How to Set Up the Lights on a Power Driven Pleasure Craft

Lighting on a pleasure craft is important, both for the safety of that craft as well as others on the water. The regulations for lighting a pleasure boat specifically call for exact mounting placement and angles. Lights for various kinds of crafts can be purchased at boating supply stores.

Things You'll Need

  • Masthead light
  • Stern light
  • Red side light
  • Green side light
  • All-around navigational light
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Place a continually running white masthead light on the fore and aft of the boat. The 'fore and aft' of a boat is the imaginary line that follows the center of the boat. The mast of a boat is the tall pole in the middle that holds a sail. Many pleasure boats do not have a mast, therefore the masthead light must be placed in the closest approximation of the middle of the boat on a short staff. This light has a 225 degree arc facing forward.

    • 2

      Place continuously running lights with 112 degree arcs on the sides of the immediate front of the boat. A red light is placed on the left, or port, and a green light on the right, or starboard. Much like turn signals on a car, these lights let any approaching boats know the direction of your boat.

    • 3

      Place a white stern light with a 135 degree arc on the middle of the aft, or back, of the boat. This light must also have an unbroken light after the skies dim.

    • 4

      Measure the pleasure craft. If it is 7 feet or less, an all-around light is used rather than separate lights for each side of the boat. An all-around light must also be continuously running after the sun begins to set. This light can be purchased as an all-white light or in segments of red, green and white.

    • 5

      Wire these lights together onto one switch at the driver's seat of the pleasure craft.