Unlike the roads and highways that we drive on, the waterways we go boating on do not have road signs that tell us our location, the route or distance to a destination, or of hazards along the way. Instead, the waterways have AIDS TO NAVIGATION (or ATONs), which are all of those man-made objects used by mariners to determine position or a safe course.
Goto HUAZHONG to know more.
These aids also assist mariners in making a safe landfall, mark isolated dangers, enable pilots to follow channels, and provide a continuous chain of charted marks for precise piloting in coastal waters. The U.S. Aids to Navigation System is intended for use with nautical charts, which provide valuable information regarding water depths, hazards, and other features that you will not find in an atlas or road map.
The term "aids to navigation" includes buoys, day beacons, lights, lightships, radio beacons, fog signals, marks and other devices used to provide "street" signs on the water. Aids To Navigation include all the visible, audible and electronic symbols that are established by government and private authorities for piloting purposes.
The Coast Guard is the agency responsible for maintaining aids to navigation on U.S. waters that are under federal jurisdiction or that serve the needs of the U.S. armed forces. On bodies of water wholly within the boundaries of a single state, and not navigable to the sea, the Coast Guard grants the state responsibility for establishing and maintaining aids to navigation. The U.S. Corps of Engineers is responsible for many of the canals, dams, locks, and other man-made waterways in the country. The Corps also is responsible for the regulation of mooring buoys in all navigable U.S. Waters.
The individual Coast Guard districts also may grant permission to private groups and citizens to place "Private" Aids to Navigation. These aids allow individuals or organizations the ability to mark privately maintained channels, zones or waterways. These aids must be pre-approved, and must be maintained by the individual or organization.
The term "aids to navigation" encompasses a wide range of floating and fixed objects (fixed meaning attached to the bottom or shore), and consist primarily of:
Both Buoys and Beacons may have lights attached, and may have a sound making device such as a gong, bell or horn. Both Buoys and Beacons may be called "marks".
Caution: Do not count on floating aids to always maintain their precise charted positions, or unerringly display their characteristics. The Coast Guard works constantly to keep aids on station and functioning properly, but obstacles to perfect performance are so great that complete reliability is impossible. Only use floating aids for use as a navigation fix when you cannot see a fixed point of reference.
Depending on where you boat in America, you may see several differences in how navigational marks are colored, numbered, or lighted. Regardless of the location, buoys and beacons are placed in very specific locations, to mark either a particular side of a waterway, or some other navigational feature. The primary system in use is referred to the "U.S. Aids to Navigation System". The U. S. Coast Guard maintains this system in conformance to the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA), which is an international committee which seeks to ensure safe navigation, primarily through the use of common navigation aids and signals.
The "LATERAL" system is the familiar RED RIGHT RETURNING system, meaning that on all navigable waters returning from sea, the red even-numbered marks are on the starboard (right) side of the channel and the green odd-numbered marks are on the port (left) side of the channel. Numbers on the marks ascend when traveling from sea to harbor--if you don't have a compass and become disoriented on the water, you will always know you are heading upstream if the buoy numbers get larger as you travel.
Port side numbered aids are green in color, odd numbered and may be lighted. Port side marks are located on the left side of the waterway as you travel upstream, and the buoy numbers will increase as you head upstream. (Chart depictions are shown next to the marks) Port-Side Buoys have a cylindrical above-water appearance, like a can or drum floating on its axis. Commonly referred to as "CAN" buoys. Beacons - Port side beacons have square marks attached to them, with two shades of color and a reflective border.
Starboard aids are red in color, evenly numbered and will be on your right side as you travel upstream. Buoy numbers increase as you head upstream, and may have a red light. Starboard-side buoys have an above-water appearance like that of a cylinder topped with a cone, pointed end up. The cone may come to a point or be slightly rounded. Commonly referred to as "NUN" buoys. Starboard-side Beacons have triangular marks attached to them, with two shades of color and a reflective border.
For the sea buoys that delineate channels off the coast of the United States, and for the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), red is on the right (shore side) when proceeding clockwise around the U. S. from the East Coast to the Gulf Coast, or proceeding north along the West Coast.
ICW marks are further identified by a small yellow reflector at the bottom of the mark. The same port and starboard marks shown above will look like the following.
