The Importance of Navigational Aids
In 1998, more than 800 lives were lost
as a result of recreational boating accidents in the U.S. and its
territories. Most of these fatalities happen during the peak boating
months of June, July and August.
There
are those who have spent a great deal of time on the water and have paid
little or no attention to the markers that have been placed by the United
States Coast Guard. The purpose of these markers is to help boaters have
a safer and more enjoyable time on the water. But if you don’t know what
they mean, a day of fun could turn ugly in a hurry.
If you really want to get the full
treatment, check out the site that is essentially the on-line version of
The Squadron Boating Course. I found it on the Internet as:
Nautical Know How - Basic Boating Safety Course.
Click
here to see the entire course.
Know that there are two general
categories of marks – aids to navigation –
that you will encounter while boating: lateral marks and non-lateral
marks. Lateral marks identify the port and starboard sides of a route.
Non-lateral marks have no lateral significance; they mainly supply
information and regulation.
There are two general types
of marks: buoys and beacons. Buoys are floating
objects anchored at specific locations and appear on charts as diamonds
with small circles to indicate approximate position. Beacons are
marks that are permanently attached to the earth’s surface. They can be
as large as a lighthouse or as small as a post or piling usually found in
shallow water or on shore. Do not pass close to beacons – you may
collide with the very obstruction that they mark!
Red – Right – Returning:
This is known as the 3R rule of the U.S. Aids to Navigation
System. Of course, it pre-assumes that you have a pretty good idea of
which way you are going in the first place. Simply stated, it says: “When
Returning from sea, keep Red side-of-channel marks to your
Right.” Returning means either entering a harbor or bay from the
open ocean, traveling up a river from the sea, or traveling in a clockwise
direction around a land mass. Conical-shaped Nun Buoys and
triangular-shaped Day Marks (a type of beacon) indicate the starboard
side of the channel when coming in from the sea. Cylindrical-shaped Can
Buoys and Square-shaped Day Marks show the port side of the channel
when coming in from the sea.
The Non-Lateral System of marks
– mentioned earlier – is very important to all boaters because it supplies
information that may save your boat and even your life.
