What is the primary purpose of a navigation light on a boat?

The primary purpose of a navigation light on a boat is to alert other boats to its presence. These lights serve a crucial role in maritime safety, especially during low-light conditions such as dawn, dusk, or nighttime. By using specific colors and configurations of lights, a vessel can effectively communicate its position, heading, and status to others on the water.

For example, the red and green sidelights help other boaters determine your vessel's orientation. If a boat is seen with the green light on the right and the red on the left, it indicates that the boat is heading towards the observer. This visual signaling is essential for preventing collisions and ensuring safe navigation among multiple vessels on the water.

In comparison, visibility and decoration play secondary roles to the immediate necessity of safety and communication with other vessels. The ability to see other boats better is certainly important for a boater, yet navigation lights are explicitly designed for signaling rather than improving visibility. Similarly, while aesthetic appeal is a consideration for many boat owners, the primary function of navigation lights remains safety and communication rather than decoration.