Lights and shapes
- Power-driven under way: masthead light(s), red port and green starboard sidelights, and a white sternlight.
- Sailing vessel under way: sidelights and a sternlight, no masthead steaming light.
- At anchor: an all-round white light forward (two, plus deck lights, on a larger vessel); one black ball by day.
- Not under command: two all-round red lights vertically (two black balls by day).
- Restricted in ability to manoeuvre: red-white-red all-round vertically (ball-diamond-ball by day).
Sound signals
| Situation | Sound |
|---|---|
| Power-driven, making way (fog) | One prolonged blast every 2 min or less |
| Power-driven, under way but stopped (fog) | Two prolonged blasts every 2 min or less |
| At anchor (fog) | Rapid ringing of the bell for 5 s every minute |
| Manoeuvring, in sight | 1 short = to starboard, 2 = to port, 3 = astern, 5+ = doubt/warning |
| Common fog and manoeuvring signals. |
TIP — Read the vertical light stack Two vertical reds = not under command; red-white-red = restricted in ability to manoeuvre. Learn the vertical patterns as pictures and their meaning follows at a glance in the dark.