|
Equipment Requirements - Navigational
Rules and Navigational Lights
Navigation
Rules
Rules
require vessels to display lights
and shapes under certain conditions.
Navigation Lights
Recreational
vessels are required to display
navigation lights between sunset
and sunrise and other periods of
reduced visibility (fog,
rain, hazy, etc.). The U.S. Coast
Guard Navigation Rules, International-Inland
encompasses lighting requirements
for every description of watercraft.
The information provided here is
intended for power-driven sailing
vessels less than 20 meters in length.
Power-driven Vessels
Power-driven vessels of less
than 20 meters, shall exhibit navigation lights as shown
in Figure 1. |
Figure
1
|
 |
|
| Vessels of less than 12
meters in length, may show the lights in either Figure
1 or Figure 2. 
Power-driven vessels of less
than seven meters whose maximum speed cannot exceed
seven knots may exhibit an all-around white light and,
in International Waters only, practicable sidelights
instead of the lightsprescribed above. |
Figure
2
|
 |
 |
| The
masthead or all-around white light
on power vessels less than 12meters
in length must be at least 1 meter
above the red and green side lights.
Sailing
Vessels and Vessels Under Oars
Sailing
vessels less than 20 meters may
exhibit the navigation lights
shown inFigures 3 or 4.
|
Figure
3
|
 |
 |
| A |
B |
Figure
4
|
 |
 |
| A |
B |
Figure
5
|
| 
|
| Another
option for sailboats is to use a
single combination lantern at the
top of the mast as shown in Figure
5. Sailing
vessels less than seven meters
in length may carry an electric
torch or lighted lantern showing
a white light to be displayed
in sufficient time to prevent
collision (see Figure 6A). If
practicable, the lights prescribed
for sailing vessels less than
twenty meters should be displayed.
Vessels under oars may display
the lights prescribed for sailing
vessels, or must have available
an electric or lighted lantern
showing a white light that can
be displayed in sufficient time
to prevent collision (see Figure
6B).
|
Figure
6
|
 |
 |
| A |
B |
Shapes
and Lights
To
alert other vessels of conditions
which may be hazardous, there are
requirements to display lights at
night and shapes during the day.
Anchored Vessels
At night, power-driven vessels and sailing vessels at
anchor must display anchor lights. An anchor light for
a vessel less than fifty meters in length is an all-around
white light visible for two miles exhibited where it
can best be seen (see Figure 7). During the day, vessels
at anchor shall exhibita ball shape to alert others
of hazardous conditions(see Figure 8). |
Figure
7
|
 |
 |
| A |
B |
Figure
8
|
 |
 |
| A |
B |
Vessels less than seven
meters long are not required to display anchor lights
or dayshapes unless anchored in or near a narrow channel,
fairway or anchorage, or where other vessels normally
navigate.
Anchor lights are not required on vessels less than
twenty meters long which are anchored in special anchorages
in Inland Waters designated by the Secretary of Transportation.
Sailing Vessels Under Power
During the day, vessels under
sail, which are being propelled by machinery, must exhibit
forward, where best seen, a conical shape with the apex
pointing down (See
Figure 9). Vessels less than 12 meters long are not
required to exhibit the dayshape in inland waters. |
Figure
9
|
 |
 |
| A |
B |
| At night, sailing vessels
operating under machinery or under sail and machinery
are considered power-driven and must display the lights
prescribed for a power-driven vessel.
Restricted Maneuverability
The Navigation Rules require
vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver to display
appropriate day shapes or lights. To meet this
requirement, recreational vessels engaged in diving
activities may exhibit a rigid replica of the international
code flag "A" not less than one meter in height
or at night display the navigation lights shown in Figure
10. This requirement does not affect the use of a red
and white divers flag which may be required by State
or local law to mark a diver's location. The "A"
flag is a navigation signal indicating the vessel's
restricted maneuverability and does not pertain to the
diver. |
Figure
10
|
 |
 |
| A |
B |
 |
For the CME, all
vessels 16 more feet in length must have operable navigation
lights and an all-around anchor light at the time of
the examination. Sailboats capable of both power and
sail must be able to display navigation lights for both
systems. |
|
|
