INTERNATIONAL RULES FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS AT SEA

-PART C

RULES 20 - 31

2008

General

• Instruction in the various navigation light layouts that may be experienced.

• In all examples define what action you would take if the grey mast indicates your vessel’s bow, and the other vessel is on a steady bearing.

Rule 20 - Application

Rule 20 - Application

• Lights shall exhibited from sunset to sunrise, and no other lights shall be exhibited that may be confused with the defined lights.

• Navigation lights shall also be exhibited during periods of restricted visibility

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

light Sidelight Sternlight Towing light All round

red white, green or yellow light

Length 50 metres or more

6 miles 3 miles 3 miles 3 miles 3 miles

Length less than 50 but 12 metres or more

5 miles 2 miles 2 miles 2 miles 2 miles

Length less than 20 but 12 metres or more

3 miles 1 mile 2 miles 2 miles 2 miles

Length less than 12 metres

2 miles 1 mile 2 miles 2 miles 2 miles

Rule 23 - Power-driven Vessels Underway

Power driven vessel, less than 50m in length, underway and making way, seen from starboard

Power driven vessel probably greater than 50 metres in length, seen from ahead.

Power driven vessel probably greater than 50 metres in length, starboard side open

Power driven vessel maybe more than 50 metres in length, port side open

Power driven vessel maybe more than 50 metres in length, port side open

Submarine, underway and making way, seen from starboard (Yellow all round light 90 flashes per minute)

Submarine underway and making way, port side open (Yellow all round light 90 flashes per minute)

Non displacement vessel making way, port side open (Yellow all round light 120 flashes per minute)

Non displacement vessel possibly greater than 50 m in length, underway and making way, port side open (120 flashes per minute)

Rule 24 - Towing and Pushing

Towing vessel 50m or less, with length of tow 200m or less, seen from ahead. Tow too small to be seen from this aspect.

Tug with tow less than 200m, starboard side open

Vessel less than 50 metres in length engaged in towing, with length of tow less than 200 metres seen from port

Vessel less than 50 metres in length engaged in towing, with length of tow less than 200 metres seen from port

Vessel engaged in towing less than 50m in length, with length of tow greater than 200m, starboard side open

Vessel engaged in towing possibly greater than 50m in length, with length of tow less than 200m, starboard

side open

Tug with tow less than 200m, port side open

Vessel engaged in towing, with tow, seen from aft

Vessel engaged in towing, with tow, seen from aft

Tug with tow less than 200m, starboard side open, pushing but not composite unit

Tug with tow exceeding 200 metres, starboard side open, towing a log boom

Vessel engaged in towing, probably a log boom, seen from astern

Vessel engaged in towing possibly greater than 50m in length, with length of tow greater than 200m, starboard

side open

Vessel engaged in towing, seen from astern, and the tow seen from starboard

You could be in risk of collision, and in grave danger

Rule 25 – Sailing Vessels Underway and

Vessels Under Oars

Sailing vessel, port side open, showing optional lights

Sailing vessel seen from ahead

Sailing vessel less than 20 metres in length seen from ahead, with combined lantern at masthead

Sailing Vessel from astern

Sailing vessel with mast head lantern, seen from starboard

Rule 26 - Fishing Vessels

Fishing vessel engaged in fishing under 50 metres in length, starboard side open

Fishing vessel engaged in trawling, underway less than 50 metres in length, port side open

Fishing vessel less than 50m in length, engaged in fishing, seen from starboard

Fishing vessel engaged in fishing under 50 metres in length, port side open

Vessel engaged in trawling, underway maybe 50 metres or more than in length, seen from ahead

Vessel engaged in trawling, underway maybe 50 metres or more in length, port side open

Fishing vessel engaged in trawling, underway less than 50 metres in length, seen from ahead

Fishing vessel engaged in trawling, underway possibly greater than 50 metres in length, seen from ahead

Fishing vessel engaged in trawling, less than 50 metres in length, with outlying gear, starboard side open

Vessel engaged in trawling, underway less than 50 metres in length, port side open, with gear out towards white light

Two fishing vessels engaged in fishing, one with outlying gear, seen from starboard side

Rule 27 - Vessels Not Under Command or Restricted in Their Ability to Manoeuvre

Vessel not under command, underway

Vessel, not under command, underway and making way, seen from ahead

Vessel not under command, underway and making way, starboard side open

Vessel underway and making way, not under command, port side open.

Vessel probably over 50 metres in length, restricted in ability to manoeuvre, starboard side open

Vessel engaged in towing, under 50 metres in length, restricted in ability to manoeuvre, starboard side open, probably a log boom

Vessel engaged in towing less than 50m in length, with length of tow greater than 200m, restricted her ability to

manoeuvre starboard side open

Vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre, head on, with obstructions on her starboard side

Vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre, head on, with obstructions on her starboard side and clear

on her port side

Vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre, seen from astern, underway or at anchor, with obstruction on her port side

Minesweeping vessel, probably 50 metres or more in length, port side open

Two power driven vessels, probably greater than 50 metres in length, underway and making way, restricted in their ability to manoeuvre, seen from starboard - probably replenishing at sea

Rule 28 - Vessels Constrained by Their Draft

Power driven vessel maybe more than 50 metres in length, underway and making way, starboard side open,

constrained by her draft

Power driven vessel maybe more than 50 metres in length, port side open, constrained by her draft

Power driven vessel, seen from astern, constrained by her draft

Rule 29 - Pilot Vessels

Vessel on pilotage duty, seen from ahead

Vessel on pilotage duty, underway, starboard side open

Vessel on pilotage duty underway, and making way, seen from astern

Pilot vessel, port side open, alongside power driven vessel possibly greater than 50 metres in length, both

underway and making way

Rule 30 - Anchored Vessels and Vessels Aground

Vessel at anchor possibly greater than 50 metres in length, starboard side

Vessel at anchor, with decklights, or power driven vessel underway and making way, showing improper decklights

Vessel aground, seen from either end It could also be a vessel not under command seen from astern

Vessel aground, starboard side open

Vessel aground, port side

Rule 31 - Seaplanes

Seaplane, seen head on

Others

Power driven or sailing vessel underway from astern

Vessel less than 6 metres underway

Any masthead light just above horizon

Vessel being towed from astern (look for the tow)

Vessel at anchor 50 metres or less

Vessel in distress