Rules of the Road: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND The masthead light may be displaced from the centerl...

What about Rule 23 (d)(iii)?

Anyone? Bueller? I’m having a rough time understanding why the answer is not “C”. Rule 23 (d) (iii) INTERNATIONAL clearly states that vessels less than 12 meters can have the masthead or all-around white light displaced from the vessel’s centerline. Rule 23 (d) INLAND does not specifically state this, BUT the figure associated with Rule 23 INLAND shows the displaced light. Notwithstanding Rule 1 (e)’s authorization for vessels of special construction, clearly a power driven vessel of less than 12 meters is also authorized to have an off-centerline masthead or all-around white light.

Think about tug boats north of the Huey P.Long bridge and aircraft carriers. If they had center mast lights, the jets taking off and landing would always be in quite the circumstance of crashing and burning. Not to mention the tedious job of having to replace the entire bridge.

The answer is not C because in answer C the vessel is 12m - NOT - less than 12m as Rule 23(d) states. This leaves answers A, B, and D.
Answer B and D - there is no special rule for vessels trolling or air cushion vehicles.

Answer A - buried in the back of the Navigation Rules and Regulations Handbook there is a section called "CERTIFICATE of ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE" - rules 81.3 and 89.3. In this section it states "Vessels of special construction which cannot fully comply with the light, shape, and sound signal provisions ....."

Poor question they should’ve said the vessel of 15 m