Rule text#
Source
(a)A vessel engaged on pilotage duty shall exhibit:
(i)At or near the masthead, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being white and the lower red;
(ii)When underway, in addition, sidelights and a sternlight; and
(iii)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.
(b)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]
Authoritative source#
Source links checked against the current public rule corpus on 2026-05-16.
- 33 CFR §83.29 — the section this text comes from, with its neighbours.
- The Inland Navigation Rules are codified at 33 CFR Part 83 and are public domain. The international COLREGs text is published separately by the IMO.
Practice this rule#
One real exam question on this rule, cited to source. No sign-up.
A pilot vessel of 30 meters in length is engaged on pilotage duty and is underway. At what minimum range must her all-round lights (white and red) be visible?
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