COLREGs · Rule 24
Towing and Pushing
Last verified: 2026-05-16
TL;DR
Different light arrangements for towing astern (length of tow drives masthead-light count), pushing ahead, towing alongside, and towing operations that severely restrict ability to deviate (NUC-style three-light vertical).
Why it shows up on the exam
Inland and international diverge significantly — Inland Western Rivers towing has its own light scheme.
Authoritative source
Source links checked against the current public rule corpus on 2026-05-16.
- 33 CFR §83.24— verbatim Inland Rule text (US Code of Federal Regulations)(retrieved 2026-05-16)
- International COLREGs Rule 24 verbatim text is published by the IMO. The Inland counterpart 33 CFR §83 chunk above mirrors the international wording almost verbatim.
Inland parallel
Inland Rule 24 — Towing and Pushing →More from Part C — Lights and Shapes
Related drills
- Rule 20 — Application (Lights and Shapes)
- Rule 21 — Definitions (Lights)
- Rule 22 — Visibility of Lights
- Practise Rule 23 — Power-driven Vessel Underway
Drill COLREGs Rule 24
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