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To "light up" your boat properly during navigation, you need navigation lights. In pleasure boating, there are 2 categories of boat: the motorboats and sailing yachts (A sailboat powered by an engine is considered a motorboat, even if it has sails).
Navigation light regulations for ships stem from the RIPAM (International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea). Rules 22, 23 and 25.
Navigation lights will change according to whether the ship is underway, or whether it is stationary - at anchor, for example.
For boats under sail
A sailboat must have traffic lights:
- a red one on the port bow
- a green on the starboard bow
- white on the back
SPECIAL CASES
Aboard a less than 20 m the three lights can be combined into a single one at the top of the mast. This means that a single bulb can be used, reducing power consumption by a factor of three.
Sailboats with a length less than 7 m (like rowing boats) can do without lights, but must be ready to show an electric lamp or white light to prevent a collision.
For boats under engine power
A motorboat (under 50 m - which corresponds to our pleasure boats) must be equipped with traffic lights:
- a red on the port bow
- a green on the starboard bow
- a white on the rear
and - a fire masthead white on the front
SPECIAL CASES
A motorboat from less than 12 m can be limited to :
- a fire white visible on the horizon
- a red on the port bow
- a green on the starboard bow
A motorboat from less than 7 m and whose speed does not exceed not 7 knots can be satisfied with :
- a fire white visible on the horizon
Light range
For vessels (sail or motor) with a length of up to between 12 and 50 m :
- masthead light : 5 miles (3 miles for vessels under 20 m)
- side light (red and green) : 2 miles
- stern light (rear white) : 2 miles
- anchor light : 2 miles
For vessels (sail or motor) of length less than 12 m :
- masthead light : 2 miles
- side light (red and green) : 1 thousand
- stern light (rear white) : 2 miles
- anchor light : 2 miles
