Rule 26(c)(ii) - Fishing with Outlying Gear > 150 m
NIGHT. A vessel engaged in fishing (not trawling) shows RED OVER WHITE all-round at or near the masthead AND, in addition, a WHITE all-round light offse...
Scenario briefing
NIGHT. A vessel engaged in fishing (not trawling) shows RED OVER WHITE all-round at or near the masthead AND, in addition, a WHITE all-round light offset 120 m to one side. She is not making way. What does the offset white light tell you?
Applicable COLREG rule(s)
📸 Night recognition — 8 aspects
The same vessel rendered every 45° of aspect — bow, starboard bow, beam, quarter, stern, port quarter, beam, bow. Use this strip to learn how the lights present from each approach angle. Click any image to view full size.
Key teaching points
- Rule 26(b): trawling = GREEN OVER WHITE; Rule 26(c): other fishing = RED OVER WHITE.
- When making way, sidelights and sternlight added (per Rule 26(b)(ii) / 26(c)(ii)).
- Gear extending more than 150 m horizontally adds an additional all-round white in the direction of the gear.
- Day equivalent: two cones with apexes together (Rule 26(b)(i) / 26(c)(i)).
Common mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting that a fishing vessel making way also shows sidelights and sternlight — full pattern, not just the two-vertical.
- Mistaking the day cone-apex-together shape for a single shape; the rule shows two cones.
Why it matters
Exam relevance
Comprehensive Rule 26 light/shape recognition appears in STCW OOW orals and Yachtmaster Offshore — examiners often build the picture light by light.
Related scenarios
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