2023 New York Laws › NAV - Navigation › Article 4 - Vessels › Part 1 - Vessels, General › 43 - Lights to Be Displayed.

§ 43. Lights  to  be  displayed.    1.  Vessels  classified.  For  the
application of this section vessels shall be  divided  into  classes  as
follows:
Class A. Less than sixteen feet in length.
Class 1. Sixteen feet or over and less than twenty-six feet in length.
Class 2. Twenty-six feet or over and less than forty feet in length.
Class  3.  Forty  feet  or  over  and not more than sixty-five feet in
length.
Class 4. Over sixty-five feet in length.
Class 5. Rowboats, canoes and kayaks.
2. Every vessel in all weathers from sunset to sunrise shall carry and
exhibit and, if carried, shall also exhibit from sunrise  to  sunset  in
restricted  visibility,  and may exhibit in all other circumstances when
it is deemed necessary, the following lights when under way, and  during
such  times  no  other lights which may be mistaken for those prescribed
shall be exhibited:
(a) Every vessel of classes  A  and  one  shall  carry  the  following
lights:
First. A bright white light aft to show all around the horizon.
Second.  A  combined  lantern in the fore part of the vessel 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  abaft  the
beam on their respective sides.
(b)  Every  vessel  of classes two and three shall carry the following
lights:
First. A bright white light in the fore part of the vessel as near the
stem as practicable, so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an
arc of the horizon of twenty points of the compass, so fixed as to throw
the light ten points on each side of  the  vessel;  namely,  from  right
ahead to two points abaft the beam on either side.
Second.  A  bright  white light aft to show all around the horizon and
higher than the white light forward.
Third. On the starboard side a green light so constructed as  to  show
an  unbroken  light  over  an  arc  of  the horizon of ten points of the
compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to  two  points
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  of  the  compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right
ahead to two points abaft the beam on  the  port  side.  The  said  side
lights  shall be fitted with inboard screens of sufficient height so set
as to prevent these lights from being seen across the bow.
(c) Every vessel of class four shall carry the following lights:
First. On or in front of the foremast,  or,  if  a  vessel  without  a
foremast,  then  in the fore part of the vessel, a bright white light so
constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the  horizon  of
twenty  points  of the compass, so fixed as to throw light ten points on
each side of the vessel, namely from right ahead to two points abaft the
beam on either side, and of  such  character  as  to  be  visible  at  a
distance of at least five miles.
Second.  An  additional  after  white light carried at an elevation at
least fifteen feet above the light at the head of the vessel and to show
all around the horizon.
Third. On the starboard side a green light so constructed as  to  show
an  unbroken  light  over  an  arc  of  the horizon of ten points of the
compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to  two  points
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  of  the  compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right

ahead to two points abaft the beam on  the  port  side.  The  said  side
lights  shall be fitted with inboard screens of sufficient height so set
as to prevent these lights from being seen across the bow.
(d)  Rowboats,  canoes  and  kayaks, whether under oars or sail, shall
have ready at hand a lantern  showing  a  white  light  which  shall  be
temporarily exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.
(e)  Vessels  of  classes A and one when propelled by sail alone shall
carry the combined lantern, but not the white light aft,  prescribed  by
this section. Vessels of classes two and three, when so propelled, shall
carry  the  colored  side  lights,  suitably screened, but not the white
lights, prescribed by this section. Vessels  of  all  classes,  when  so
propelled, shall carry, ready at hand, a lantern or flashlight showing a
white  light  which  shall  be  exhibited  in  sufficient  time to avert
collision.
(f) When propelled by sail and machinery any vessel  shall  carry  the
lights  required  by  this  section  for a vessel propelled by machinery
only.
(g) Any vessel may carry  and  exhibit  the  lights  required  by  the
federal  regulations  for preventing collisions at sea, nineteen hundred
forty-eight, act of October eleventh,  nineteen  hundred  fifty-one,  as
amended, in lieu of the lights required by this section.
(h)  A mechanically propelled vessel when towing another vessel shall,
in addition to her side lights, carry  two  bright  white  lights  in  a
vertical line one over the other, not less than three feet apart.
(i)  A  vessel  under  one hundred fifty feet in length when at anchor
shall carry forward, where it can best be seen,  but  at  a  height  not
exceeding  twenty  feet  above  the  hull, a white light in a lantern so
constructed as to show a clear, uniform, and unbroken light visible  all
around the horizon at a distance of at least one mile: provided that the
commissioner  may,  after  investigation, by rule, regulation, or order,
designate such areas as he may deem proper as "special anchorage areas";
such special anchorage areas may  from  time  to  time  be  changed,  or
abolished,  if  after  investigation  the  commissioner  shall deem such
change or abolishment in the interest of  navigation:  provided  further
that  vessels  not more than sixty-five feet in length when at anchor in
any such special anchorage area  shall  not  be  required  to  carry  or
exhibit  the  white  light required by this subdivision. A vessel of one
hundred fifty feet or upward in length, when at anchor, shall  carry  in
the forward part of the vessel, at a height of not less than twenty feet
and  not  exceeding forty feet above the hull, one such light, and at or
near the stern of the vessel, and at such a height that it shall be  not
less than fifteen feet lower than the forward light, another such light.
(j)  Every  white  light  prescribed  by this section shall be of such
character as to be visible at a distance of at least two miles except as
otherwise provided. Every colored light prescribed by this section shall
be of such character as to be visible at a distance of at least one mile
except as otherwise provided. The word "visible" in  this  section  when
applied  to  lights,  shall  mean  visible  on  a  dark night with clear
atmosphere.
(k) A revolving blue  light  may  only  be  carried  or  exhibited  on
enforcement  vessels  owned  or  operated  by the state of New York or a
political subdivision thereof.
(l) For the purposes of this section, the term "restricted visibility"
shall mean any condition in which visibility is restricted by fog, mist,
falling snow, heavy rainstorms, sandstorms, or any other similar causes;
3. Should the  federal  government  adopt  vessel  light  requirements
different  from  those contained in this section, the commissioner shall
be authorized to adopt rules  and  regulations  superseding  the  vessel

light  requirements  of this section to achieve consistency with federal
standards, and shall submit such proposed rules and regulations  to  the
secretary of state in accordance with the state administrative procedure
act within thirty days of the adoption of federal equipment requirements
or  submit  a  statement as to why such conforming changes are not being
proposed.
4. A violation of any provision of this  section,  or  of  a  rule  or
regulation  adopted pursuant to subdivision three of this section, shall
constitute a violation punishable by a fine of not less than twenty-five
nor more than one hundred dollars.