Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Navigation Lights

The red and green lighting must conform to the illustration above. Red should be on the left side of the bow and green on the right side of the bow.

The required navigation lights differ depending on the type and size of your vessel. The common lighting configurations for recreational vessels are shown below. For other configurations and requirements for larger vessels, see the U.S. Coast Guard’s Navigation Rules.

Power-Driven Vessels Less Than 20 Meters Long When Underway

If less than 20 meters (65.6 ft.) long, these vessels must exhibit the lights as shown in Figure 1. Remember, power-driven vessels include sailboats operating under power. The required lights are:

• Red and green sidelights visible from a distance of at least two miles, or if less than 12 meters (39.4 ft.) long, at least one mile, on a dark clear night
  
  
• An all-round white light or both a masthead light and a sternlight. These lights must be visible from a distance of at least two miles on a dark clear night. The all-round white light (or the masthead light) must be at least one meter (3.3 ft.) higher than the sidelights.

An alternative to the sidelights and sternlight is a combination red, green and white light, which must be exhibited near the top of the mast.

If less than 7 meters (23.0 ft.) long, these vessels should (does not include sailboats):

• Exhibit the same lights as required for unpowered vessels less than 20 meters (65.6 ft.) in length.
• If navigation lights are not practical, have on hand at least one lantern or flashlight shining a white light to display in time to prevent a collision as shown in Figure 3.