Prerequisites
Before using this lesson you should have studied:
- CEVNI: The European Inland Waterways Code (scope, national codes, definitions, small craft, duty of care).
- CEVNI Signs (the A to E series, auxiliary panels, lights at bridges and locks, bank marks).
- The navigation lights, day shapes and sound signals of the COLREGs, from your coastal training. CEVNI lights and sound signals build on the same ideas.
You do not need any inland experience. The test checks knowledge, not boat handling. Boat handling for the inland category is checked separately through a practical certificate or assessment.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson you will be able to:
- Describe the format of the CEVNI test and how it is run.
- Plan a short, effective study programme.
- Recognise the CEVNI lights, shapes and sound signals most often tested.
- Apply the main rules of the road on inland waterways under time pressure.
- Answer a full set of practice questions across signs, lights, sounds and rules.
What the CEVNI Test Is
The CEVNI test is a written knowledge test of the European Code for Inland Waterways. A pass is needed for the inland category of the ICC to be validated. In the UK the RYA runs the test, which is usually taken in one of two ways:
- Online, through an RYA training centre or authorised provider. You log in at home and take a timed multiple-choice test. Providers typically include unlimited practice tests in the same package.
- On paper, at an RYA training centre, often at the end of an ICC assessment day.
Recent descriptions of the online version describe it as two parts:
| Part | Content | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Signs and buoyage | About 15 questions |
| Part 2 | Lights, shapes and sound signals, with rules | About 15 questions |
Each question has a short time limit (providers have described it as about 20 seconds per question), so the whole test takes about 20 minutes. Most questions show a picture of a sign, a light pattern or a sound signal with several possible meanings.
Details such as the number of questions, the time allowed, the pass mark and the fee change from time to time and differ between online and paper versions. Check the current arrangements with your RYA training centre before booking. The RYA publishes a free sample paper, and the recommended study texts are the RYA G17 European Waterways Regulations and the pocket RYA G106 Handy Guide to CEVNI.
What the short time limit means for you
Twenty seconds per question leaves no time to reason a sign out from first principles. You must recognise signs, lights and signals on sight. That is why the study plan below relies on repetition and flashcards, not just reading.
A Study Plan
Most people need about four hours of focused study, spread over several sessions. Spreading it out works far better than one long cram.
| Session | Time | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45 min | Read the introduction lesson and the sign families. Learn the colour logic of A, B, C, D and E |
| 2 | 45 min | Signs in depth: work through every A and E pair, then B, C and D. Make flashcards or use an app |
| 3 | 45 min | Lights and shapes: small craft, motorised vessels, sailing vessels, at anchor, dangerous goods, restricted manoeuvrability |
| 4 | 30 min | Sound signals and rules of the road: who gives way, meeting, overtaking, narrow places |
| 5 | 45 min | Practice tests. Note every wrong answer and revisit that topic |
| 6 | 15 min | Final run-through of your weak areas, then take the test |
Tips:
- Test yourself, do not just reread. Cover the meaning and say it aloud.
- Use the practice tests early, not just at the end. They show you the style of the pictures.
- Learn in pairs and patterns. A and E signs come in pairs; sound signals follow a system.
- Take the test soon after the last session, while the material is fresh.
Lights and Shapes You Must Know
CEVNI lights are similar to COLREGs lights, with some inland additions. The terms "masthead light", "sidelights" and "sternlight" mean the same as at sea, although CEVNI masthead lights on large vessels are brighter. The rules for small craft are simplified.
