Rule 24 · USCG Navigation Rules
Inconspicuous, partly submerged tow
A barely-visible towed object (dracone, log raft) shows all-round white lights at its ends and a diamond aft.
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 white — forward end (dracones exempt)
- All-round white — after end
→ Inconspicuous, partly submerged tow — Less than 25 m in breadth, seen from the port bow.
Memory aid
“Nearly invisible in the water: white lights at the ends, diamond aft — look for the tug!”
What it means
Less than 25 m in breadth
Dracones need not show the forward light. 25 m+ in breadth adds two whites at the breadth extremities; over 100 m long, extra whites so no gap exceeds 100 m. If the tow exceeds 200 m, a second diamond goes as far forward as practicable. These all-round whites are visible at 3 nm (Rule 22(d)).
Day shapes
Diamond, aft
A diamond at or near the aftermost extremity of the tow.
Light details
| Light | Colour | Arc | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-round white — forward end (dracones exempt) | white | 360° all-round | Forward, centreline |
| All-round white — after end | white | 360° all-round | Stern |
2D profile
Labelled side view — works without WebGL and in print. Variant shown: Less than 25 m in breadth.
In fog, she sounds
Don’t confuse with…
Official source
Rule 24, reproduced from the public-domain COLREGs Rule 24(g) — USCG Navigation Rules. Diagrams and 3D scenes are original to boatrules.com.