Which day shape would a vessel engaged in fishing during daylight (not trawling) display?

Which day shape would a vessel engaged in fishing during daylight (not trawling) display?

• A. Two cones, apexes together
• B. Two cones, bases together
• C. One cone
• D. Two spheres

Answer: (A)

In COLREGS, day shapes quickly tell other mariners what a vessel is doing so they can plan passes and avoid danger. For a vessel engaged in fishing but not trawling, the prescribed signal is two cones with their apexes touching at the center. This apexes-together arrangement creates a distinctive silhouette that other vessels recognize as a fishing operation, signaling them to take care because gear may be in the water and forward of the vessel. That is why this option is the best: it matches the standardized fishing day shape that communicates the vessel’s activity clearly. The other options don’t convey the fishing status in the standard way—two spheres, for example, indicate not under command, and the other cone configurations would not be the recognized fishing signal.

In COLREGS, day shapes quickly tell other mariners what a vessel is doing so they can plan passes and avoid danger. For a vessel engaged in fishing but not trawling, the prescribed signal is two cones with their apexes touching at the center. This apexes-together arrangement creates a distinctive silhouette that other vessels recognize as a fishing operation, signaling them to take care because gear may be in the water and forward of the vessel.

That is why this option is the best: it matches the standardized fishing day shape that communicates the vessel’s activity clearly. The other options don’t convey the fishing status in the standard way—two spheres, for example, indicate not under command, and the other cone configurations would not be the recognized fishing signal.