2013 New York Safe Boating Textbook - (Page 60)

Navigational or Channel Marker Buoy systems link the source of the body of water, or the farthest upstream point that a boat can safely navigate (called the “head of navigation”) with the outlet of the body of water. The location of the head of navigation is the key to the placement and use of channel markers, because the head of navigation determines which side of the channel the navigational aids are placed. On a lake, the inlet is considered the head of navigation, and if the lake has more than one inlet, the larger or major inlet is considered the head of navigation. The outlet is the place where the body of water empties: on a river it might be the ocean or a lake, and on a lake it might be a river. When entering a harbor (on a lake or the ocean) the landward end of a channel is used as the head of navigation only for the placement of buoys on that channel. There are three buoy shapes. A “can” buoy is cylindrical in shape, like an oil drum. It is green in color and if marked will have an odd number. A “nun” buoy has a blunted conical shape. It is red in color and if marked will have an even number. If either a can or a nun buoy is lighted, the color of the light will be the same as the color of the buoy—green for a can buoy and red for a nun buoy. “Spar” buoys are slender with a tapering shape. They are narrower and rounded at top and much smaller than a can or nun. Spars are never lighted. They may be used in place of a can or nun or as winter replacements. Spars are used on state marked waters only. An easy way to remember the shapes, color and number of buoys is this silly little sentence: Even Red Nuns carry Odd Green Cans. A channel may split to direct boats around an obstruction in the water. To mark the channel to take, a preferred channel buoy may be used. These buoys are colored with red and green stripes, but the upper color denotes the direction of the preferred channel. When in a channel proceeding toward the head of navigation (upstream), the red buoys lie on the boat’s starboard (right) side while the green buoys lie on the port (left) side. A commonly used memory device to remember this is Red Right Returning. This means that the RED buoys will lie to your RIGHT (starboard) side when returning to port. Always remember to pass between the red and green buoys. This will ensure that you stay in safe water that is deep enough to permit navigation. Lateral System (As Seen Entering From Seaward) 60 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2013 New York Safe Boating Textbook

2013 New York Safe Boating Textbook
Contents
Introduction
Boats and Motors
Registration of Boats
Equipment
Fueling and Ventilation
Safe Loading and Powering
Preparation for Getting Underway
The Marine Environment
Rules of the Road
Boat Operations
Seamanship
Navigation
Personal Watercraft
Boating Related Activities
Accidents and Emergencies
Frequently Asked Questions
Chapter Review Questions Answers

2013 New York Safe Boating Textbook

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