Numbers on the marks ascend when traveling in this direction. Where the IALA-B and ICW marks meet, one must be very careful to observe the change in meaning by referral to local charts.
These diamond shaped marks are used to help the vessel operator determine location on a nautical map. When you see a dayboard, and find the corresponding mark on the chart, you know your precise location. They may be lettered, and may be lighted with a white light. Their color reflects that of nearby lateral marks.
These marks are used to mark fairways, mid-channels, and offshore approach points. They have unobstructed water on all sides. These marks may be lettered, and may be lighted with a white light. They may also have a red top mark.
These indicate a danger which may be passed on all sides. They are erected on, or moored on or near danger. They should not be approached closely without special caution. They may be lighted, and they may be lettered.
Special marks have no lateral significance (meaning they don't tell you which side of the channel or river you may be on). These marks are used to mark a special feature or area. These include area limits for anchorages, fishing grounds, or dredging/spoil areas. These buoys may be lighted, and if they are it will be a fixed or flashing yellow light. Shape is optional, but usually follows the shape of the navigation buoys that it is positioned near.
Mooring buoys come in two different shapes; spherical and cylindrical. Both have white bodies with a solid blue horizontal band on the center of the buoy. Mooring buoys may have a white reflector, or a white light attached to them. Mooring buoys are the ONLY buoys to which you may legally tie your boat. Buoys are generally placed in marked anchorage areas, and you must take caution if you are traveling near buoy areas. Check your state boating guide for particular operating restrictions in anchorage areas.
These are pairs of unlighted or lighted fixed aids that when observed in line show the pilot to be on the centerline of a channel.
Regulatory Marks re designed to assist boaters by informing them of special restrictions or dangers that they are approaching. Regulatory marks are white "can" buoys that have an orange shape on them. The mark will give either a warning or instructions on how to proceed. The shape determines what type of mark it is.
This system was originally intended for use by states on lakes and inland waterways that weren&#;t covered by nautical charts. The buoys used in the Uniform State Waterway Marking System (USWMS) used colors, shapes and marking patterns that differed greatly from the U.S. Aids to Navigation System (ATONS).
In , the U.S. Coast Guard decided to phase out the USWMS to avoid potential confusion of boaters and instead, favored using the more widely recognized ATONS. By , the USWMS was completely phased out. Below are a few of the differences from the federal system you should know about.
Here's a summary of the important changes regarding the phase out of USWMS:
The state system differs in several ways, in case you happen to encounter them. These aids also assist mariners in making a safe landfall, mark isolated dangers, enable pilots to follow channels, and provide a continuous chain of charted marks for precise piloting in coastal waters. The U.S. Aids to Navigation System is intended for use with nautical charts, which provide valuable information regarding water depths, hazards, and other features that you will not find in an atlas or road map.
Red-topped White Buoys
Black-striped white Buoys - Inland Waters Obstruction Mark
Black-topped White Buoys
When on the road, we have signs and lights that regulate, warn, or inform us as we drive or pass by. Each of these devices and signals helps motorists and pedestrians alike to keep safe on the road.
But unlike our manmade or paved highways, waterways do not have road signs indicating our location, the route or distance to our destination, or the hazards along the way.
What the waters have, though, is equipment that helps navigation, generally for those in maritime or air travel.
So, what are these Aids to Navigation (ATONs), and why should seafarers always be mindful of them? Let&#;s find out!
Whether we like it or not, many of us take marine aids to navigation for granted and don&#;t even realize how dependent we are on them until they need to be changed.
After installation, the majority of navigational aids merely need routine maintenance.
They then pretty much effectively continue their work, and mariners, harbor masters, and other seafarers have one less thing to manage.
But it wasn&#;t always like that. The original navigational aids were quite a handful.
Fires lighted on hilltops to indicate the location of the safe route were used to direct early mariners into port. These had to be watched to ensure the flame didn&#;t go out and were constructed on platforms for better view.
These first platform fires led to the development of the lighthouse.
The earliest lighthouse, according to records, was built in the fifth century BC. This was a stone tower with a fire beacon erected on top in the harbor of Piraeus, Greece.
The famed Pharos of Alexandria, often known as the Lighthouse of Alexandria, was built two centuries later.
A lighthouse keeper would undoubtedly have had a difficult job keeping the beacon lit because these early lighthouses were illuminated on a top stage in the tower.
