Buoys

Question 1

What are the two kinds of buoys?

Answer 1

Inland: can depend on country to country
sea waters: international buoys

Inland buoys can vary by country, while sea buoys follow an international system.

Question 2

What organization is responsible for buoys and beacons?

Answer 2

International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (I.A.L.A)

I.A.L.A establishes rules concerning buoys.

Question 3

What are the two systems of I.A.L.A?

Answer 3

• I.A.L.A A
  Green to starboard side (when going to inland)
  map: rest of the world
• I.A.L.A B
  Red to st (when going to inland
  map: north and south america, japan

I.A.L.A A uses green to starboard; I.A.L.A B uses red to starboard.

Question 4

lateral mark in I.A.L.A A?

Answer 4

• SB hand:
  color: green
  shape: conical
  topmark: green cone point upward
• Port hand:
  color: red
  shape: can
  topmark: red can

Question 5

preferred channel marks?

Answer 5

used to know the preffered channel for farways parts into two farways
* preffered channal to SB:
colour: red with green bandd
shape: can
topmark: red can
* preffered channel to port
colour: green with red band
shape: conical
topmark: green cone point upward

Question 6

cardinal marks?

Answer 6

• To indicate a point of interest, especially a danger for navigation (wreck, rock, sand bank)
• buoy: black and yellow buoy
  north: undur yellow black above FL(12), tpm:
  East: blanck with yellow band FL(3), tpm:
  south: under black, yellow above FL(6)+LF(1), tpm
  west: yellow with black band FL(9), tpm:

Examples include wrecks, rocks, or sandbanks.

Question 7

isolated danger mark?

Answer 7

• used to indicate danger, can also be indicated by a cardinal mark
• buoy: black with a red band
• topmark: 2 black circles
• light: white light FL(2)

These buoys indicate danger but may not have a top mark.

Question 8

special marks?

Answer 8

• used to indicate zone of fast-moving vessels, specialities, localisation of cables or pipes, dredging area
• buoy: full yellow
• shape: most of the time round
• topmark: yellow cross
• light: yellow light FL(4)

These marks indicate zones of fast-moving vessels, cables, or dredging areas.

Question 9

safe water marks?

Answer 9

• used to indicate, most of the time, the middle of a fairway or the biginning of a fairway (safe deep water)
• buoy: vertical red and white stripes
• topmark: red circle
• light: veryslow character: isophase or morse code (a)

Safe deep water is typically indicated.

Question 10

emergency wreck marking buoy?

Answer 10

• used to indicate a new wreck that isn’t marked on charts, can be a very dangerous mark
• buoy: vertical blue and yellow stripes
• topmarks: yellow corss +

These buoys are crucial for navigation safety.

Question 11

What does the term ‘occulting’ refer to in buoy lights?

Answer 11

Rapid flashing (on/off at the same time)

This is one type of light pattern used on buoys.

Question 12

What does ‘isophase’ mean regarding buoy lights?

Answer 12

Off time is less than on time

This describes another type of light pattern.

Question 13

Racon ‘M’?

Answer 13

Question 14

What does a Racon ‘D’ indicate?

Answer 14

A character in Morse alphabet on radar

It helps in identifying markers on radar screens.

Question 15

direction of buoyage?

Answer 15

direction of buoyage is shown on the chart by written arrow. some times you can also have colour for each side of the arrow

Shown by arrows on charts.