🔍 Key Concepts

• Channel dimensions and controlling depth as listed in the U.S. Coast Pilot or on official charts • Whether Thimble Shoal Channel lies within U.S. territorial waters or in international waters • Typical traffic types and draft limitations for main channels vs. auxiliary channels in busy approaches like Hampton Roads/Chesapeake Bay

💭 Think About

• First, think about where Thimble Shoal Channel is located geographically and whether that would make it international or domestic waters. • Consider what kinds of vessels normally use a major approach channel to a large U.S. port and whether smaller tows with moderate draft are usually excluded. • Ask yourself if an exact mileage like 14.5 miles sounds like something you should verify from a source (chart/Coast Pilot) rather than assume, and whether exam questions often hinge on such a precise length.

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify on a chart or in the U.S. Coast Pilot the approximate length and location of Thimble Shoal Channel. • Check the controlling depth and draft restrictions for the main channel to see if a 20‑foot draft tow would normally be allowed or excluded. • Confirm whether there is any published rule that limits the main channel only to deep‑draft passenger ships and large naval vessels, or if it is open to a broader class of commercial traffic.