---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 C.F.R. § 83.25"
title: "33"
number: "83.25"
heading: "Sailing vessels underway and vessels under oars (Rule 25)."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/33/83.25"
---

# §83.25. Sailing vessels underway and vessels under oars (Rule 25).

- (a) A sailing vessel underway shall exhibit:
  - (i) Sidelights; and
  - (ii) **A sternlight.**
- (b) In a sailing vessel of less than 20 meters in length the lights prescribed in [paragraph (a)](#a) of this Rule may be combined in one lantern carried at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen.
- (c) A sailing vessel underway may, in addition to the lights prescribed in [paragraph (a)](#a) of this Rule, exhibit at or near the top of the mast, where they can best be seen, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower green, but these lights shall not be exhibited in conjunction with the combined lantern permitted by [paragraph (b)](#b) of this Rule.
- (d)
- (i) A sailing vessel of less than 7 meters in length shall, if practicable, exhibit the lights prescribed in paragraph [(a)](#a) or [(b)](#b) of this Rule, but if she does not, she shall exhibit an all-round white light or have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.
- (ii) A vessel under oars may exhibit the lights prescribed in this Rule for sailing vessels, but if she does not, she shall exhibit an all-round white light or have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.
- (e) A vessel proceeding under sail when also being propelled by machinery shall exhibit forward, where it can best be seen, a conical shape, apex downward. A vessel of less than 12 meters in length is not required to exhibit this shape, but may do so.

## Notes

### Authority

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 2071; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.3.

### Source

Source: USCG-2012-0102, 79 FR 37912, July 2, 2014, unless otherwise noted.