NAVIGATION LIGHTS
Power-driven Vessels
Motorboats are divided into four classes:
Classes 1, 2 and 3 motorboats in all weathers from sunset to sunrise shall carry and exhibit the following lights when under way, and during such time no other lights which may be mistaken for those prescribed shall be exhibited.
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Figure 1
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Class 1 – Boats 16’ to less than 26’ in length |
Classes 2 and 3 –
Boats 26 feet to 40 feet in length |
| A bright white light aft to show all around the horizon; |
A bright white light in the fore part of the vessel as near the stem as practicable, so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of twenty points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light ten points on each side of the vessel; namely, from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on either side; |
| A combined lantern in the fore part of the vessel and lower than the white light aft, showing green to starboard and red to port, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on their respective sides. |
A bright white light aft to show all around the horizon and higher than the white light forward; |
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On the starboard side a green light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the starboard side. On the port side a red light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the port side. The said side lights shall be fitted with inboard screens of sufficient height so set as to prevent these lights from being seen across the bow. |
Sailing Vessels
Figure 2 |
Figure 3 |
Figure 4 |
Under Sail Only |
Light Display |
Class 1 |
Display the combined lantern, but not the white light aft. |
Classes 2 and 3 |
Display colored sidelights, suitably screened, but not the white lights, prescribed by this section. |
Motorboats of all classes, when propelled by sail alone, shall carry, ready at hand, a lantern or flashlight showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to avert collision.
NOTE: Any vessel may carry and exhibit the lights required by the federal regulations for preventing collisions at sea in lieu of the lights required above. |
Vessel Under Oars
| If your vessel is under oars, then it should display lights for a sailboat if
practical. As an option, your vessel your vessel may carry a flashlight or
lighted lantern that can show a white light in sufficient time to prevent
collision. |
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Anchored Vessels
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Every vessel at anchor, whether occupied or not, shall display anchor lights between official sunset and sunrise. Except, that anchor lights do not have to be displayed on a vessel anchored in a "special anchorage area" designated as such by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U. S. Coast Guard or the SC Department of Natural Resources
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For All Vessels
Light |
Range of Visibility (visible on a dark night with clear atmosphere) |
White light |
At least two miles |
Colored light |
At least one mile |
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