Lights, buoys - aids to navigation.

Definitions

 Masthead light
A white light placed over the fore and aft centreline of the vessel showing an unbroken light
over an arc of the horizon of 225° and so fixed as to show the light from right ahead to 22.5°
abaft the beam on either side of the vessel.
 Sidelight
means a green light on the starboard side and a red light on the port side each showing an
unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 112.5° and so fixed as to show the light from
right ahead to 22.5° abaft the beam on its respective side. In a vessel of less than 20 metres
in length the sidelights may be combined in one lantern carried on the fore and aft centreline
of the vessel.
 Sternlight
means a white light placed as nearly as practicable at the stern showing an unbroken light
over an arc of the horizon of 135° and so fixed as to show the light 67.5° from right aft on
each side of the vessel.
 Towing light
means a yellow light having the same characteristics as the sternlight.
 All-round light
means a light showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 360°.
 Flashing light
means a light flashing at regular intervals at a frequency of 120 flashes or more per minute.

Legend
White light
 Yellow light

Green light

Red light

Yellow flashing light

Optional white light

Power-driven vessel underway

A power-driven vessel underway shall exhibit:

 a masthead light forward;

 a second masthead light abaft of and higher than the forward one; except that a vessel of
less than 50 metres in length shall not be obliged to exhibit such light but may do so;
 sidelights;
 a sternlight.

Power driven vessel underway, longer than 50 m

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Power driven vessel underway, shorter than 50 m
Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Sailing vessels underway and vessels under oars

A sailing vessel underway shall exhibit:

 sidelights;
 a sternlight.

In a sailing vessel of less than 20 metres in length the lights may be combined in one lantern carried
at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen.

A sailing vessel underway may, in addition to the lights, exhibit at or near the top of the mast, where
they can best be seen, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower green,
but these lights shall not be exhibited in conjunction with the combined lantern.

A sailing vessel of less than 7 metres in length shall, if practicable, exhibit the lights prescribed
above, but if she does not, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a
white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.

A vessel under oars may exhibit the lights prescribed in this Rule for sailing vessels, but if she does
not, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall
be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.

Sailing vessel 1
Abeam, port side Ahead Astern
Sailing vessel 2

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Sailing vessel 3

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Sailing vessel 4
Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Sailing and Motoring

A vessel proceeding under sail which has her engine running shall exhibit forward where it can best
be seen a conical shape, apex downwards.
She shall exibit lights according to a power-driven vessel.

Sailing and motoring

Day sign

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Anchoring

Anchored vessel, longer than 50 m

 Day sign (1 black sphere)

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Anchored vessel, shorter than 50 m

Day sign (1 black sphere)

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Anchored sailing boat

Day sign (1 black sphere)

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Aground

Aground, longer than 50 m

Day sign (3 black spheres)

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Towing

A power-driven vessel when towing shall exhibit:

 two masthead lights in a vertical line. When the length of the tow, measuring from the stern
of the towing vessel to the after end of the tow exceeds 200 metres, three such lights in a
vertical line;
 sidelights;
 a sternlight;
 a towing light in a vertical line above the sternlight;
 when the length of the tow exceeds 200 metres, a diamond shape where it can best be seen.

Tugboat longer than 50 m - tow longer than 200 m

 Abeam, port side

Ahead, Day sign Ahead Astern

(diamond shapes)
Tugboat shorter than 50 m - tow longer than 200 m

Abeam, port side

Ahead, Day sign Ahead Astern

(diamond shapes)
Tugboat longer than 50 m - tow shorter than 200 m
 Abeam,
port side

Ahead, Day sign Ahead Astern

(no shapes)
Tugboat shorter than 50 m - tow shorter than 200 m

Abeam,
port side

Ahead, Day sign Ahead Astern

(no shapes)

Towing an inconspicuous, partly submerged object

An inconspicuous, partly submerged vessel or object, or combination of such vessels or objects

being towed, shall exhibit:
 if it is less than 25 metres in breadth, one all-round white light at or near the forward end and
one at or near the after end except that dracones need not exhibit a light at or near the
forward end;
 if it is 25 metres or more in breadth, two additional all-round white lights at or near the
extremities of its breadth;
 if it exceeds 100 metres in length, additional all-round white lights between these lights so
that the distance between the lights shall not exceed 100 metres;
 a diamond shape at or near the aftermost extremity of the last vessel or object being towed
and if the length of the tow exceeds 200 metres an additional diamond shape where it can
best be seen and located as far forward as is practicable.

Tow shorter than 200 m, object shorter than 100 m

Abeam, port side

Tow longer than 200 m, object shorter than 100 m

Abeam, port side

Tow longer than 200 m, object longer than 100 m

Abeam, port side

Tow longer than 200 m, object longer than 100 m & wider than 25 m
 Abeam, port side (note that often a fifth round white light in the center is added)

Ahead Astern
Tow longer than 200 m, any object size

Day sign, Abeam, port side

Pushing from ahead or towing alongside

When a pushing vessel and a vessel being pushed ahead are rigidly connected in a composite unit
they shall be regarded as a power-driven vessel and exhibit the normal lights.
A power-driven vessel when pushing ahead or towing alongside, except in the case of a composite
unit, shall exhibit:

 two masthead lights in a vertical line;

 sidelights;
 a sternlight.

