Kristian Ferrell
Boat lights are used for navigation and safety. All boats are legally required to have red, green, and white lights. If you see a boat with a blue light, it is likely to be a government vessel. The lights on a boat indicate which way it is going. If you can see a boat's red light, you are looking at its port side. If you can see its green light, you are looking at its starboard side.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Side | Red light |
| Indicates port side | |
| Side | Green light |
| Indicates starboard side | |
| Side | Red and green lights |
| Indicates vessel is coming straight at you | |
| Stern | White light |
| Indicates boat is driving away |
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What You'll Learn
Red lights indicate the port side of a boat
All boats are legally required to have the minimum red, green, and white boat safety lights. When sailing, vessels must display red and green side lights and a white stern light. Smaller sailing vessels under 20 metres in length are allowed to combine the two lights at the top of the mast.
If you see both red and green lights, the other vessel is coming straight at you. If you can only see the white light and nothing else, you are looking directly at the other boat's stern as it drives away.
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Green lights indicate the starboard side of a boat
When sailing, a vessel must display red and green side lights and a white stern light. The white light should be visible for a total of 135 degrees from one side of the vessel to the other. If you can only see a single white light on a boat at night, you are likely seeing the stern light or the boat anchor light.
If you see both red and green lights, the other vessel is coming straight at you. If you can only see the red light ahead of you, you are seeing the other vessel's port side, or it is crossing in front of you from right to left.
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Blue lights indicate a government vessel
If you see a blue light on a boat, it generally indicates a government vessel. Blue lights on boats are usually reserved for the coast guard or law enforcement. If you see a boat with blue lights at night, it is likely to be a government vessel.
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White lights indicate the stern of a boat
If you see a red light on a boat, you are looking at the port side of the boat. If you see a green light, you are looking at the starboard side of the boat. If you see both red and green lights, the boat is coming straight towards you. If you see a blue light, the boat is likely to be a government vessel.
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Red and green lights indicate a boat is coming straight towards you
If you see both red and green lights on a boat, it means that the boat is coming straight towards you. This is because the red light is on the port side of the boat, and the green light is on the starboard side. If you can only see the red light, you are looking at the port side of the boat, or it is crossing in front of you from your right to left. Conversely, if you can only see the green light, you are looking at the starboard side of the boat, or it is passing in front of you from left to right.
All boats are legally required to have red, green, and white safety lights. The white light should be visible for 135 degrees from one side of the vessel to the other. If you can only see a single white light on a boat at night, you are likely seeing the stern light or the boat anchor light.
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Frequently asked questions
If you can only see a red light on a boat, you are looking at the port side of the vessel, or it is crossing in front of you from right to left.
If you can only see a green light on a boat, you are looking at the starboard side of the vessel, or watching the boat pass in front of you from left to right.
If you can see both red and green lights, the vessel is coming straight towards you.
If you can only see a white light on a boat, you are looking directly at the stern of the boat as it drives away.
