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Navigation lights and shapes (flashcards)
sidelights (green/red) 112.5 deg
stern light (white) 135 deg
3 cases
1.
🔴 port side
🟢 starboard side
🟢 🔴 ahead
⚪ stern
2. Optional mast light
🔴
🟢
🔴
port side
🔴
🟢
🟢
starboard side
🔴
🟢
🟢 🔴
ahead
🔴
🟢
⚪
stern
3. Sailing Vessel < 20 m
sidelights and stern combined in one lantern (112.5 deg * 2 one red for port and one green for starboard + 135 deg for stern white light)
Sailing vessel using engine
day sign (a cone pointing downward)
⮟
lights at night (same as power driven vessel < 50m)
⚪
🔴
port side
⚪
🟢
starboard side
⚪
🟢 🔴
ahead
⚪
stern
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masthead head light (white) 225 deg (don't need if no engine eg sailing vessel)
sidelights (green/red) 112.5 deg
stern light (white) 135 deg
1. if < 50 m
⚪
🔴
port side
⚪
🟢
starboard side
⚪
🟢 🔴
ahead
⚪
stern
2. if > 50 m (+1 masthead light higher than front, total = 2 masthead lights)
⚪
⚪
🔴
port side
⚪
⚪
🟢
starboard side
⚪
⚪
🟢 🔴
ahead
⚪
stern
3. if > 12 m and < 20 m
masthead light, separate side lights and stern light
OR
masthead light, combined side lights and stern light
if < 12 m
all round white + side lights (red and green)
if < 7 m
all round white
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4 cases
Length of tow < 200 m (NO day sign)
1. Length of tugboat < 50 m
⚪
⚪
🔴 🔴
port (green light for starboard)
⚪
⚪
🟢 🔴
🟢 🔴
ahead
🟡
⚪
⚪
stern
2. Length of tugboat > 50 m (+1 masthead light, hence total = 2 masthead lights)
⚪
⚪
⚪
🔴 🔴
port side (green lights for starboard)
⚪
⚪
⚪
🟢 🔴
🟢 🔴
ahead
🟡
⚪
⚪
stern
Length of tow > 200 m (HAVE day sign ♦ one on each vessel )
3. Length of tugboat < 50 m just add one more masthead light with ref to case 1
⚪
⚪
⚪
🔴 🔴
port side (green lights for starboard)
⚪
⚪
⚪
🟢 🔴
🟢 🔴
ahead
🟡
⚪
⚪
stern
◆
◆
day sign (one diamond on each boat)
4. Length of tugboat> 50 m just add one more masthead light with ref to case 2
⚪
⚪
⚪
⚪
🔴 🔴
port side (green lights for starboard)
⚪
⚪
⚪
⚪
🟢 🔴
🟢 🔴
from ahead
🟡
⚪
⚪
stern
◆
◆
day sign (one diamond on each boat)
In summary for vessel engaged in towing, only masthead lights is the differentiator
if length of tugboat < 50 m and length of tow < 200 m = 2 mastheads at fore
if length of tugboat > 50 m and length of tow < 200 m = 3 mastheads (2 fore + 1 behind)
if length of tugboat < 50 m and length of tow > 200 m = 3 mastheads at fore (got day sign of ♦ per vessel for > 200m)
if length of tugboat > 50 m and length of tow > 200 m = 4 mastheads (3 fore +1 behind) (got day sign of ♦ per vessel for > 200m)
If got yellow light, it is always vessel engage in towing and see from stern
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Vessel engaged in fishing (other than trawling)
⮝
⮝ (cone point up, opposite of sailing by power)
day sign
light (don't confuse with pilot vessel White over Red)
🔴
⚪
🔴
port side (green sidelight if starboard)
🔴
⚪
🟢 🔴
ahead
🔴
⚪
⚪
stern
Vessel engaged in fishing (trawling)
⮟ (hourglass shape)
⮝
day sign
light (green over white)
🟢
⚪
🔴
port side (green sidelight if starboard)
🟢
⚪
🟢 🔴
ahead
🟢
⚪
⚪
stern
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vessel constrained by her draught
masthead light 225 deg
sidelights red/green 112.5 deg
stern light 135 deg
▮
day sign - black cylinder
3 red round (360 deg) light in vertical
⚪
🔴
🔴
🔴
🟢
starboard side (red sidelight if port side)
⚪
🔴
🔴
🔴
🟢 🔴
from front
🔴
🔴
🔴
⚪
from stern
Don't confuse 3 red balls (VCD) vs 3 black balls (Aground)
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underwater operations, cabling, mine clearance operations
⚫
◆
⚫
day sign
🔴
⚪
🔴
light (RWR) not making way
light making way (include masthead, sidelights and stern light)
⚪
🔴
⚪
🔴
🟢
starboard side (red sidelight if port side) , < 50m
⚪
🔴
⚪
🔴
🟢 🔴
ahead, < 50m
🔴
⚪
🔴
⚪
stern, < 50m
RAM (dredger or diving operation) not making way
⚫
◆
⚫
⚫ ◆ (diamond safe to pass)
⚫ ◆
day sign
🔴
⚪
🔴
🔴 🟢 (green safe to pass)
🔴 🟢
ahead
🔴
⚪
🔴
🟢 🔴 (red obstruction)
🟢 🔴
stern
RAM (dredger or diving operation) making way
just include masthead (2 mastheads if > 50m), sidelights, and stern light
RAM - diving vessel
🔴
⚪
🔴
Day sign : Alpha flag - left white and right blue flag
RAM - minesweeper
⚫
⚫ ⚫
day sign
🟢
⚪
🟢 🟢
🟢 🔴
ahead (replace black balls with green lights + masthead + side lights)
🟢
🟢 🟢
⚪
stern
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⚫
⚫
day sign
🔴
🔴
side, ahead and stern
if NUC making way then add masthead, sidelight and stern light
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⚫ day sign
⚪ round white light
anchored vessel > 50 m
⚫ day sign
⚪ round white light at forefront + ⚪ round white light at stern lower than forefront when > 50 m
⚪
ahead
⚪
⚪
port/starboard side
⚪
⚪
see from stern
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⚫
⚫
⚫
day sign (don't confuse with 3 red balls which is VCD)
🔴
🔴
⚪
port/starboard (<50m)
🔴
🔴
⚪
ahead (<50m)
🔴
🔴
⚪
stern (<50m)
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Pilot vessel (flag : hotel, white and red color)
⚪
🔴
🟢
starboard, < 50m (red light if port)
⚪
🔴
🟢 🔴
ahead , <50m
⚪
🔴
⚪
stern, <50m
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Alpha. left White and right Blue : display during diving operation
Bravo. Full red : carrying dangerous goods
Hotel. left White and right Red : pilot vessel
Quarantine : Full Yellow. Stay away at least 200m
When you see these flags, there are usually big ship (not boat), and stay clear as much as possible.
See boat diagram at https://www.sailingissues.com/navcourse10.html
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