Various Pleasure Craft and their Required Navigation Lights

The Rules concerning lights shall be complied with from sunset to sunrise ; during restricted visibility and during such times no other lights shall be exhibited, except such lights as cannot be mistaken for the lights

Sailing Vessel & Vessels under Oars (rowboat, canoe, kayak, etc)

A sailing vessel (underway from sunset to sunrise) shall exhibit sidelight and a sternlight, while underway from sunset to sunrise. A sailing vessel of less than 20m (underway) may exhibit a combined sidelights and sternlight in one lantern, carried at or near the top of  the mast, in lieu of sidelights and a sternlight from sunset to sunrise. If you see these lights, it indicates a sailing vessel is present. For power-driven pleasure craft, they must keep clear.

A sailing vessel of less than 7m (underway) shall exhibit and a pleasure craft under oars may exhibit sidelights and a sternlight, if practical, but if not then they shall have a hand torch or lighted lantern ready, showing a white light in sufficient time to prevent an accident from sunset to sunrise.

* When operating a vessel near rowboats, canoes, and kayaks ,reduce the vessel’s wake to avoid capsize these boats.

Sailing boat-lights

Vessels Engaged in Fishing

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 vertical line, the upper being green and the lower white, or a shape consisting of two cones with their apexes together in a vertical line one above the other,
  • a masthead light abaft of and higher than the all-round green light; a vessel of less than 50 metres in length shall not be obliged to exhibit such a light but may do so,
  • when making way through the water, in addition to the lights prescribed in this paragraph, sidelights and a If you see these lights, it indicates a vessel that is engage in trawling is present. For power-driven pleasure craft and sailing vessels, they must keep clear.

Lights for vessel engaged in trawling

A vessel engaged in fishing, other than trawling, shall exhibit:

  • two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower white, or a shape consisting of two cones with their apexes together in a vertical line one above the other,
  • when there is outlying gear extending more than 150 metres horizontally from the vessel, an all-round white light or a cone apex upwards in the direction of the gear,
  • when making way through the water, in addition to the lights prescribed in this paragraph, sidelights and a If you see these lights, it indicates a vessel that is engage in trawling is present. For power-driven pleasure craft and sailing vessels, they must keep clear.

Navigation lights for a fishing boat

Anchored Vessels

Anchored vessels less than 50m in length shall exhibit, in the fore part of the vessel, an all-round white light, from sunset to sunrise.

Navigation lights at anchor

Government or Police Vessels

Any government vessel or any vessel that is owned or operated by a harbour, river, county or municipal police force may exhibit as an identification signal a blue flashing light when the vessel

  • is providing assistance in any waters to any vessel or other craft, aircraft or person that is threatened by grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance, or
  • is engaged in law enforcement duties in Canadian

Any vessel operated by the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary may exhibit a blue flashing light as an identification signal when the vessel participates, at the request of the Canadian Coast Guard, in search and rescue operations

Towing & Pushing Vessels

A power-driven vessel when towing shall exhibit:

  • two masthead lights in a vertical When the length of the tow, measuring from the stern of the towing vessel to the after end of the tow exceeds 200 metres, three such lights in a vertical line,
  • sidelights,
  • a sternlight,
  • a towing light in a vertical line above the sternlight,
  • when the length of the tow exceeds 200 metres, a diamond shape where it can best be

If a pleasure craft needs to tow another pleasure craft – the following clause applies:

Where from any sufficient cause it is impracticable for a vessel not normally engaged in towing operations to display these lights. Such vessel shall not be required to exhibit these lights when engaged in towing another vessel in distress or otherwise in need of assistance. All possible measures shall be taken to indicate the nature of the relationship between the towing vessel and the vessel being towed, in particular by illuminating the towline.

When a pushing vessel and a vessel being pushed ahead are rigidly connected in a composite unit they shall be regarded as a power-driven vessel and exhibit the lights of a power-driven vessel of it’s total length.