1.15 Lights for Sailing, Rowing & Fishing (Rules 25–26)

Rule 25 — Sailing Vessels Underway and Vessels Under Oars

Coastal Master 100 routes share water with keelboats, racing fleets, and daysailers. Rule 25 is their night code. Confusing a sailing vessel with a power-driven vessel at night flips Rule 18 analysis and can send a passenger vessel into the wrong maneuver.

Standard sailing picture — Rule 25(a)

A sailing vessel underway shall exhibit:

• Sidelights
• A sternlight

No white masthead light of the power-driven type. That absence is the first night clue: red or green sidelight without a white masthead forward often means sail (or a very small power craft under an alternative, or a tow — keep the whole picture).

Optional red-over-green — Rule 25(b)

In addition to sidelights and sternlight, a sailing vessel may 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 red and the lower green. These optional lights must not be exhibited together with a combined lantern under Rule 25(c). Exam phrase: optional red over green all-round near the masthead — not mandatory, but when shown they advertise "sailing vessel."

Combined lantern under 20 m — Rule 25(c)

A sailing vessel of less than 20 meters may combine sidelights and sternlight in a single lantern carried at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen (the common tricolor). Practical Master note: a tricolor is hard to see against shore lights and is not used with the optional red-over-green pair.

Under 7 m sail and vessels under oars — Rule 25(d)

A sailing vessel of less than 7 meters shall, if practicable, exhibit sidelights and sternlight, but if she does not, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision. A vessel under oars may exhibit the lights of a sailing vessel; if she does not, the same torch/lantern rule applies. On a dark harbor, a rowing skiff that suddenly shows a white flashlight is complying with this alternative — you as Master still have Rule 5/7/8 duties.

Under sail and power — Rule 25(e)

A vessel proceeding under sail when also being propelled by machinery shall exhibit forward where it can best be seen a conical shape, apex downwards. By night she shows power-driven lights (Rule 23), not pure sailing lights. Classification under Rule 3: she is a power-driven vessel while machinery is used. The apex-down cone is the day giveaway that the "sailboat" is motoring and does not enjoy pure sailing privilege under Rule 18.

Rule 25 quick table

Rule 26 — Fishing Vessels

Rule 26 applies only to vessels engaged in fishing as defined in Rule 3 — fishing with nets, lines, trawls, or other gear that restricts maneuverability. Trolling lines do not count. A sportfisher dragging lures remains ordinary power-driven for lights and privilege. That single fact saves Master candidates from inventing green-over-white on every charter boat with rods in the holders.

Trawling vs other fishing — the color stack

A vessel engaged in fishing, when making way through the water, shall also exhibit sidelights and a sternlight. When underway but not making way, the all-round fishing lights remain; sidelights/sternlight rules track making way as specified in the rule. Additional optional lights (Rule 26 and Annex II) can show direction of outlying gear; if outlying gear extends more than 150 meters horizontally from the vessel, an all-round white light in the direction of the gear (International) is a high-yield add-on.

Day shapes for fishing

Vessels engaged in fishing show two cones with apexes together in a vertical line (the hourglass / double-cone shape). A vessel of less than 20 meters may substitute a basket where it can best be seen. Shape + light color together confirm fishing status for Rule 18 hierarchy: power-driven keeps clear of fishing (when fishing is truly engaged under Rule 3).

What fishing vessels do not show as their primary code

• They do not use ordinary single masthead power lights as their fishing signature (they use the all-round color stack).
• They are not NUC (red-over-red) merely because gear is out — NUC is exceptional inability to maneuver; fishing is a work category with its own lights.
• Aquaculture or special local lights may appear in real harbors; exam answers stick to Rule 26 COLREGS/Inland text.

Master Scenario: Sunset Among Sail and Trawlers

You Master a 65-foot passenger vessel leaving a coastal inlet at dusk. Fine to starboard: a sloop shows a tricolor at the masthead — sailing vessel under 20 m, sidelights+stern combined; give sail appropriate Rule 18 respect unless you are overtaking or other rules reverse duties. Fine to port: a working boat shows green over white all-round and is making way with sidelights — trawling. Do not cut across her stern where the net may be. Ahead: a yacht under sail with engine on shows a cone apex down by day and Rule 23 power lights by night — treat as power-driven. A center-console with outriggers and trolling lines shows ordinary power lights only — not Rule 26 fishing.

Side-by-side recognition

Exam Framing for Q100 (90%)

Drill: sail = sidelights + sternlight; optional red over green; <20 m tricolor; torch for <7 m / oars; cone apex down = sail + power; trawl green over white; other fishing red over white; two cones / basket; trolling ≠ fishing. Master stems put these pictures next to passenger-vessel traffic — answer from the color stack and Rule 3 definition, not from dock talk.