| Vessel or situation | Lights at night | Day shape or signal |
|---|---|---|
| Motorised vessel underway (not small craft) | Masthead light (white), sidelights, sternlight; a second masthead light is required for larger vessels | None |
| Motorised small craft underway | Masthead light (white, may be a bright all-round white light on smaller craft), sidelights (may be combined), sternlight | None |
| Sailing small craft underway | Sidelights and sternlight, or a combined tricolour at the masthead | None |
| Small craft that is neither motorised nor sailing (rowing boat) | A white all-round light (ordinary white is acceptable) | None |
| Small craft at anchor | A white all-round light, visible from all directions | A black ball (required for vessels other than small craft; check the national code for small craft) |
| Vessel carrying dangerous goods | One, two or three blue lights, depending on the danger class of the cargo | One, two or three blue cones, point down |
| Vessel with restricted ability to manoeuvre (other than small craft) | Red, white, red all-round lights in a vertical line | Ball, diamond, ball |
| High-speed vessel | Two yellow, very bright, quick-flashing lights in addition to the normal lights | None |
| Ferry not moving independently | Green all-round light over a white all-round light | Check the national code |
| Vessel in distress | A light waved in a circle, flares, repeated long sound signals or a bell rung continuously | A red flag waved in a circle, or arms raised and lowered |
Blue cones and blue lights
This is unique to inland waterways and appears in almost every test. Vessels carrying dangerous cargo show:
- One blue cone (or light): flammable cargo. Keep well clear when passing and do not moor close by.
- Two blue cones (or lights): health hazards, such as some toxic chemicals.
- Three blue cones (or lights): explosives.
Special berths are reserved for these vessels (shown by E5 signs with blue cone symbols), and you must keep a stated distance from them when mooring. The exact distances are set by the national code; the RYA G17 lists the common figures. As small craft, simply give them a wide berth.
The blue board
A light blue board, often with a flashing white light, shown by a vessel on its starboard side means "I wish to pass starboard to starboard". It is used mainly by commercial vessels going upstream on large rivers. As small craft you keep clear and stay predictable.
Yellow flashing lights
Two very bright, quick-flashing yellow lights show a high-speed vessel. These can move at over 40 km/h. Keep a good lookout and stay well out of their way.
Sound Signals You Must Know
CEVNI sound signals are set out in its Annex 6. A short blast lasts about one second and a long blast about four seconds. A series of very short blasts means at least six blasts of about a quarter of a second each, with very short gaps. Small craft are not required to give all the manoeuvring signals that larger vessels give, but you must understand them.
General signals
| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| One long blast | Attention (used, for example, before a blind bend or when leaving a berth) |
| One short blast | I am altering course to starboard |
| Two short blasts | I am altering course to port |
| Three short blasts | I am going astern |
| Four short blasts | I am unable to manoeuvre |
| A series of very short blasts | Danger of imminent collision |
| Repeated long blasts | Distress, I need help |
Notice the pattern: one short is starboard, two short is port, three short is astern, exactly as in the COLREGs. Four short (unable to manoeuvre) is the inland addition.
Overtaking
| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Two long blasts, then one short blast | I wish to overtake you on your starboard side |
| Two long blasts, then two short blasts | I wish to overtake you on your port side |
| Five short blasts | (from the vessel being overtaken) You cannot overtake as you intended |
The overtaking signals match COLREGs Rule 34(c). The overtaken vessel replies to show agreement or, with five short blasts, that overtaking is not possible.
Turning and entering or leaving a harbour
| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| One long blast, then one short blast | I am turning to starboard |
| One long blast, then two short blasts | I am turning to port |
| Three long blasts, then one short blast | I am entering (or leaving and turning) to starboard |
| Three long blasts, then two short blasts | I am entering (or leaving and turning) to port |
| Three long blasts | I am crossing the fairway (leaving or entering without turning) |
A "turn" here means turning round, through 180 degrees, which large vessels often do on rivers. When you hear one long and a short or two shorts, expect a long vessel to swing across the whole river.
Restricted visibility
In restricted visibility, vessels navigating by radar give regular signals. A vessel underway sounds one long blast at regular intervals (not more than one minute apart). Vessels at anchor or stopped in or near the fairway ring a bell. National codes add detail, and in poor visibility many authorities advise or require small craft to moor up. As small craft without radar, you should normally stop and moor in a safe place when visibility drops.
