What is the degree coverage for each side light?

The degree coverage for each side light on a vessel is 112.5 degrees. This coverage is essential for providing proper visibility to other vessels and ensuring safe navigation. Each side light, typically used in combination with the masthead light and stern light, helps to indicate the presence and orientation of the vessel during night operations or in low-visibility conditions.

The 112.5-degree coverage allows the side lights to be visible from ahead to just behind the beam, ensuring that other vessels can see the light from a significant angle. This effective range of light coverage plays a critical role in collision avoidance by informing other mariners of the vessel's heading and direction.

Understanding this degree of coverage is important for operators who are maneuvering vessels and need to be aware of other crafts in their vicinity, thereby helping to uphold the rules of the road at sea.