Glossary Archive

A sailing vessel underway shall exhibit: sidelights; a sternlight. In a sailing vessel of less than 20 metres 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. A sailing vessel underway may,...

A vessel engaged in fishing, whether underway or at anchor, shall exhibit only the lights and shapes prescribed in this Rule. A vessel when engaged in trawling, by which is meant the dragging through the water of a dredge net or other apparatus used as a fishing appliance, shall exhibit: two all-round lights in a...

A vessel not under command shall exhibit: two all-round red lights in a vertical line where they can best be seen; two balls or similar shapes in a vertical line where they can best be seen; when making way through the water, in addition to the lights prescribed in this paragraph, sidelights and a stern...

A vessel constrained by her draught may, in addition to the lights prescribed for power-driven vessels in Rule 23, exhibit where they can best be seen three all-round red lights in a vertical line, or a cylinder. Any vessel can be constrained by its draught; the bigger the vessel, the greater the draught, the deeper...

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; when at anchor, in addition to the lights prescribed in sub-paragraph (i), the light, lights or shape prescribed in...

A vessel at anchor shall exhibit where it can best be seen: in the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball; at or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in sub-paragraph (i), an all-round white light. A vessel of less than 50 metres in length may exhibit an...

Where it is impracticable for a seaplane or a WIG craft to exhibit lights and shapes of the characteristics or in the positions prescribed in the Rules of this Part she shall exhibit lights and shapes as closely similar in characteristics and position as is possible.

The word "whistle" means any sound signalling appliance capable of producing the prescribed blasts and which complies with the specifications in Annex III to these Regulations. The term "short blast" means a blast of about one second’s duration. The term "prolonged blast" means a blast of from four to six seconds’ duration. Bells, gongs, whistles...

A vessel of 12 metres or more in length shall be provided with a whistle, a vessel of 20 metres or more in length shall be provided with a bell in addition to a whistle, and a vessel of 100 metres or more in length shall, in addition, be provided with a gong, the tone...

When vessels are in sight of one another, a power-driven vessel underway, when manoeuvring as authorized or required by these Rules, shall indicate that manoeuvre by the following signals on her whistle:     one short blast to mean "I am altering my course to starboard";     two short blasts to mean "I am altering my course to...