ORGANIC LAWS GOVERNING U.S. COAST GUARD 33 



fully with the provisions of Rules specifying the carrying of lights 

 and shapes, these provisions shall be followed as closely as circum- 

 stances permit. 



(b) The Rules concerning lights shall be complied with in all 

 weathers from sunset to sunrise, and during such times no other lights 

 shall be exhibited, except such lights as cannot be mistaken for the 

 prescribed lights or do not impair their visibility or distinctive 

 character, or interfere with the keeping of a proper look-out. The 

 lights prescribed by these Rules may also be exhibited from sunrise 

 to sunset in restricted visibility and in all other circumstances when 

 it is deemed necessary. 



(c) In the following Rules, except where the context otherwise 

 requires — 



(i) the word "vessel" includes every description of water craft, 

 other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used 

 as a means of transportation on water ; 



(ii) the word "seaplane" includes a flying boat and any other 

 aircraft designed to manoeuvre on the water ; 



(iii) the term "fK)wer-driven vessel" means any vessel pro- 

 pelled by machinery ; 



(iv) every power-driven vessel which is under sail and not 

 under power is to be considered a sailing vessel, and every vessel 

 under power, whether under sail or not, is to be considered a 

 power-driven vessel ; 



(v)a vessel or seaplane on the water is "under way" when she 

 is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground ; 



(vi) the term "height above the hull" means height above the 

 uppermost continuous deck ; 



(vii) the length and breadth of a vessel shall be her length 

 overall and largest breadth ; 



(viii) the length and span of a seaplane shall be its maximum 

 length and span as shown in its certificate of airworthiness, or as 

 determined by measurement in the absence of such certificate ; 



(ix) vessels shall be deemed to he in sight of one another only 

 when one can be observed visually from the other; 



(x) the word "visible" when applied to lights, means visible 

 on a dark night with a clear atmosphere ; 



(xi) the term "short blast" means a blast of about one second's 

 duration; 



(xii) the term "prolonged blast" means a blast of from four 

 to six seconds' duration ; 



(xiii) the word "whistle" means any appliance capable of 

 producing the prescribed short and prolonged blasts ; 



(xiv) the term "engaged in fishing" means fishing with nets, 

 lines or trawls but does not include fishing with trolling lines. 



PART B. — LIGHTS AND SHAPES 



33 U.S.C. 1062 (Rule 2) 



(a) A power-driven vessel when underway shall carry — 



(i) On or in front of the foremast, or if a vessel without a 

 foremast then in the forepart of the vessel, a white light so con- 



763-778 O— 65 4 