They would have had to carry fuel, typically heavy because it was either wood or coal, up the tower to the platform, keep the fire going all night, and protect it from gales and bad weather.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Marine Aids to Navigation Solutions.
Although we can still see lighthouses being used nowadays, navigational aids have developed into the less laborious and sustainable types that mariners frequently use today.
The phrase &#;aids to navigation&#; refers to objects that serve as &#;street&#; signs on the water, including buoys, day beacons, lights, lightships, radio beacons, fog signals, markings, and more.
All the auditory, visual, and electronic symbols established by public and private entities for use by pilots are referred to as aids to navigation.
The Coast Guard is the organization in charge of maintaining navigational aids on American seas that fall under federal control or are used by the U.S. military.
The Coast Guard delegated to state the obligation of creating and maintaining aids to navigation on bodies of water that are entirely within the borders of a single state but are not navigable to the sea.
So, what are these auditory, visual, and electronic symbols that will help ensure your life at sea is safe and right on track?
These navigational guides can either be floating (buoys) or fixed (beacons).
Buoys are a type of floating device with a bottom anchor. They can be avoided by recognizing them by their distinctive shapes and colors, which also reveal their function.
Beacons are permanent structures that are anchored to the ground or the seabed.
They include single-pile poles and buildings like lighthouses. Most beacons are equipped with lateral or non-lateral assists. Day Beacons are those that are not lit; lights are those that are lit.
Both buoys and beacons may feature lights and sound-producing equipment like a gong, bell, or horn. In addition, beacons and buoys can be referred to as &#;markings.&#;
Other navigational aids you might come across are referred to as &#;marks.&#;
1. Dayboards
The vessel operator can use these diamond-shaped markers to locate their position on a nautical map.
You can pinpoint your location when you see a dayboard and find the corresponding mark on the chart. They might be lit with white light and could be lettered.
2. Isolated Danger Marks
These marks point to a threat that could come from all directions. They are built on, moored to, or beside a dangerous area.
3. Safe Water Marks
These markings identify fairways, mid-channels, and offshore approach spots. On all sides, there are clear waterways.
These markings could be lettered and illuminated with white light. A red top mark could also be present.
4. Special Marks
Special markers don&#;t indicate which side of a river or channel you might be on and lack any lateral relevance.
Instead, these symbols are used to identify a unique feature or location. These include boundaries for dredging or spoil zones, fishing grounds, and anchorages.
These buoys might be illuminated; if so, the light will either be constant or flashing yellow. Although the shape is optional, it often mirrors the nearby navigation buoys.
5. Regulatory Marks
Regulatory Marks are intended to help boaters by alerting them to any unique restrictions or dangers they are about to encounter.
White &#;can&#; buoys with an orange shape serve as regulatory markers.
Either the mark will provide a warning or directions on how to proceed.
The type of mark it is depends on its shape.
Aside from these marks, mariners should also know about mooring buoys and ranges.
The two main types of mooring buoys are cylindrical and spherical. Each buoy has a white body with a horizontal, solid blue ribbon running through the middle.
In addition, mooring buoys may be equipped with a white reflector or a white light.
Only mooring buoys are permitted for use as anchors by boats. Most of the time, buoys are positioned in clearly designated anchorage areas; thus, you must use caution when passing by them.
Ranges are pairs of fixed, illuminated, or unlit aids that indicate that the captain is in the middle of a channel when seen in a straight line.
No matter how advanced the world has become, we remain dependent on signs to make sure we find our way safely.
Just like their land counterparts, aids to navigation regulate or inform us so we can travel the seas efficiently and safely.
Learning, understanding, and perhaps memorizing them may take some time and practice. But at the end of the day, it&#;s worth the effort.
As a seafarer, knowing these guides can help you become an expert and dependable navigator.
Are you ready to navigate your next big maritime voyage?
Martide is a seafarer jobs site used by shipowners and manning agents&#;and we&#;re looking for qualified seafarers like you!
Whether you&#;re a novice or a seasoned seafarer, we have job vacancies waiting for you. All you have to do is build a resume, explore our postings, and apply today.
Oh, and did we tell you we have a free mobile app? So now, you can enjoy a hassle-free maritime job search at the palm of your hand.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of mooring products. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.