Rules of the Road: the Main Points
These come up again and again:
- Small craft keep clear of all other vessels and leave them room to hold their course and manoeuvre.
- Between small craft: motorised gives way to all others; non-motorised, non-sailing craft give way to sailing craft; sailing craft use port-starboard and windward-leeward rules.
- Meeting: normally port to port, each keeping to its own starboard side, unless a blue board shows a starboard-to-starboard passing.
- Narrow places: the downstream vessel normally has priority; the upstream vessel waits.
- Overtaking: only when safe; the overtaking vessel keeps clear; the overtaken vessel helps; never where A2 or A4 apply.
- Leaving a berth or entering the fairway: only when it will not force other vessels to alter course or speed.
- Locks: obey the signals and the lock keeper; commercial vessels often enter first; small craft follow instructions on where to go.
- Wash: adjust speed to avoid harmful wash or suction, especially near moored craft, banks and works.
- Mooring and anchoring: never in the fairway, under bridges, near locks or at prohibited places (A5, A6, A7).
- General duty of care: depart from the rules if needed to avoid immediate danger.
Worked Example: Answering Under Time Pressure
The test shows a picture: a white square board with a red border and a red diagonal stripe through a symbol of a boat being towed by a skier. You have 20 seconds.
- Colour check (2 seconds). Red border and red stripe: prohibitory, A series.
- Symbol (3 seconds). A water skier.
- Answer (2 seconds). Water skiing prohibited (A14).
Next picture: three blue cones, point down, on a barge. Three blue cones: explosives cargo. Answer in five seconds.
Next: "Two long blasts followed by two short blasts". Two long means overtaking; two short means port. "I wish to overtake you on your port side."
With practice, each answer takes well under 10 seconds. That leaves time to recheck the options, which is often where people lose marks by misreading "port" for "starboard".
Practice Questions
Work through these as a mock test. Cover the answer, give your own, then check.
Signs and buoyage
- A white board with a red border and a red stripe through a P. What does it mean?
Answer: No berthing (A5).
- A blue board with a white anchor. What does it mean?
Answer: Anchoring permitted (E6).
- A red board with a white horizontal band, or a single red light, at a bridge. What does it mean?
Answer: No entry, no passage (A1).
- A white board with a red border showing an arrow running straight along the starboard side. What does it mean?
Answer: Keep to the starboard side of the fairway (B3b).
- A red ring with the number 8. What does it mean?
Answer: Speed limit of 8 km/h (B6), about 4.3 knots.
- A board with a red border and a horn symbol. What should you do?
Answer: Give a sound signal (B7), normally one long blast.
- One yellow diamond above a bridge arch. What does it mean?
Answer: Recommended passage, two-way traffic (D1a).
- A board with a red border showing the depth figure 2.10. Which sign, and what does it tell you?
Answer: C1, limited depth: 2.1 m of water available.
- A blue board showing an overhead cable symbol. What is it?
Answer: E2, overhead cable crossing. Check your air draught.
- Going downstream, which side is the red fairway mark?
Answer: On your right (starboard). Red marks the right side of the fairway, seen facing downstream.
- A sign with a waves symbol crossed by a red stripe. What does it mean?
Answer: Do not create wash (A9).
- A white board with a red border and the letters VHF and a channel number. What must you do?
Answer: Make radio contact on the channel shown (B11).
Lights and shapes
- At night you see one, two or three blue lights on a barge. What do they tell you?
Answer: The barge carries dangerous goods. One for flammable, two for health hazards, three for explosives. Keep well clear.
- A vessel shows two very bright quick-flashing yellow lights. What is it?
Answer: A high-speed vessel.
- A vessel shows red, white and red all-round lights in a vertical line. What does it mean?
Answer: A vessel restricted in its ability to manoeuvre.
- A green all-round light over a white all-round light. What is it?
Answer: A ferry not moving independently (a chain or cable ferry).
- A small sailing craft under sail at night. What lights may it show?
Answer: Sidelights and a sternlight, or a combined tricolour light at the masthead.
