Question

heading into port, you see a buoy with a single green stripe in the middle surrounded by red stripes. do not alter course; this buoy is not a lateral marker. dont enter the channel. steer, so the buoy is on your port side. steer so the buoy is on your starboard side.

Explanation:

In maritime navigation, a buoy with a single green stripe in the middle surrounded by red stripes is a type of lateral marker (specifically a "preferred channel" or "junction" buoy in some systems, but following lateral marking rules for entering port: when heading into port, red - top (or red - dominant with green) buoys should be kept on the starboard (right) side. So the correct action is to steer so the buoy is on the starboard side. The other options are incorrect: it is a lateral marker, it doesn't mean not to enter the channel, and port - side is incorrect for this type of buoy in this situation.

Answer:

Steer so the buoy is on your starboard side.