Are there specific shape display requirements for vessels that are aground?

The answer is that there are no specific shape display requirements for vessels that are aground. Under the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), the general rules primarily focus on navigating vessels and their lighting and shape requirements while underway. Although there are guidelines for vessels in distress or at risk, these do not specifically mandate shape displays for vessels that have gone aground.

Typically, the regulations concerning vessels that are aground address the need for vessels to display signals indicating their condition to alert nearby boaters about their situation. However, these signals do not include a definitive requirement for a specific shape to be displayed, unlike the requirements for vessels constrained by their draft or any vessel that is at anchor, for which specific shapes and lights must be displayed under certain conditions.

It's essential to understand this context, as awareness of the lack of specific shape requirements can help mariners correctly interpret the status of a vessel that is aground and respond appropriately without misconceptions about their obligations regarding signaling.