Running Lights
Why is this information included in The Frugal Mariner?
For the same reason we included the sound signals page. If you run into another boat, it's going to be expensive. Plus, if you print out the cheat sheet at the bottom of the page, you don't have to buy one. Hey, we just saved you $8.95 (less the cost of a sheet of paper and a little ink.) If you are a Scotsman like we are, you must be positively giddy that you've saved that kind of money.
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Rowboat_less_than_7_meters
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Rowboat longer than 7 meters
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Anchored - 7 m to 50 m
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Anchored - 50 m to 100 m
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Anchored 100 m or More
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Sailing vessel under sail
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Sailing vessel motor sailing
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Sailing vessel with Tri-Color
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Power Driven less than 50 m
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Power Driven - Optional < 12 m
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Power Driven - more than 50 m
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Fishing Vessel Trawling, Making Way > 50 m
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Fishing Vessel, Trawling, Making Way, < 50 m
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Fishing but not Trawling, Making Way
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Fishing but not Trawling, not making way
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Fishing but not Trawling, Making Way, Gear Out > 150 m
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Fishing but not Trawling, Not Making Way, Gear Out >150 m
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Towing Astern 200 m or less
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Towing alongside / Pushing ahead- not composite
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Composite - treated as single vessel< 50 m
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Composite - treated as single vessel > 50 m
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Vessel being towed astern 200 m or less
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Vessel being towed astern -> 200 m
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Partly submerged<100 m long < 25 m wide
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Partly Submerged >25 m wide <100 m long
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Partly Submerged < 25m wide, > 100 m long
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Inland Only Multiple vessels being pushed ahead (yellow flashing)
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Multiple Vessels being towed alongside - Yellow flashing
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Not Under Command - Making Way
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Not Under Command - Not Making Way
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Restricted in Ability to Maneuver - Making Way < 50 m
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Restricted in Ability to Maneuver - Making Way > 50 m
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Restricted in Ability to Maneuver - Not Making Way
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Restricted in Ability to Maneuver - Anchored - < 50 m
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Restricted in Ability to Maneuver Anchored > 50 m
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Dredging or Underwater Ops. -Not Making Way
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Mine Clearing Making Way - > 50 meters
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Mine Clearing - Making Way -< 50 m
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Pilot Vessel on Duty Underway
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Pilot Vessel on Duty - Anchored
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Pilot Vessel Off Duty Making Way - < 50 m
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Aground - less than 12 m
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Aground - >12 m < 50 m
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Aground - > 50 m
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Submarine Yellow flash 3 X then off 3 sec
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Seaplane Underway
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Full Moon and Venus - Underway
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Stern
Starboard
Bow
Starboard
Bow
Stern
As with everything involving government bureaucracy, nautical light signals are much more complex than it would seem they should be. There are not only Inland and International lights, there are also Great Lakes Only lights. This, however, is what we have to work with so we have attempted to make it less complex by giving you three different guides - one for Inland, one for International, one for Great Lakes. Copy one of each and keep the appropriate one near your helm for reference.
Many of the guides we have found for sale include all three on one chart to save space. To us, this is confusing. For even less confusion we have tried to represent the lights starting from the simplest, though they are still grouped. So if you see a boat lit up like Times Square, you'll more likely find it at nearer the bottom of each chart. Unless, of course, global warming has melted the polar ice caps, raised the ocean level and you are seeing Times Square. We don't know what to tell you in that case.
Also, be advised that you will sometimes encounter lights which do not match any configuration - probably because someone on the vessel in question didn't turn them on, didn't change a burned out bulb, or didn't install the correct lights to begin with. If there is ever any question, keep very clear, and try to communicate over your radio.
Inland
Print this chart, laminate it, and keep it at your helm for reference when boating on Inland waters.
Please note four things regarding these charts;
1. These charts indicate what you will see from your viewpoint They do not indicate whether a light is an 'all around' light or a directional light. If you can see it, it doesn't matter if it's an 'all around', and you can't tell from just one direction anyway.
2. The side view is from the starboard side of the boat. If you are seeing the port side of the boat, it will be a mirror image of the starboard side and the Green Running Light will be Red.
3. If you need to know what lights to use on your boat, and the luminosity of those lights, please consult your Chapman's Piloting or The Coast Guard's Navigation Center.
4. If there is any discrepancy between what is shown here and the Coast Guard's Navigation Center, be informed that the Coast Guard supercedes us in every case. While we have done our best to make sure all of these are accurate, we are, after all, only human. Please, please let us know if there are any errors and we will correct them immediately.
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Notice:
While we make every effort to ensure that the information provided on this website is accurate, we can not be held responsible for any mishaps which may occur as a result of your using information found in this website without verification through other, more authoritative sources such as the U.S. Coast Guard. |
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The Frugal Mariner
Saltwater Suzi and Cap'n Larry's "Boating on a Budget"
How to's, Information, Education & Fun Stuff about Boats, Sailboats, and Cruising
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