COLREG 1972 · rule 29 of 38
EnglishEN

Rule 29. Pilot vessels

On pilotage duty: white over red all-round lights at or near the masthead. Underway she adds sidelights and a sternlight; at anchor, the anchor lights. Off pilotage duty she shows the ordinary lights for her length.

Part of the convention Lights and shapes

On pilotage duty: white over red all-round lights at or near the masthead. Underway she adds sidelights and a sternlight; at anchor, the anchor lights. Off pilotage duty she shows the ordinary lights for her length.

At sea it looks like this

White over red on a pilot boarding ground is the pilot boat. The mnemonic: white over red, pilot ahead.

The rule says«A vessel engaged on pilotage duty shall exhibit: at or near the masthead, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being white and the lower red».

Lights and shapes for this rule

Rule 29 (a)

Vessel on pilotage duty

seen from ahead (her starboard side on your left)
seen from her starboard beam
seen from astern

An all-round white over an all-round red at or near the masthead. Underway she adds sidelights and a sternlight.

Set
White over red at the masthead, sidelights, sternlight.
Tell
White on top, red below. Mnemonic: white over red, pilot ahead. The reverse order, red over white, means fishing.
In fog
As a power-driven vessel, and she may add four short blasts as an identity signal.
Off duty
A pilot vessel not on duty shows the ordinary lights for a vessel of her length.
Rule 29 (a) (iii)

Pilot vessel at anchor

seen from ahead (her starboard side on your left)
seen from her starboard beam
seen from astern

White over red plus the anchor lights of rule 30.

Set
White over red and the all-round white anchor lights.
Tell
A white-red pair with no sidelights: a pilot boat waiting at anchor.
By day: ball

Check yourself

Who is this?

seen from ahead (her starboard side on your left)
seen from her starboard beam
seen from astern

A pilot vessel on pilotage duty: all-round white over red. Mnemonic: white over red, pilot ahead.

Rule 29 (a).

How do you tell white-over-red from red-over-white?

White over red is a pilot. Red over white is fishing other than trawling. The order changes the meaning completely.

Rule 29 (a) and 26 (c).

Part of the convention: Lights and shapes