Lights at night, signals in fog

Meet Hélène. She's sixty-one, heading home across the lake. The sun has set, and her navigation lights are on. Off to her right, she sees two lights: a red one, and above it, a white one. It's a boat, but what kind, going which way, and what should she do?

So here's the question. What are those lights telling Hélène, and who gives way in the dark?

First, when. The Collision Regulations say lights go on from sunset to sunrise, and in restricted visibility, like fog or heavy rain, by day too. Under the Small Vessel Regulations, a boat nine metres or under needs them only at those times, but then it must have them.

Here's what they look like. Sidelights are red on the port side, the left, and green on the starboard side, the right, each shining from straight ahead to just behind its own side. A white masthead light shines forward, and a white sternlight shines back. A power boat under twelve metres may instead show one all-round white light plus the sidelights. Canada doesn't allow a white light alone on a power boat.

Now read Hélène's lights. The white light above says power boat. The red says she's seeing its port side, so it's crossing from her right. A boat approaching from your starboard, showing you its red light, is the stand-on boat. Hélène gives way, early, obviously, and behind it.

A lone white light ahead may be a boat's stern, so you're overtaking and you keep clear. A flashing blue light marks a government or police vessel, which still follows the steering rules. A tug towing astern shows two or three white masthead lights, one above the other, and a yellow towing light above its sternlight. Its tow is often much dimmer. Never pass between a tug and its tow.

Now sound. A short blast lasts about one second, a prolonged blast four to six. Between power boats in sight of each other, one short blast means I'm turning to starboard, two short, turning to port, and three short, going astern. In the Great Lakes Basin, one and two short blasts instead say which side you'll pass on, so learn both. Five or more short, rapid blasts mean doubt or danger.

In fog, the Collision Regulations call for a safe speed and engines ready to manoeuvre. A power boat making way sounds one prolonged blast at least every two minutes, and two prolonged if it's stopped in the water. Boats under twelve metres may make some other efficient sound signal instead, at least every two minutes. Hear a fog signal forward of you? Slow to the least speed that holds your course, and stop if you need to.

On the water. After dark, shore lights can hide a boat's lights, which is why the rules count background light in safe speed. So I slow down at night, check my lights at the dock, and carry a flashlight with fresh batteries. Transport Canada's guide says it may be my only signal if I lose power.

Let's change one fact. Hélène's navigation lights fail on the way home. Transport Canada's guide calls that an example of an urgent Pan-Pan radio call, covered in lecture sixteen. For now, she slows right down and gets her flashlight ready.

The mistake boaters make is heading out at dusk without checking their lights, or using the horn to say hello. Every blast means something.

Here's the rule, in one breath. Show your lights from sunset to sunrise and in fog, read the red, green and white to tell who gives way, and use your horn only for signals.

This week, switch on your navigation lights at the dock and check each one, then practise a short blast and a prolonged one. Next time, buoys, and which side to keep the red ones on.