What is the navigation light requirement for kayaks at night?

• A. White light at night
• B. Red light at night
• C. Green light at night
• D. Blue flashing light

Answer: (A)

The essential idea is that kayaks need a single white navigation light at night to stay visible to other boaters. This white light serves as a universal signal of your vessel’s presence and helps others judge where you are and which direction you’re moving, which is crucial for preventing collisions. For small kayaks, a proper white navigation light (visible to others, typically meeting the required visibility distance) is used from sunset to sunrise when you’re underway. Red or green lights are reserved for larger sailing or motor-powered vessels to indicate port and starboard sides, so they aren’t appropriate for a kayak. A blue flashing light isn’t a standard navigation light for kayaks and wouldn’t meet the requirement. A headlamp can help you see, but it isn’t a substitute for the required white navigation light that other boaters rely on.