by the module numbers. A simple five-block sequence works for most candidates.
Rules of the Road (Q100 or Q300)
- Short topic list, so it is the fastest to bring to a confident baseline.
- Its watchkeeping content feeds directly into Deck Safety.
Deck General (Q347)
- Largest catalog, so give it the most calendar time.
- Flag the footnote 3 topics if your route includes them.
Deck Safety (Q348)
- Memorize emergency sequences: fire, collision, abandon ship, man overboard, emergency towing.
Navigation General (Q349) then Chart Plot (Q350)
- Learn compass error and publications first, then drill plotting with real tools.
- Leave the last stretch for timed plotting practice.
For a fuller plan, including how to pace each block, read the NM1GI Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. When you are ready to test yourself against realistic questions, the NM1GI practice test site lets you drill the same five groups.
Before You Schedule: Cost, Dates, and Score
This sheet deliberately stays on content. The surrounding logistics have their own references: NM1GI Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown for fees, NM1GI Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling for scheduling, and NM1GI Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass for scoring. Check each against current NMC guidance before you commit, since individual approvals and published indexes can change what applies to you.
If you are weighing whether the credential fits your career plans, NM1GI Jobs and Is the NM1GI Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 cover the employment and value side. You can also use the main practice test to gauge where you stand before booking anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here it means National Master 100 GL and Inland, the Master credential under the GLI06 route (Master or Mate less than 100 GRT) administered by the U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center.
Five: Rules of the Road (Q100 or Q300), Deck General Q347, Deck Safety Q348, Navigation General Q349, and Chart Plot Q350. The Rules choice counts once. Your approval to test determines what you are actually assigned.
Not as a default. The Rules module is either International and Inland (Q100) or Inland (Q300), depending on your approved route. Confirm which one appears on your approval to test.
No. Q352, Navigation and Deck General/Safety, is a separately listed raise-of-grade route module. It is not a universal sixth group for a full original exam and is not a second Rules subject.
Official percentage weights are not published in the sources used for this sheet. Treat the five groups as unweighted preparation groups and allocate time by your own strengths and by the size of each topic list.
Use this cheat sheet as a checklist of topics, confirm your assigned modules against your NMC approval to test, and keep the related references from our NM1GI Certification hub close at hand as you prepare.