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Rowing shells are, or can be, virtually invisible in mist, fog, or poor light, especially if the hulls are graphite black or dark colored. When every boat on the water is likely to be as big or bigger than you, and probably ten times heavier and faster, it’s not a good idea to be invisible.
Generally speaking, boat lights can be divided into two categories: approved navigation lights and everything else. Prior to 2003, certification for boat lights was done by the American Boat and Light Council and since 2003 it has been done by certified USCG labs. Marine navigation lights consist of a red light on the port bow (left front), green light on starboard bow (right front), and white light on the stern. USCG certification markings will include the designations 1n, 2n, or 3n, indicating the distance in nautical miles that the light will be visible. These are an excellent idea and may be required by law in your state. There are a wide variety of 12 volt configurations and mounting systems available for shells, rowing boats, canoes, and kayaks, including suction cups for temporary mounting. These include several manufacturers you can access online.
According to Boat-Ed manually propelled shells, rowing boats, kayaks, canoes and paddleboards don’t have to meet these lighting standards, but “are required to carry at least one lantern or flashlight with a white light. The white light must be visible in all directions.”* Manufacturers of these lights include Kayalu, which has an excellent white light, and Innovative Lighting, which carries a wide variety of lights that can be temporarily mounted on shells. RowKraft has a light specifically designed for shells.
As an emergency backup, if you’re rowing in dim light or concerned about visibility, there are also emergency lights designed for wearing on PFDs or clipping onto boating jackets, or, you can always carry a bicycle light. These may or may not meet USCG navigation standards, but they’re waterproof, widely available, many rowers already have them, and they’re much better than nothing in an emergency. If you ride a bike down to the boathouse it makes sense to stick the bike light in your safety kit.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that there is a good reason why pleasure boats of all sizes have traditionally been painted white, (except in cost-is-no-object wooden boats that were finished “bright” to show off the beauty of expensive woods). Simply put, white boats are more easily seen on the water and, for that reason, are less likely to be hit by oncoming boats. (Full disclosure: the author does have a carbon fiber boat and a cedar shell that is finished bright, except for a white belly saddle. Broad reflective stripes have been added the full length of the carbon fiber boat and will, in time, be painted white. The cedar boat, rarely rowed anymore except under the best of conditions, will remain as it is.)
We hope to add more information to make this more useful in the near future.
- * https://www.boat-ed.com/paddlesports/paddlesports/studyGuide/Navigation-Lights-for-Manually-Propelled-Paddlecraft/11109901_52159/