Rule 23 · USCG Navigation Rules
WIG craft (taking off, landing, flying near the surface)
A wing-in-ground craft adds a high-intensity all-round flashing RED light to the power-driven lights when taking off, landing, or in flight near the surface.
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:
- High-intensity all-round flashing red (flashing)
- white — Masthead light
- red — Port sidelight
→ WIG craft (taking off, landing, flying near the surface) — Taking off / landing / in flight near the surface, seen from the port bow.
Memory aid
“Flashing RED and fast: WIG craft skimming — yellow flash is the hovercraft.”
What it means
Taking off / landing / in flight near the surface
On the water in displacement mode she is lit as an ordinary power-driven vessel.
Day shapes
No special day shape — by day this vessel is recognised by sight, not by shapes.
Light details
| Light | Colour | Arc | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-intensity all-round flashing red | red (flashing) | 360° all-round | Mast, vertical line (top) |
| Masthead light | white | 225° forward | Forward masthead position |
| 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: Taking off / landing / in flight near the surface.
In fog, she sounds
Don’t confuse with…
Official source
Rule 23, reproduced from the public-domain COLREGs Rule 23(c) — USCG Navigation Rules. Diagrams and 3D scenes are original to boatrules.com.