Stern Lights for Boats

What is a stern light on a boat?

- How a stern light makes your boat and manoeuvres more visible -

As the name suggests, a stern light is a white navigation light mounted as far aft (to the rear) as possible. The stern light is required by international law to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 135 degrees to the rear of the boat. Any deviations from inland waterway regulations are expressly prohibited according to German Maritime Law (BinSchStrO) § 3.05. Stern lights must shine aft and 67.5° forward on each side, i.e. halfway to the starboard side or port side of the boat. Together with the other navigation lights, the sternlight provides 360° (225° + 135°) all-around visibility.

The light intensity and thus the range of the light are regulated by the European Inland Waterway Regulations (CEVNI) and the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine (CCNR). DIN EN 14744:2006-01 classifies light intensities as "normal", "bright" or "intense". For stern lights, intensity should be "normal" or "bright". The exact minimum and maximum light range can be found in the table below. Where do you put a stern light on the boat? Stern lights are mounted as close as possible to the back of the boat above the deck or as a combined tricolor light on the masthead on sailing vessels under 20 meters in length. It doesn't matter what height it is placed at. Stern lights are available in both traditional 10-watt bulb and 3-watt LED versions.

The table here shows the range, luminous intensities and correct range designations (source: EN 14744:2005).

What is the purpose of a stern light?

- How a stern light makes your boat and manoeuvres more visible -

The purpose of a navigation light such as the stern light is to give information on the craft's position, heading, or status. Most countries have set regulations and legal requirements for boat lighting that specify the types and positioning of lights: A stern light is needed to make boat operation legal.

The Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, (COLREGs)prescribes the necessary navigation lights that must be displayed on a vessel. In the EU boats are required to have a white stern light visible from the rear and additional lights for side visibility where appropriate. For exact information you should check the specific regulations of each country or region, contact a local harbor master or maritime authority. The exact requirements may differ in each country (or outside the EU) and in certain waters.

As a navigation light, the light on the stern helps other vessels determine your boat's distance, position and heading, as well as to better estimate the boat's speed. This is important to prevent collisions and accidents on the water, especially in the dark, in poor visibility or in narrow waters, but also in harbours and during manoeuvres such as docking and casting off, to reduce the risk of collisions with other boats.

1. Better visibility

2. Signalling

3. Increased anti-collision protection

4. Navigation aid

Further items and equipment for improving visibility of your vessel

You can find additional types of navigation lights and more information on the subject of navigation lights for boats in further shop categories. For increased visibility, be sure to check out our products in Masthead Lights, Port Sidelights and Starboard Lights, as well as Anchor Lights Want to replace and renew your navigation lights on board? You can find all the valuable information you need to know about purchasing and correctly installing position lights in our SVB Impulse guide “Navigation Lights on Sailing Yachts and Motor Boats”.