COLREGs · Rule 29 · 33 CFR §83.29

Pilot Vessels

On pilotage duty: white-over-red all-round at masthead + sidelights and sternlight when underway, or anchor light(s) when at anchor. When not on pilotage duty, exhibits the lights of a similar-length ordinary vessel.

What does Rule 29 actually say?#

Source

Verbatim 33 CFR §83.29, public domain. The international COLREGs text is published by the IMO and cannot be reproduced here; this U.S. wording tracks it closely.

A vessel engaged on pilotage duty shall exhibit:

At or near the masthead, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being white and the lower red;

When underway, in addition, sidelights and a sternlight; and

When at anchor, in addition to the lights prescribed in paragraph (i) of this Rule, the anchor light, lights, or shape prescribed in Rule 30 (§ 83.30) for vessels at anchor.

A pilot vessel when not engaged on pilotage duty shall exhibit the lights or shapes prescribed for a vessel of her length. [USCG-2012-0102, 79 FR 37912, July 2, 2014, as amended by USCG-2015-0433, 80 FR 44280, July 27, 2015]

Practice this rule#

One real exam question on this rule, cited to source. No sign-up.

Rule 29 — Pilot Vessels (lights)

Under both the International and Inland Rules, an all-round light shows an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ______.

Does Inland Rule 29 change anything?#

Inland Rule 29 is 33 CFR §83.29, reproduced above, and carries no exam-relevant divergence from COLREGs Rule 29. One answer serves both the International and the Inland version of a Rules of the Road question on this rule — which is worth knowing precisely because several neighbouring rules do not work that way.

21 of 38 rules differ somewhere; the five the exam leans on are Rule 9, Rule 10, Rule 24, Rule 28 and Rule 34, side by side on Inland vs International Rules.

Why it shows up on the exam#

Rule 29 is a two-line light rule with one durable mnemonic — 'white over red, pilot ahead' — and one trap: a pilot vessel not engaged on pilotage duty shows nothing special at all.

What does the exam actually test here?#

The identifying lights
White over red
A vessel engaged on pilotage duty exhibits at or near the masthead two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper white and the lower red.
Underway
Add sidelights and sternlight
When underway, the pilot vessel shows sidelights and a sternlight in addition to the white-over-red pair.
At anchor, and off duty
Anchor lights; ordinary lights
At anchor she adds the Rule 30 anchor lights or shape to the white-over-red. When not engaged on pilotage duty she shows only the lights or shapes prescribed for a vessel of her length.

Rule 29 — common exam questions#

What lights does a pilot vessel on duty show?

Two all-round lights in a vertical line at or near the masthead — white over red — plus sidelights and a sternlight when underway (33 CFR §83.29(a)).

What is the mnemonic for a pilot vessel?

'White over red, pilot ahead.' The white light is the upper of the two all-round lights, the red the lower.

What does a pilot vessel show at anchor?

The white-over-red pair plus the anchor light, lights, or shape prescribed by Rule 30 for vessels at anchor (33 CFR §83.29(a)(iii)).

What does a pilot vessel show when not on pilotage duty?

The lights or shapes prescribed for a vessel of her length (33 CFR §83.29(b)) — the white-over-red identification is only for a vessel engaged on pilotage duty.

Authoritative source#

33 CFR §83.29 — this section with its neighbours. 33 CFR Part 83 is public domain; checked 2026-05-16.
COLREGs Rule 29 is published by the IMO and is authoritative internationally.

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