SBF Sea · Lights & shapes · Question 13
Which lights must a vessel under sail that is also propelled by machinery show?
- Correct answer: The lights prescribed for a power-driven vessel.
- The lights prescribed for a sailing vessel.
- Two red all-round lights in a vertical line.
- Red and green sidelights and a red all-round light.
In short
With the engine running, the boat is no longer a sailing vessel but a power-driven vessel. So at night it shows a masthead light, sidelights and a sternlight, and by day a black cone pointing down.
In detail
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b
Lights of a sailing vesselOnly a vessel not using its engine counts as a sailing vessel. With the engine running, sidelights and sternlight alone lack the masthead light.
c
Two red all-round lightsTwo red all-round lights in a vertical line are shown by a vessel not under command, one that cannot keep out of the way due to exceptional circumstances.
d
Sidelights and one red all-round lightThis combination does not exist in the COLREGs. It may be confused with red over green at the masthead: a sailing vessel may show that in addition, but only without engine.
Sidelights and sternlight together cover exactly one full circle. The masthead light overlaps the sidelights and shows ahead.
225°
Masthead light, whiteFrom right ahead to 22.5° abaft the beam, on either side.
112.5°
Sidelights, red and greenRed to port, green to starboard. Each from right ahead to 22.5° abaft the beam.
135°
Sternlight, whiteAstern, 67.5° to either side. From behind, this is the only light you see.
Under sail and engine, a sailing boat looks like a pure sailer by day. The black cone pointing down, hoisted well visible forward, tells others: the rules for power-driven vessels apply here. For example, the boat must keep out of the way of sailing vessels.