Lots of good posts here. I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE to see more red over green all around lights. There have been several misinterpretations of the USCG COLREGS in this thread. Doing copy/pastes, while helpful, immediately makes the information old. Additionally, going to re-printed information on the West Marine website is also old. The USCG maintains the Rules of the Road COLREGS right on their website, and that should be the one stop shop for all Rules related questions and ambiguities.
There was some banter about lights spacing: 1m, 2m. That's pretty specific, so I'm guessing that came from the ANNEX in the back. Someone find me this detail about the spacing of all red over all green.
(and here I am retyping stuff just like I said we shouldn't)
Rule 25 "Sailing Vessels Underway and Vessels Under Oars"
paragraph (b) says a vessel less than 20m may carry a combined light, the "pie" near the top of the mast where it can best be seen.
paragraph (c) rules say "may" so the red over green are optional. if you use the pie light, you can't use red over green.
all round white lite
Couple things here. Lights you carry can't be confused with any other lights (Rule 20 paragraph (b) ).
If you're real small, sailing vessel or vessel under oars, less than 7m, you CAN display an all around white light. So that right there is confused with other lights isn't it?! Specifically the Anchor Light, Rule 30 "Anchored vessels and vessels aground," an all around white light where it can best be seen, the forepart of the vessel. Less than 50m/150ft you only need one Anchor Light where it can best be seen (paragraph (b) )
From the first page, there was a copy/paste
@Ajax_MD paragraph (c) from Annex 1. Not sure where you got that. The word "tricolor" isn't anywhere in the current Rules of the Road. I'd look in Annex 1, part 2 "Vertical positioning and spacing of lights." In fact, putting a big space between the red over green sailing lights might make it more confusing.
@asdf38 you can sail around with your all around white light on, if your vessel is less than 7m/21ft ( Rule 25(d)(i) )
I disagree that lights higher up are necessary for better visibility in ocean swells. It's true that the lights will only be visible occasionally because of swells. But, being out there, I'd prefer a
brighter steadier light at deck level that's occasionally visible, than a dim pie light flying back and forth at 20mph.
Can't find who said what here but it's important to know that you're either a:
sail boat, or a
power boat. As far as the Rules go, there is no "sail boat under power." The moment you turn on your engine, you're under power, and should display the masthead light (225deg centerline, Rule 21 (a) Definitions for Masthead Light ). As a power driven vessel, you also fall into that category of passing arrangements with other vessels.
Really good discussion here on the finer points of Rules of the Road!