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Sailing reference
Clear explanations of the language used in navigation, pilotage, weather, safety and life under sail.
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White over red all-round lights marking a pilot boat on duty
A vessel engaged on pilotage duty exhibits at or near the masthead two all-round lights in a vertical line, white above red, remembered as white over red, pilot ahead. Under way she adds sidelights and a sternlight; at anchor she adds the anchor lights as well. When she is not engaged on pilotage duty she shows only the lights prescribed for a vessel of her length, and by day she flies flag H when a pilot is aboard.
Read definition →Navigating close inshore using visible marks rather than plotting
Navigation in confined water where dangers lie close aboard and there is no time for chartwork, so position is held by continuous reference to visible and radar features: transits, leading marks, clearing bearings, depth contours and the expected sequence of buoys. Confirmation is by eye rather than by three-bearing fixes. The technique depends on preparation done in advance, the largest scale chart available, and a lookout watching the water instead of a screen.
Read definition →Sketch or list of marks and headings for entering harbour
A simple written or sketched plan for the approach, prepared before arrival and designed for use in the cockpit or on the bridge wing without returning to the chart table. It lists each leg with its course, distance, expected depth, the next mark to look for and its light characteristic, plus transits, clearing bearings, wheel-over points, the abort point and the harbour working channel. The aim is to reduce entry to a sequence of confirmations.
Sailing reference
Clear explanations of the language used in navigation, pilotage, weather, safety and life under sail.