Question 30 TV01 - Towing Vessels - Oceans or Near Coastal

The Correct Answer is C **Why option C ("sailing vessel") is correct:** Illustration D080RR depicts a vessel showing a **red sidelight** on the port side, a **green sidelight** on the starboard side, and a **sternlight** (white light) aft. According to the COLREGs (Rules 23, 24, and 25), this specific combination of lights—sidelights (red/green) and a sternlight (white)—is the characteristic lighting configuration for a **power-driven vessel underway** (less than 50 meters in length) or, critically for this illustration, a **sailing vessel underway**. Since a sailing vessel showing this configuration is the most basic representation of a vessel underway, and the other options involve additional, specific lights (as explained below), the vessel showing only these navigation lights is consistent with a sailing vessel underway when viewed from a distance where masthead lights might be obscured or if the vessel is indeed a sailing vessel. (A sailing vessel is required to show only sidelights and a sternlight.) **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **A) vessel on pilotage duty:** A vessel engaged in pilotage duty (pilot vessel) must show specific identification lights: two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper white and the lower red, in addition to its sidelights and sternlight when underway. These specific pilotage lights are not present. * **B) law enforcement vessel:** While law enforcement vessels often use standard navigation lights, they usually display distinctive flashing blue lights when engaged in enforcement duties. The standard COLREGs do not prescribe a unique running light configuration for all law enforcement vessels that differs from standard power-driven vessels. However, if the question intends to identify a vessel based *only* on the basic navigation lights shown, ruling out vessels with specific distinguishing lights (like A, D) makes the sailing vessel (C) the best fit among the specialized options provided, especially if the vessel is small and has no masthead light (consistent with a sailing vessel). * **D) vessel engaged in fishing:** A vessel engaged in fishing must display two all-round lights in a vertical line: the upper green and the lower white, in addition to its sidelights and sternlight (or a masthead light aft of the all-round lights if over 50m). These specific fishing lights are not present.