SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/boat-red-green-white-ahead

At night you see a red, a green and a white light together. What is that boat doing?

Heading straight toward you.

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  1. Heading straight toward you ✔
  2. Crossing from your right
  3. Moving away from you

Why: Red is the port sidelight and green is starboard. If you see both at once, you're looking at the bow, so the boat is coming right at you. The white light is its masthead or all-round light.

Huh, didn't know that: If you see only the red light, you are looking at the boat's port side.

The dad joke
Why did the traffic light go boating? It wanted to see red and green on the water.
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References

Answer: Heading straight toward you. Red is the port sidelight and green is starboard. If you see both at once, you're looking at the bow, so the boat is coming right at you. The white light is its masthead or all-round light.

  1. NASBLA ESP TR 103-2022, Basic Boating Knowledge Core Plus Power technical report higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/NASBLA/76594a34-f3a1-4916-95ac-1e9c872170cc/UploadedImages/education/national-education-standards/ESP_TR_ESP_103_Core_Plus_Power_2022_06_01FINAL.pdf
    It is the bow of a power vessel heading straight toward you.
    Checked 2026-10-09.

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Boating & WaterWhen must recreational boats show their navigation lights?Boating & WaterAt night you see only another boat's white sternlight, no red or green. What situation is this?Boating & WaterAt night, a rowboat with no navigation lights must at least have what ready?

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