5-333. Classification of watercraft; lights

A. Watercraft subject to the provisions of this chapter shall be divided into four classes as follows:

1. Class A. Less than sixteen feet in length.

2. Class 1. Sixteen feet or over and less than twenty-six feet in length.

3. Class 2. Twenty-six feet or over and less than forty feet in length.

4. Class 3. Forty feet or over and not more than sixty-five feet in length.

B. Every motorboat, in all weather from sunset to sunrise, shall carry and exhibit the following lights when underway and, during such time, no other lights which may be mistaken for those prescribed shall be exhibited:

1. Every motorboat of classes A and 1 shall carry the following lights:

(a) A bright white light aft to show all around the horizon.

(b) A combined light in the fore part of the watercraft and lower than the white light aft, showing green to starboard and red to port, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points (22 1/2 o) abaft the beam on their respective sides.

2. Every motorboat of classes 2 and 3 shall carry the following lights:

(a) A bright white light in the fore part of the watercraft as near the stem as practicable, so constructed as to show the unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of twenty points (225 o) of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light ten points (112 1/2 o) on each side of the watercraft, namely, from right ahead to two points (22 1/2 o) abaft the beam on either side.

(b) A bright white light aft, mounted higher than the white light forward, to show all around the horizon.

(c) On the starboard side a green light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points (112 1/2 o) of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points (22 1/2 o) abaft the beam on the starboard side. On the port side a red light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points (112 1/2 o) of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points (22 1/2 o) abaft the beam on the port side. The side lights shall be fitted with inboard screens so set as to prevent these lights from being seen across the bow.

3. Motorboats of classes A and 1 when propelled by sail alone shall exhibit the combined light prescribed by paragraph 1 of this subsection and a twelve point (135 o) white light aft. Motorboats of classes 2 and 3, when so propelled, shall exhibit the colored side lights, suitably screened as prescribed by paragraph 2 of this subsection and a twelve point (135 o) white light aft.

4. Every white light prescribed by this section shall be of such character as to be visible at a distance of at least two miles. Every colored light prescribed by this section shall be of such character as to be visible at a distance of at least one mile. The word " visible" in this subsection, when applied to lights, shall mean visible on a dark night with clear atmosphere.

5. When propelled by sail and machinery, every motorboat shall carry the lights required by this section for a motorboat propelled by machinery only.

6. All other watercraft over sixty-five feet in length and those propelled solely by wind effect on the sail shall display lights prescribed by the federal regulations.

C. Manually propelled watercraft shall carry, ready at hand, a lantern or flashlight showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to avert collision. Manually propelled watercraft used on the waters of this state where power driven watercraft are prohibited are exempt from the provisions of this section.

D. Any watercraft may carry and exhibit the lights required by the international rules of the road as adopted by the federal regulations for preventing collisions at sea, 1960, federal act of September 24, 1963, (33 USC 1051-1053 and 1061-1064) as amended, in lieu of the lights required by subsection B of this section.

E. All watercraft, when anchored, other than in a special anchorage area, shall, from sunset to sunrise, carry and display a steady white light visible all around the horizon for a distance of no less than two miles.

F. No watercraft may display a blue light of any size or type unless it is either an authorized law enforcement watercraft of the federal, state or local government actually engaged in the enforcement of this chapter or an emergency watercraft.