COLREGs · Rule 29
Pilot Vessels
Last verified: 2026-05-16
TL;DR
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.
Authoritative source
Source links checked against the current public rule corpus on 2026-05-16.
- 33 CFR §83.29— verbatim Inland Rule text (US Code of Federal Regulations)(retrieved 2026-05-16)
- International COLREGs Rule 29 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 29 — Pilot Vessels →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 29
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