What colour is a lateral port mark?
Based on: Lateral marks are red (port) and green (starboard).
NSW Boat & PWC Licence Test · Marks & Signals
NSW Boating Sound Signals and Marks 2026: What They Mean
On New South Wales waterways, lateral marks show the sides of a channel: port marks are red and can shaped, starboard marks are green and cone shaped. Cardinal marks, coloured black and yellow, show the safe side to pass a hazard, and you pass a north cardinal mark on its northern side. At night, vessels show lights, and skippers use sound signals to say what they are doing. One short blast means turning to starboard, two short blasts mean turning to port, and five short blasts is a warning of doubt. These guides break down every mark, light and signal.
Practice
Free practice questions
What colour is a lateral starboard mark?
Based on: Starboard marks are green.
Together, what are port marks and starboard marks called?
Based on: Port marks and starboard marks are together called lateral marks.
What topmark or buoy shape does a port mark have?
Based on: Port marks have a can-shaped topmark or buoy.
What topmark or buoy shape does a starboard mark have?
Based on: Starboard marks have a cone (triangle) topmark or buoy.
If a port mark is lit, what light does it display?
Based on: If lit, a port mark displays a flashing red light.
If a starboard mark is lit, what light does it display?
Based on: If lit, a starboard mark displays a flashing green light.
When travelling upstream, on which side should you keep a red port mark?
Based on: When you travel upstream, keep port marks on your port (left) side.
When travelling downstream, on which side should you keep a red port mark?
Based on: When you travel downstream, keep port marks on your starboard (right) side.
When travelling upstream, on which side should you keep a green starboard mark?
Based on: When you travel upstream, keep starboard marks on your starboard (right) side.
Lateral marks: red port and green starboard
Port marks and starboard marks are together known as lateral marks, and they define the two sides of a channel. Port marks are red and carry a can shaped topmark or buoy, and if a port mark is lit it displays a flashing red light. Starboard marks are green and carry a cone, or triangle, shaped topmark or buoy, and if lit they display a flashing green light. Which side you keep them on depends on your direction of travel. When you travel upstream you keep red port marks on your port, the left, side and green starboard marks on your starboard, the right, side. When you travel downstream the sides reverse, so you keep red port marks on your starboard side and green starboard marks on your port side. Getting the upstream and downstream rule right is a classic exam point, because the colours never change but the side you keep them on does.
- Port mark: red, can shaped, flashing red light if lit.
- Starboard mark: green, cone shaped, flashing green light if lit.
- Upstream: red on your left, green on your right. Downstream: reversed.
Cardinal marks and the lights vessels show at night
Cardinal marks are coloured black and yellow and show the safe side to pass a hazard such as rocks, reefs or shallow water. You pass a north cardinal mark on its northern side, a south cardinal mark on its southern side and a west cardinal mark on its western side, always keeping to the side named by the mark. At night vessels identify themselves and their heading with lights. A masthead light is a white light placed over the centreline of a vessel and shows over an arc of 225 degrees, while a sternlight is a white light near the stern showing over an arc of 135 degrees. Sidelights tell you which way a vessel is crossing: a green sidelight means it is crossing from your port to your starboard, and a red sidelight means it is crossing from your starboard to your port, with the red light sitting on the vessel's own port side. A single white light can mean a vessel is at anchor or is travelling away from you.
Which lights small vessels must carry
The lights a vessel must display depend on its size and type. A powered vessel up to 12m must show sidelights together with a masthead light and a sternlight, or alternatively an all round white light. A small powered vessel up to 7m with a maximum speed of 7 knots may show just an all round white light, and that all round white light must be visible for a minimum range of 2 nautical miles. Sailing vessels have their own pattern: a sailing vessel up to 7m should display sidelights and a sternlight if possible, a sailing vessel between 7m and 20m may display a combined lantern at or near the top of the mast, and a sailing vessel over 20m must not carry a combined lantern. A sailing vessel that is using its engine must follow the same lighting rules as a powered vessel. Knowing which combination applies to your own boat, and being able to read another vessel's lights, is exactly what the marks and signals part of the test checks.
Sound signals and what they mean
Sound signals let skippers tell each other what they are about to do, which matters most in a channel or near a blind bend where you cannot see the other boat. A short blast is about 1 second long and a long blast is 4 to 6 seconds long. One short blast means the vessel is altering course to starboard, the right. Two short blasts mean it is altering course to port, the left. Three short blasts mean it is operating its engines astern, in other words going into reverse. One long blast means the vessel is nearing a blind bend and you might not be able to see it, so it is warning anyone around the corner. Five short blasts is the danger or doubt signal: it means the vessel is unsure of your intentions and doubts whether you are taking enough action to avoid a collision. Memorising the short list of blasts and their meanings turns several exam questions into easy marks.
| Sound signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 short blast (about 1 second) | I am altering course to starboard (right) |
| 2 short blasts | I am altering course to port (left) |
| 3 short blasts | I am operating engines astern (reverse) |
| 1 long blast (4 to 6 seconds) | I am nearing a blind bend and you might not see me |
| 5 short blasts | I am unsure of your intentions and doubt you are avoiding collision |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What does a red navigation mark mean in NSW?
In New South Wales a red mark is a lateral port mark, and it is can shaped. If lit it shows a flashing red light. When travelling upstream you keep red port marks on your port, the left, side, and when travelling downstream the sides reverse so you keep them on your starboard, the right, side. Green cone shaped marks are starboard marks.
What do 5 short blasts mean on a boat in NSW?
In New South Wales five short blasts is the doubt or danger signal. It means the vessel is unsure of your intentions and doubts whether you are taking enough action to avoid a collision. By comparison, one short blast means altering course to starboard, two short blasts mean altering to port, and three short blasts mean operating engines astern.
Which side do you pass a north cardinal mark in NSW?
In New South Wales you pass a north cardinal mark on its northern side. Cardinal marks are coloured black and yellow and show the safe side to pass a hazard such as rocks, reefs or shallow water. Likewise you pass a south cardinal mark on its southern side and a west cardinal mark on its western side.
What does a green sidelight on another boat mean in NSW?
In New South Wales a green sidelight means the other vessel is crossing from your port to your starboard, while a red sidelight means it is crossing from your starboard to your port. A single white light can mean a vessel is at anchor or is travelling away from you. Reading these lights tells you the other vessel's heading at night.