
Navigation lights are used on boats to indicate to others which direction a boat is facing. The lights also play an essential role in identifying the ship's length and purpose. The port side of the boat is marked with a red light, while the starboard side is marked with a green light. It is crucial that boats have the minimum red, green, and white boat safety lights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Left side | Red |
| Right side | Green |
| Stern or anchor light | White |
| Government vessel | Blue |
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What You'll Learn

The port side is marked with a red light
The port side of a boat is marked with a red light. This is because navigation lights for boats indicate to others which direction a boat is facing. The red light is visible from dead ahead of the vessel to just past the centre of the port side or through 112.5 degrees of a circle. It is crucial that boats have red and green navigation lights, as well as a white 360-degree light. The white light is visible for 135 degrees from one side of the vessel to the other. The light on the starboard side of the boat is green because it is 'safe' – the steersman will be able to see other boats.
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The starboard side light is green
The starboard side light on a boat is green. This indicates that the port side of the boat is red. The green light is visible from the bow to just past the centre of the boat, or 112.5 degrees of a circle. The starboard light is important as it indicates to other boats that it is 'safe' to pass, as the steersman will be able to see them. All boats are legally required to have red, green and white boat safety lights.
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The white 360° light
Navigation lights for boats indicate to others which direction a boat is facing. The white 360° light is one of the three essential lights that all boats are legally required to have. The other two are the red and green lights, which indicate the port and starboard sides of the boat.
The white light is an important part of the boat's navigation lighting system, which also includes red and green sidelights. These lights play a crucial role in identifying the ship's length, direction, and purpose. It is the responsibility of the boat owner to ensure that the proper navigation lighting is in place.
In addition to the standard red, green, and white lights, a blue light is sometimes used to indicate a government vessel. This is typically seen on boats operated by the coast guard or law enforcement.
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Blue lights indicate a government vessel
Navigation lights for boats indicate to others which direction a boat is facing. The red light indicates the left side of the boat, while the green light is on the right. It is crucial that boats have their red and green navigation lights, as well as a white 360° light. The boat light colours are green, red and white. However, if you see a blue light, this generally indicates a government vessel. All boats are legally required to have the minimum red, green and white boat safety lights. When you see a boat that has blue boat lights at night, that means that it is likely the coast guard or law enforcement.
The port side of the boat is marked with a red light, while the starboard side light is green. The steersman will be able to see other boats from the starboard side. 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.
The coloured marker lights and where to find them are as follows: the boat's port side is marked with a red light, and the starboard side light is green. The red light is visible from dead ahead of the vessel to just past the centre of the port side or through 112.5 degrees of a circle. The green light is visible from the bow to just past the boat's centre, or another 112.5 degrees. The white light is visible for a total of 135 degrees from one side of the vessel to the other.
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The stern light or boat anchor light is white
Navigation lights for boats indicate to others which direction a boat is facing. The red light indicates the left side of the boat, while the green light is on the right. The stern light or boat anchor light is white and can be seen from the back of the boat. This light is 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.
Per the navigation lighting rules, it is crucial that boats have red and green navigation lights, as well as the white 360-degree light. The boat light colours are green, red, and white. If you see a blue light, this generally indicates a government vessel. All boats are legally required to have the minimum red, green, and white boat safety lights.
The port side of the boat is marked with a red light, while the starboard side light is green. The light on the starboard side is green because it is 'safe', as the steersman will be able to see other boats. The coloured marker lights help identify the ship's length, direction, and purpose.
The rules for what navigation lights to display depend on several factors, including the length of your boat, where you're boating, and whether you're at anchor. It is your responsibility to have the proper navigation lighting.
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Frequently asked questions
The light on the port side of a boat is red.
The light on the starboard side of a boat is green.
If you see a blue light on a boat, it generally indicates a government vessel, such as the coast guard or law enforcement.






