A vessel or object being towed shall exhibit:

 sidelights;
 a sternlight;
 when the length of the tow exceeds 200 metres, a diamond shape where it can best be seen.
 Provided that any number of vessels being towed alongside or pushed in a group shall be
lighted as one vessel,
 a vessel being pushed ahead, not being part of a composite unit, shall exhibit at the forward
end, sidelights;
 a vessel being towed alongside shall exhibit a sternlight and at the forward end, sidelights.

Pushing from ahead

Abeam, port side

Ahead Astern
Towing alongside

Abeam, port side

Ahead Astern
Fishing, Trawling

A vessel engaged in fishing, whether underway or at anchor, shall exhibit only the lights and shapes
prescribed below.

A vessel when engaged in trawling, by which is meant the dragging through the water of a dredge
net or other apparatus used as a fishing appliance, shall exhibit:

 two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being green and the lower white, or a shape
consisting of two cones with their apexes together in a vertical line one above the other;
 a masthead light abaft of and higher than the all-round green light; a vessel of less than 50
metres in length shall not be obliged to exhibit such a light but may do so;
 when making way through the water, in addition to the lights prescribed hereh, sidelights and
a sternlight.
 when shooting nets, white light over white light (Flag Z by day);
 when hauling nets, white light over red light (Flag G by day);
 When nets are caught on the bottom, red light over red light (Flag P by day)

Fishing vessel, trawling

Day sign

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

 Optional white light if shorter than 50 Optional white light if shorter
m than 50 m
Fishing vessel, trawling, shooting nets (white over white, Z)

Day sign

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Fishing vessel, trawling, hauling nets (white over red, G)

Day sign
Abeam, port side Ahead Astern
Fishing vessel, trawling, nets caught on bottom (red over red, P)

Day sign

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Trawling in span

When pair trawling, each vessel shows searchlights on water aiming forward (Flag T by day).

Trawling in span, shooting nets

 Ahead Astern

Fishing, other than trawling

A vessel engaged in fishing, other than trawling, shall exhibit:

 two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower white, or a shape
consisting of two cones with apexes together in a vertical line one above the other;
 when there is outlying gear extending more than 150 metres horizontally from the vessel, an
all-round white light or a cone apex upwards in the direction of the gear;
 when making way through the water, in addition to the lights prescribed here, sidelights and
a sternlight.

Fishing vessel, other than trawling

Day sign
Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Purse seining

Purse Seiners will exhibit two all-round yellow lights in a vertical line, flashing alternately.

Purse Seiner

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Constrained by draught

A vessel constrained by her draught may, (and not “shall”!) in addition to the lights prescribed for
power-driven vessels, exhibit where they can best be seen three all-round red lights in a vertical line,
or as day sign a cylinder.

Power driven vessel, underway, constrained by her draught

 Day sign (black vertical cylinder)

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Not under command

A vessel not under command shall exhibit:

 two all-round red lights in a vertical line where they can best be seen;
 two spherical shapes in a vertical line where they can best be seen; and
 when making way through the water also normal sidelights and a sternlight (not shown in the
example below).

Vessel not under command, not making way through the water

Day sign (two black spheres)

 Abeam, port side Ahead Astern
Sailing boat, no wind, no mechanical propulsion

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Restricted in her ability to manoeuvre

A vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre, except a vessel engaged in mine clearance
operations, shall exhibit:

 three all-round lights in a vertical line where they can best be seen. The highest and lowest of
these lights shall be red and the middle light shall be white;
 three shapes in a vertical line where they can best be seen. The highest and lowest of these
shapes shall be balls and the middle one a diamond;
 when making way through the water, also a masthead light or lights, sidelights and a
sternlight

Restricted in her ability to manoeuvre , not making way through the water

Day sign: two black spheres and in the middle a

black diamond shape
 Abeam, port side Ahead Astern
Restricted in her ability to manoeuvre , making way through the water, longer than 50 m

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Dredging or underwater operations

A vessel engaged in dredging or underwater operations, when restricted in her ability to manoeuvre

Dredging or underwater operations, shorter than 50 m, not making way

Ahead, day signs Ahead Astern

 Dredging or underwater operations, shorter than 50 m, making way

Ahead, day signs Ahead Astern

Dredging or underwater operations, longer than 50 m, making way

Ahead, day signs Ahead Astern

Small diving vessel

Small diving vessel

 Day signs

or

Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Pilot boat

A vessel engaged on pilotage duty shall exhibit:

 at or near the masthead, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being white and the
lower red;
 when underway, in addition, sidelights and a sternlight; as shown in the example below.

Pilot boat, shorter than 50 m

Abeam, starboard side Ahead Astern

Hovercraft

An air-cushion vessel when operating in the non-displacement mode shall, besides a masthead light
forward, (plus a masthead light abaft if longer than 50 m) sidelights and a sternlight, exhibit an
all-round flashing yellow light (faster than 2 flashes per second).
A hydrofoil ferry or high speed catamaran ferry when acting as ferry is often also allowed under local
regulations to exhibit an all-round flashing yellow light.

Hovercraft, longer than 50 m
Abeam, port side Ahead Astern

Minesweeper

A vessel engaged in mine clearance operations shall in addition to the lights prescribed for a power-
driven vessel, or to the lights or shape prescribed for a vessel at anchor, exhibit three all-round green
lights or three balls. One of these lights or shapes shall be exhibited near the mast head and one at
each end of the fore yard. These lights or shapes indicate that it is dangerous for another vessel to
approach within 1000 metres of the mine clearance vessel.

Minesweeper, shorter than 50 m

Ahead, day signs (3 black spheres) Ahead Astern

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