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Rules of the Road

Rule 25 — Sailing and Rowing Vessels (lights)

Appears on 65% of examsDifficulty 3/527 drill questions

On the paperQ100 / Q30050 questions90% to pass, 5 wrong allowed

Authoritative sources#

Every answer on this topic traces back to the public rule corpus below.

33 CFR 83.25COLREGs Rule 25

Source excerpts#

33 CFR §83.25

Sailing vessels underway and vessels under oars (Rule 25). (a) A sailing vessel underway shall exhibit: (i) Sidelights; and (ii) A sternlight. (b) In a sailing vessel of less than 20 meters in length the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule may be combined in one lantern carried at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen. (c) A sailing vessel underway may, in addition to the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule, exhibit at or near the top of the mast, where they can best be seen, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower green, but these lights shall not be exhibited in conjunction with the combined lantern permitted by paragraph (b) of this Rule. (d)(i) A sailing vessel of less than 7 meters in length shall, if pra

COLREGs Rule 22

Visibility of Lights The lights prescribed in these Rules shall have an intensity as specified in Section 8 of Annex I to these Regulations so as to be visible at the following minimum ranges: (a) In vessels of 50 meters or more in length: − a masthead light, 6 miles; − a sidelight, 3 miles; − a sternlight, 3 miles; − a towing light, 3 miles; − a white, red, green or yellow all-round light, 3 miles. (b) In vessels of 12 meters or more in length but less than 50 meters in length: − a masthead light, 5 miles; except that where the length of the vessel is less than 20 meters, 3 miles; − a sidelight, 2 miles; − a sternlight, 2 miles; − a towing light, 2 miles; − a white, red, green or yellow all-round light, 2 miles. (c) In vessels of less than 12 meters in length: − a masthead light, 2 miles

COLREGs Rule 22(b)

Visibility of Lights (b) In vessels of 12 meters or more in length but less than 50 meters in length: − a masthead light, 5 miles; except that where the length of the vessel is less than 20 meters, 3 miles; − a sidelight, 2 miles; − a sternlight, 2 miles; − a towing light, 2 miles; − a white, red, green or yellow all-round light, 2 miles. Relationship to the Inland Rules: Inland Rule 22 differs from this rule — compare against 33 CFR 83.22 before answering a question that turns on which set applies.

COLREGs Rule 22(c)

Visibility of Lights (c) In vessels of less than 12 meters in length: − a masthead light, 2 miles; − a sidelight, 1 mile; − a sternlight, 2 miles; − a towing light, 2 miles; − a white, red, green or yellow all-round light, 2 miles. Relationship to the Inland Rules: Inland Rule 22 differs from this rule — compare against 33 CFR 83.22 before answering a question that turns on which set applies.

COLREGs Rule 25

Sailing Vessels Underway and Vessels Under Oars (a) A sailing vessel underway shall exhibit: (i) sidelights; (ii) a sternlight. (b) In a sailing vessel of less than 20 meters in length the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule may be combined in one lantern carried at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen. Sailing vessel underway. Same for Inland. (c) A sailing vessel underway may, in addition to the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule, exhibit at or near the top of the mast, where they can best be seen, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower green, but these lights shall not be exhibited in conjunction with the combined lantern permitted by paragraph (b) of this Rule. Sailing vessel underway. Same for Inland. (d) (

COLREGs Rule 25(b)

Sailing Vessels Underway and Vessels Under Oars (b) In a sailing vessel of less than 20 meters in length the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule may be combined in one lantern carried at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen. Sailing vessel underway. Same for Inland. Relationship to the Inland Rules: Inland Rule 25 differs from this rule — compare against 33 CFR 83.25 before answering a question that turns on which set applies.

Practice this topic#

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Rule 25 — Sailing and Rowing Vessels (lights)

Under both the International and Inland Rules, a sailing vessel underway shall exhibit ______.

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The full lesson covers this topic with citation popovers, and there are 27 drill questions behind it.

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