Special marks indicate key features or geography. Often, they will include working or pictorial representations to inform you of their message. They are giving you information about an area. There is no specific shape but they must not be able to be confused with the shape of other marks. In the harbour there are lots of special marks used for dinghy and yacht racing. The powerboaters amongst us might think therefore that they do not need to know about these. They are however relevant as if you see a fleet of sailing boats heading towards a mark there is every chance they are suddenly going to change direction as they pass it.
Also inside the harbour, special marks are used to identify areas for different water-sports. For example, the kitesurfing area, the personal watercraft area and the water ski-ing area etc. You might think that these areas are not important to your boating but they may have specific rules. In this particular area and under specific circumstances they are exempt from the harbour speed limit. The special marks often have pictures on them to help convey their message. Outside the Harbour you will see special marks used to designate swimming areas, these are by the beaches and show the speed limit in Studland Bay.
In the future we may see use of them to identify acceptable anchoring areas. Someone asked during our Training Talk whether these were always in shallow areas. This is not always the case, some of the special marks are used for Yachts to race around in the Bay. You may come across special marks used for weather monitoring buoys ODAS buoys.
Often recognised by their solar panels. Returning to the Harbour the other use you may see is the use of Special Purpose Beacons. Two special marks are used to mark a transit to identify the entrance to a marina or a turning point for a ship.
At Round island, a cable runs between the island and Arne. There is yellow beacon at each end of the cable and we must not anchor there. You will see from above that we cannot ascertain everything we need to know about buoyage and navigation marks from just seeing them. We must use lots of additional resources to understand the message of the mark. In addition, we will also need to consult charts, almanacs, and local harbour guides.
A look at the Key for the chart or NP will show us the symbols used for different marks on the charts. These are unlikely to be in colour, instead appearing in black with the shape and top-mark and will often have the letters of the colours written underneath. For example, an isolated danger mark with have the shape and the two black spheres or ball. A teardrop shows the mark is lit, at night.
The colour of the light is coded by the symbol and is the topic for another blog! If you are out on the water and need a quick check you may choose to use an chart app on your phone to identify marks.
An example from the Savvy Navvy app shows the colours below. Bear in mind no apps should be your sole means of communication. They are great as back up but are subject to limitations which you must understand. That said, they can be great backups. Below is a picture taken from an Imray chart showing the symbol which indicates the direction of buoyage where it is not obvious.
Locally you will find it on Solent Charts:. We hope this blog has been useful as a refresher or to prompt you to undertake formal training. It cannot cover all the topics usually covered on a course. Please contact us to contact us to discuss training options. If you prefer to put it into context on the water why not book some bespoke training or a Powerboat Level 2 Course?
Contact us to chat through options and ideas. Toggle navigation. What do all those buoys and markers mean? Home What do all those buoys and markers mean? References: Before we discuss colours and shapes of marks we must determine where in the world we are boating. Context: So now we have discussed channel marks we need to put the information into context. Preferred Channel Marks To the best of my knowledge, we do not have any of these currently in Poole. Cardinal Marks These are four different marks black and yellow in colour and they follow the points of the compass.
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Coho Salmon. Get A Fishing License Get started fishing today, purchase your fishing license online, check regulations and more. Register A Boat Register your boat today. Learn how to register your vessel, boating laws and more. Buoys and Markers Buoys and markers are the "traffic signals" that guide vessel operators safely along some waterways.
Lateral Markers These navigation aids mark the edges of safe water areas: for example, directing traffic within a channel. Colors and Numbers The colors and numbers have the same meaning regardless of the kind of buoy or marker on which they appear. Red Colors, Red Lights and Even Numbers These mark the edge of the channel on your starboard right side as you enter from open sea or head upstream. Green Colors, Green Lights and Odd Numbers These mark the edge of the channel on your port left side as you enter from open sea or head upstream.
Can Buoy These cylindrical-shaped buoys are always marked with green markings and odd numbers. Pass to West. Indicates an isolated danger, such as a submerged rock. It tells you not to pass too close.
Coloured black with one or more horizontal red bands. If lit at night it shows a group of two white flashes. The top mark has two round spheres. Indicates a special area which should be kept clear of. Coloured yellow, if lit at night it shows a flashing yellow light. The top mark is a single yellow cross. Check your chart to find out what is special in the area you are boating in.
Safe water marks - are red and white striped beacon or buoy, often an isophase or occulting white light. It is used to signify that you [are in safe waters. So, for instance, if the first marker buoy that you encounter has a 44 on it, you should see numbers decreasing until you enter open water. The green marker buoys should always have odd numbers on them and the red ones should have even numbers on them.
These three factors — color, shape, and number — will tell you everything you need to know about navigating out to open sea and back again. As you depart, the green markers square boards or cylindrical buoys with flat tops with odd numbers on them should be to your right starboard. Returning home, the red markers triangles or cylindrical buoys with conical tops with even numbers should be starboard. The exception to some of the above comes with the Wester Rivers System.
This system of markers is used on the Mississippi River and its tributaries above Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and on some other rivers that flow toward the Gulf of Mexico. Navigation markers here are not numbered. These give information other than the edges of safe water areas. They are found on lakes and rivers and give directions and information, mark controlled or closed areas, and warn of hazards and obstructions.
These are white with red vertical stripes and indicate unobstructed water on all sides.
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