Rule 26 · USCG Navigation Rules
Fishing with outlying gear beyond 150 m
Gear stretching more than 150 m from the hull earns an extra all-round white light (cone apex up by day) pointing toward the gear.
Situation
Viewpoint
Display
Drag to orbit freely, scroll or pinch to zoom — or use the viewpoint buttons above (keyboard friendly).
From the port bow you see:
- All-round red (upper)
- All-round white (lower)
- All-round white toward the gear (starboard side here)
→ Fishing with outlying gear beyond 150 m — Gear out > 150 m, not making way, seen from the port bow.
Memory aid
“The extra white points AT the gear — give that side a wide berth.”
What it means
Gear out > 150 m, not making way
Drawn here with the gear extending to STARBOARD. The extra white light (or cone, apex upwards, by day) is shown in the direction of the gear — pass on the other side.
Gear out > 150 m, making way
Making way she adds sidelights and a sternlight to the fishing lights and gear light.
Day shapes
Gear out > 150 m, not making way
Two cones, points together
Two cones with their apexes together in a vertical line.
Cone, apex up, toward the gear
A cone, apex upwards, exhibited in the direction of gear extending more than 150 m from the vessel.
Gear out > 150 m, making way
Two cones, points together
Two cones with their apexes together in a vertical line.
Cone, apex up, toward the gear
A cone, apex upwards, in the direction of the outlying gear.
Light details
Gear out > 150 m, not making way
| Light | Colour | Arc | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-round red (upper) | red | 360° all-round | Mast, vertical line (top) |
| All-round white (lower) | white | 360° all-round | Mast, vertical line (2nd from top) |
| All-round white toward the gear (starboard side here) | white | 360° all-round | Starboard yardarm |
Gear out > 150 m, making way
| Light | Colour | Arc | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-round red (upper) | red | 360° all-round | Mast, vertical line (top) |
| All-round white (lower) | white | 360° all-round | Mast, vertical line (2nd from top) |
| All-round white toward the gear (starboard side here) | white | 360° all-round | Starboard yardarm |
| Port sidelight | red | 112.5° to port | Port side, deck level |
| Starboard sidelight | green | 112.5° to starboard | Starboard side, deck level |
| Sternlight | white | 135° aft | Stern |
2D profile
Labelled side view — works without WebGL and in print. Variant shown: Gear out > 150 m, not making way.
In fog, she sounds
Don’t confuse with…
Official source
Rule 26, reproduced from the public-domain COLREGs Rule 26(c)(ii) — USCG Navigation Rules. Diagrams and 3D scenes are original to boatrules.com.