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Distress & Exemptions — Flash Cards

19 cards on Rules 37–38, from the International Rules (72 COLREGS), the U.S. Inland Rules and the Annexes. Each card carries the regulation word for word, so a long provision is several complete cards rather than one shortened one. Tap a card to flip it. Mark what you know and the deck narrows to what you don't. Nothing is sent anywhere — your progress stays in this browser.

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Distress & Exemptions

Rules 37–38 · 19 cards

Name six recognized distress signals.
Any six of the fifteen in Annex IV(1), in its own words: a gun or other explosive signal fired at intervals of about a minute; a continuous sounding with any fog-signaling apparatus; rockets or shells, throwing red stars fired one at a time at short intervals; SOS in the Morse Code; the spoken word “Mayday” by radiotelephony; the International Code Signal of distress indicated by N.C.; a square flag having above or below it a ball or anything resembling a ball; flames on the vessel; a rocket parachute flare or a hand flare showing a red light; a smoke signal giving off orange-colored smoke; slowly and repeatedly raising and lowering arms outstretched to each side; a distress alert by digital selective calling (DSC); a ship-to-shore alert by satellite ship earth station; signals transmitted by emergency position-indicating radio beacons; approved radiocommunication signals, including survival craft radar transponders.

Watch three traps: it is a square flag with a ball, not a square shape; the orange canvas and the dye marker are Annex IV(3) — drawn to your attention, not distress signals in paragraph 1; and the high-intensity white light flashing 50–70 times a minute is Inland only (33 CFR 87.1(b)).

Rule 37 — Distress Signals

Which distress signal is a hand signal, requiring no equipment at all?
Slowly and repeatedly raising and lowering outstretched arms to each side.

Rule 37 — Distress Signals

Which flag combination signals distress?
A square flag with a ball above or below it — or the Code flags N over C.

Rule 37 — Distress Signals

Who can be exempted from the lights, shapes, and sound-equipment rules?
Vessels built (or, for lights and shapes, fitted) before the Rules entered into force in 1977, where compliance would require retrofitting that is not readily practicable. Exemptions carry stated time limits, apply only to the extent structural change would be required, and must be logged and reported.

Rule 38 — Exemptions

What does Rule 38 (Exemptions) provide?

Exemptions ‡ Any vessel (or class of vessels) provided that she complies with the requirements of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1960, the keel of which is laid or which is at a corresponding stage of construction before the entry into force of these Regulations may be exempted from compliance therewith as follows:

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Rule 38 (Exemptions) — what does paragraph (a) provide?

(a) The installation of lights with ranges prescribed in Rule 22, until four years after the date of entry into force of these Regulations.

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Rule 38 (Exemptions) — what does paragraph (b) provide?

(b) The installation of lights with color specifications as prescribed in Section 7 of annex I to these Regulations, until four years after the date of entry into force of these Regulations.

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Rule 38 (Exemptions) — what does paragraph (c) provide?

(c) The repositioning of lights as a result of conversion from Imperial to metric units and rounding off measurement figures, permanent exemption.

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Rule 38 (Exemptions) — what does paragraph (d) provide?

(d) (i) The repositioning of masthead lights on vessels of less than 150 m in length, resulting from the prescriptions of Section 3(a) of annex I to these Regulations, permanent exemption. exempt from the requirements of the 72 COLREGS to the limitation for the period of time stated in Rule 38 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) if: (a) Her keel was laid or is at a corresponding stage of construction before July 15, 1977; and, (b) She meets the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1960 (77 Stat. 194, 33 U.S.C. 1051-1094).

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Rule 38 (Exemptions) — what does paragraph (d) provide?

(d) (continued)

(ii) The repositioning of masthead lights on vessels of 150 m or more in length, resulting from the prescriptions of section 3(a) of annex I to these Regulations, until nine years after the date of entry into force of these Regulations.

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Rule 38 (Exemptions) — what does paragraph (e) provide?

(e) The repositioning of masthead lights resulting from the prescriptions of section 2(b) of annex I to these Regulations, until nine years after the date of entry into force of these Regulations.

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Rule 38 (Exemptions) — what does paragraph (f) provide?

(f) The repositioning of sidelights resulting from the prescriptions of sections 2(g) and 3(b) of annex I to these Regulations, until nine years after the date of entry into force of these Regulations.

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Rule 38 (Exemptions) — what does paragraph (g) provide?

(g) The requirements for sound signal appliances prescribed in annex III to these Regulations, until nine years after the date of entry into force of these Regulations.

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Rule 38 (Exemptions) — what does paragraph (h) provide?

(h) The repositioning of all-round lights resulting from the prescription of section 9(b) of annex I to these Regulations, permanent exemption.

Note: Per 33 CFR 81.20, each vessel under the 72 COLREGS, except the vessels of the Navy, is

Rule 38 — Exemptions

What does Inland 38 (Exemptions) provide?

§ 83.38

Any vessel or class of vessels, the keel of which was laid or which was at a corresponding stage of construction before December 24, 1980, provided that she complies with the requirements of—

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Rule 38 (Exemptions) — what does Inland paragraph (a) provide?

(a) The Act of June 7, 1897 (30 Stat. 96), as amended (33 U.S.C. 154-232) for vessels navigating the waters subject to that statute;

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Rule 38 (Exemptions) — what does Inland paragraph (b) provide?

(b) Section 4233 of the Revised Statutes (33 U.S.C. 301-356) for vessels navigating the waters subject to that statute;

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Rule 38 (Exemptions) — what does Inland paragraph (c) provide?

(c) The Act of February 8, 1895 (28 Stat. 645), as amended (33 U.S.C. 241-295) for vessels navigating the waters subject to that statute; or

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Rule 38 (Exemptions) — what does Inland paragraph (d) provide?

(d) Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Act of April 25, 1940 (54 Stat. 163), as amended (46 U.S.C. 526b, c, and d) for motorboats navigating the waters subject to that statute; shall be exempted from compliance with the technical Annexes to these Rules (33 CFR parts 84 through 88) as follows:

(i) The installation of lights with ranges prescribed in Rule 22 (§ 83.22), vessels of less than 20 meters in length are permanently exempt.

(ii) The installation of lights with color specifications as prescribed in Annex I to these Rules (33 CFR part 84), vessels of less than 20 meters in length are permanently exempt;

(iii) The repositioning of lights as a result of conversion to metric units and rounding off measurement figures are permanently exempt.

(iv) The horizontal repositioning of masthead lights prescribed by Annex I to these Rules (33 CFR part 84), vessels of less than 150 meters in length are permanently exempted.

(v) Power-driven vessels of 12 meters or more but less than 20 meters in length are permanently exempt from the provisions of Rule 23(a)(i) and (iv) (§ 83.23(a)(i) and (iv)) provided that, in place of these lights, the vessel exhibits a white light aft visible all-round the horizon.

Rule 38 — Exemptions

Study aid only — it certifies nothing. Content is checked against the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Rules and Regulations Handbook (corrected 12 August 2024), covering the 72 COLREGS as amended through IMO Resolution A.1085(28) and the Inland Rules at 33 CFR Part 83. The governing text is the handbook, not this page. Read it at the USCG Navigation Center.