Memory Aids
Maritime mnemonics
“Red over white, fishing at night.” The rhymes that stick when the rules won't. These are the classic memory aids mariners have used for generations — light identification, give-way rules, compass conversion, buoyage, and weather. Search or filter, then drill them for real in the question bank.
“Red over white, fishing at night”
Lights & ShapesTwo all-round lights, red over white = a vessel engaged in fishing (not trawling).
“Green over white, trawling at night”
Lights & ShapesGreen over white all-round lights = a vessel trawling.
“White over red, pilot ahead”
Lights & ShapesWhite over red all-round lights = a pilot vessel on duty.
“Red over red, the captain is dead”
Lights & ShapesTwo red all-round lights in a vertical line = a vessel Not Under Command (NUC).
“Red, white, red — restricted ahead”
Lights & ShapesRed-white-red all-round lights = Restricted in Ability to Maneuver (RAM).
“Red over green, sailing machine”
Lights & ShapesOptional masthead red-over-green = a sailing vessel (in addition to sidelights & stern light).
“If to starboard red appear, 'tis your duty to keep clear”
Rules of the RoadSee another vessel's red (port) sidelight on your starboard bow → you are the give-way vessel.
“Green to green, red to red — perfect safety, go ahead”
Rules of the RoadMeeting so sidelights match (port-to-port or starboard-to-starboard) = a safe passing.
“When in danger or in doubt, slow her down or stop her”
Rules of the RoadRule 8 / Rule 6 spirit — reduce speed or take all way off if a close-quarters situation is developing.
“Power gives way to sail, sail gives way to oars… mostly”
Rules of the RoadThe Rule 18 pecking order — but a vessel overtaking, or NUC/RAM/CBD, changes who keeps clear.
“True Virgins Make Dull Companions — Add Whiskey”
Compass & NavigationTrue → Variation → Magnetic → Deviation → Compass. 'Add Whiskey' = add Westerly error when converting True to Compass (uncorrecting).
“Can Dead Men Vote Twice — At Elections”
Compass & NavigationCompass → Deviation → Magnetic → Variation → True. 'At Elections' = add Easterly when correcting Compass to True.
“CADET — Compass ADd East True”
Compass & NavigationCorrecting (Compass→True): add Easterly error. Reverse the sign going the other way.
“Error East, compass least; Error West, compass best”
Compass & NavigationWith easterly error the compass reads less than true; with westerly error it reads more (best = greater number).
“Red Right Returning”
BuoyageReturning from seaward (US / IALA Region B), keep red buoys on your starboard (right) side.
“Is There A Red Port Left?”
BuoyagePORT, RED, and LEFT each have/associate with the short side — port lights are red and on the left.
“Even Red, Odd Green”
BuoyageUS lateral system: red buoys carry even numbers, green buoys carry odd numbers.
“MAYDAY — m'aidez ('help me')”
Safety & DistressSpoken three times for grave and imminent danger to life or vessel; PAN-PAN for urgency without immediate danger.
“Two-Six-Heave”
Safety & DistressCoordinated line-handling call — crew pull together on 'heave'.
“Fire: PASS the extinguisher”
Safety & DistressPull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side.
“Red sky at night, sailor's delight; red sky in morning, sailors take warning”
WeatherA red evening sky often means a high-pressure, fair-weather system approaching from the west; a red dawn can signal it has passed and worse is coming.
“Backing wind, weather declines; veering wind, weather's fine”
WeatherIn the N. hemisphere a wind shifting counter-clockwise (backing) often precedes worsening weather; clockwise (veering) follows a front.
“Long foretold, long last; short notice, soon past”
WeatherSlowly building weather changes tend to last; sudden ones tend to pass quickly.
Mnemonics are memory aids, not the rule itself — always study the underlying COLREGS, CFR, and navigation principles. Practice them in context in the Rules of the Road bank.
Make them stick
A mnemonic gets you to the answer; understanding keeps you there. Once a rhyme clicks, see it in context in the Rules of the Road and Navigation banks, or convert real headings with the TVMDC calculator.