- By day a vessel shows a light blue board with a flashing white light on its starboard side. What does it mean?
Answer: It intends to pass oncoming vessels starboard to starboard.
- A small craft at anchor at night. What light does it show?
Answer: A white all-round light.
- A day shape of ball, diamond, ball in a vertical line. What does it mean?
Answer: A vessel restricted in its ability to manoeuvre.
Sound signals
- One long blast. What does it mean?
Answer: Attention.
- Two short blasts. What does it mean?
Answer: I am altering course to port.
- Four short blasts. What does it mean?
Answer: I am unable to manoeuvre.
- A series of very short blasts. What does it mean?
Answer: Danger of imminent collision.
- Two long blasts followed by one short blast. What does it mean?
Answer: I wish to overtake you on your starboard side.
- One long blast followed by two short blasts. What does it mean?
Answer: I am turning (round) to port.
- Repeated long blasts. What does it mean?
Answer: Distress, I need help.
Rules of the road
- What is the length limit for a small craft?
Answer: Less than 20 m (hull length), excluding ferries, pushers and vessels carrying more than 12 passengers.
- A motorised small craft meets a sailing small craft under sail. Who gives way?
Answer: The motorised small craft.
- In a narrow stretch where only one vessel can pass, an upstream and a downstream vessel approach. Who has priority?
Answer: Normally the downstream vessel. The upstream vessel waits.
- Two sailing small craft meet, both with the wind on the port side. Who gives way?
Answer: The windward vessel gives way to the leeward vessel.
- Your yacht motors with sails up. Is it a sailing vessel?
Answer: No. Using its engine, it is a motorised vessel.
Common Mistakes in the Test
- Mixing up port and starboard in signals. One short is starboard; two short is port. In overtaking, ending in one short is starboard and ending in two short is port.
- Confusing "altering course" and "turning". Short blasts alone mean altering course. A long blast followed by shorts means turning round.
- Forgetting the blue cones scale. One flammable, two health, three explosive.
- Treating one yellow diamond as one-way. One is two-way; two side by side is one-way.
- Reading B6 as knots. All inland speed limits are in km/h.
- Rushing the options. Many wrong answers come from choosing the right idea with the wrong side or number. Read every option.
- Studying only by reading. Practise with picture-based tests; the real test is visual.
Summary
- The CEVNI test is a timed, multiple-choice knowledge test, needed to validate the inland category of the ICC.
- Online versions have been described as two parts, about 15 questions each, roughly 20 seconds per question. Check current details with your centre.
- About four hours of spread-out study, with flashcards and practice tests, is enough for most people.
- Learn signs by family and in pairs; learn lights by vessel type; learn sound signals by their pattern.
- Key inland-only items: blue cones and lights for dangerous goods, the blue board for starboard-to-starboard passing, yellow flashing lights for high-speed vessels, four short blasts for unable to manoeuvre, and the turning and harbour signals.
- Key rules: small craft keep clear; motorised small craft give way to other small craft; downstream has priority in narrow places; obey the duty of care.
Check Your Understanding
- How is the CEVNI test usually taken in the UK?
Answer: Online through an RYA training centre or provider, or on paper at an RYA training centre.
- What are the two parts of the online test?
Answer: Part 1 on signs and buoyage; Part 2 on lights, shapes and sound signals, with rules.
- Why is it important to practise with picture-based tests?
Answer: The test is mostly visual and has a short time per question, so you need to recognise signs and signals instantly.
- What do three blue cones on a barge mean?
Answer: It is carrying explosives.
- What does three short blasts mean?
Answer: I am going astern.
- Which vessel normally has priority in a narrow section of river?
Answer: The vessel going downstream.
- What is the inland meaning of four short blasts?
Answer: I am unable to manoeuvre.
- Which RYA books are recommended for studying for the test?
Answer: RYA G17 European Waterways Regulations, and the RYA G106 Handy Guide to CEVNI as a pocket reference.