NAVIGATION LIGHTS

PART C
RULES 20 - 31

2008
Rule 20 - Application
Notes
 Note
• The navigation lights in this presentation are the
lights identifying the type of vessel sighted, which
may exhibit other lights to indicate whether they are
underway, at anchor, or the vessel’s size
 Rule 20 - Application
• Lights shall exhibited at night and when foggy or
rainy
Rule 21 - Definitions
 Navigation Lights

1. Masthead light
2. Port side light
3. Starboard side light
4. Stern light
5. Towing light
Rule 22 - Visibility of Lights
 Rule 22 - Visibility of Lights
Masthead Sidelight Sternlight Towing light All round
light red white,
green or
yellow light
Length 50 6 miles 3 miles 3 miles 3 miles 3 miles
metres or
more
Length less 5 miles 2 miles 2 miles 2 miles 2 miles
than 50 but
12 metres
or more
Length less 3 miles 1 mile 2 miles 2 miles 2 miles
than 20 but
12 metres
or more
Length less 2 miles 1 mile 2 miles 2 miles 2 miles
than 12
metres
Rule 23 - Power-driven
Vessels Underway
White masthead lights with Red or Green, steaming
vessel can be seen
(Power driven vessel)
 Flash Yellow Slow, Sub is below
(Submarine (90 flashes per minute))
 Fast yellow flash, hovercraft dash
(Non displacement vessel (120 flashes per minute))
Rule 24 - Towing and
Pushing
White and White, tow length is light
(tug with tow less than 200m)
 Three whites in a row, it’s a long tow
(Vessel with tow length greater than 200m)
 Yellow over White, my hawser is tight
(Vessel engaged in towing seen from aft)
 Rule 25 - Sailing Vessels
Underway and Vessels Under
Oars
Red over Green - sailing machine
Rule 26 - Fishing Vessels
Red over White, fish on tonight
(vessel engaged in fishing)
White under Green, bottom fish seen
(vessel engaged in trawling)
Rule 27 - Vessels Not Under
Command or Restricted in
Their Ability to Manoeuvre
Red over Red, Captain is dead (engine is dead)
(not under command)
 Red, White, Red, working ahead
(restricted in ability to manoeuvre)
 Red over Red, danger ahead
(Vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre, with
obstructions on side with red lights)
 Green over Green, safe to be seen
(Vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre, and
clear on side of green lights)
Green, Green, Green, mines may be seen
(Minesweeping vessel)
Rule 28 - Vessels Constrained
by Their Draft
 Red, Red, Red, rudder rubbing rocks
(constrained by draft) not in Canadian waters
Rule 29 - Pilot Vessels
White over Red, Pilot ahead
(vessel on pilotage duty)
Rule 30 - Anchored Vessels
and Vessels Aground
White at stern, White at bow, ship is at anchor now
(Vessel at anchor)
White and White with Red over Red, danger there are
rocks ahead (Vessel aground)
Miscellaneous
 Flashing Blue, police or rescue
(law enforcement or rescue vessel)