🔍 Key Concepts

• Identify what the two white masthead lights in a vertical line plus both red and green sidelights tell you about the type of vessel and relative aspect you are seeing. • Determine whether this is an overtaking, crossing, or head‑on situation under Rule 13, Rule 15, or Rule 14 of the Navigation Rules. • Recall, for a head‑on situation, how power‑driven vessels are expected to alter course and pass each other.

💭 Think About

• If you can see both sidelights (red and green) of the other vessel at the same time, what does that say about how her bow is oriented relative to you? • Do two white masthead lights in a line indicate that you are overtaking, or simply that the other vessel is a power‑driven vessel of a certain length? How does that affect who is stand‑on and who is give‑way? • In a true head‑on meeting of power‑driven vessels, what is the standard passing arrangement and what general course alteration direction is prescribed?

✅ Before You Answer

• Confirm that seeing both sidelights at once means the vessels’ headings are nearly opposite (meeting), not crossing or overtaking. • Verify in Rule 14 – Head‑on Situation that it applies to power‑driven vessels meeting on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses. • Before choosing, double‑check which side is port and which is starboard, and which passing arrangement (port‑to‑port or starboard‑to‑starboard) is the normal default in a head‑on situation.