IALA A & B Buoyage Systems, Marine Buoyage. A tutorial on the types of buoys we will see when at sea

1. BUOYAGE
WWW.MARINE-EDUCATION.CO.UK

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WHAT IS BUOYAGE?
▸ Signposting of the Sea !

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BUOYAGE SYSTEMS
▸ IALA = International Association of Lighthouse Authorities
▸ IALA Region A = Europe, Africa, Australia, India & Most of Asia
▸ IALA Region B = Japan, Korea, Phillipines, North, South & Central
America
▸ All buoys are the same in both regions EXCEPT lateral marks

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IALA A & B BUOYAGE REGIONS

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OVERVIEW: TYPES OF BUOYS & WHAT THEY TELL US?
▸ Lateral - mark sides of channels
▸ Cardinal - show where safe water is
▸ Special - show areas of special interest
▸ Emergency Wreck - marks a new wreck
▸ Isolated Danger - marks a hazard
▸ Safe Water - best point of passage

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NORTH CARDINAL MARK
▸ What they tell us? Safe Water to
the North
▸ Light Sequence: White light, either
Quick (Q) or Very Quick (VQ)
Flashes Continuously
E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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SOUTH CARDINAL MARK
▸ What they tell us? Safe Water to
the South
▸ Light Sequence: White light, either
6 x Quick (Q) + 1 long or 6 x Very
Quick (VQ) Flashes + 1 long
E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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EAST CARDINAL MARK
▸ What they tell us? Safe Water to
the East
▸ Light Sequence: White light, either
3 x Quick (Q) + or 3 x Very Quick
(VQ) Flashes
E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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WEST CARDINAL MARK
▸ What they tell us? Safe Water to
the West
▸ Light Sequence: White light, either
9 x Quick (Q) + or 9 x Very Quick
(VQ) Flashes
E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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ISOLATED DANGER MARK
▸ What they tell us? Marks an area of
isolated danger - keep away!
▸ Light Sequence: White light x 2
E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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EMERGENCY WRECK MARK
▸ What they tell us? Marks a new
wreck of obstruction until it is
removed or a permanent form of
marking can be deployed.
▸ Light Sequence: Alternating blue &
yellow 1 second flashes with an
interval of 0.5 seconds
E.G. of Chart Symbols - won’t be
seen on a chart as only temporary
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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SPECIAL MARK
▸ What they tell us? An area of
special interest - refer to a chart for
more info i.e. oyster beds, waterski
area, swim zones etc.
▸ Light Sequence: (if it has one)
Yellow flashing (various sequences
dependant on area - refer to chart)
E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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SAFE WATER MARK
▸ What they tell us? An area of safe
water
▸ Light Sequence: White flashing
(various sequences dependant on
area - refer to chart)
E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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STARBOARD LATERAL MARKS (IALA A)
▸ What they tell us? Marks the right
hand side of a channel leading into
a harbour / estuary.
▸ Light Sequence: Flashes Green
(various sequences, dependant on
area - refer to chart for specific
sequence information)
E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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STARBOARD LATERAL MARKS (IALA B)
▸ What they tell us? Marks the right
hand side of a channel leading into
a harbour / estuary.
▸ Light Sequence: Flashes Red
(various sequences, dependant on
area - refer to chart for specific
sequence information)
E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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PORT LATERAL MARKS (IALA A)
▸ What they tell us? Marks the left
hand side of a channel leading into
a harbour / estuary.
▸ Light Sequence: Flashes Red
(various sequences, dependant on
area - refer to chart for specific
sequence information)
E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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PORT LATERAL MARKS (IALA B)
▸ What they tell us? Marks the left
hand side of a channel leading into
a harbour / estuary.
▸ Light Sequence: Flashes Geen
(various sequences, dependant on
area - refer to chart for specific
sequence information)
E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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PREFERRED CHANNEL TO PORT MARKS (IALA A)
▸ What they tell us? You can go
either side, but port is the
preferred side
▸ Light Sequence: Flashes Green
2+1 (2 flashes then a gap, then 1
flash then a longer gap) E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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PREFERRED CHANNEL TO PORT MARKS (IALA B)
▸ What they tell us? You can go
either side, but port is the
preferred side
▸ Light Sequence: Flashes Red 2+1
(2 flashes then a gap, then 1 flash
then a longer gap) E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:

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PREFERRED CHANNEL TO STARBOARD MARKS (IALA A)
▸ What they tell us? You can go
either side, but starboard is the
preferred side
▸ Light Sequence: Flashes Red 2+1
(2 flashes then a gap, then 1 flash
then a longer gap) E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !

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PREFERRED CHANNEL TO STARBOARD MARKS (IALA B)
▸ What they tell us? You can go
either side, but starboard is the
preferred side
▸ Light Sequence: Flashes Green
2+1 (2 flashes then a gap, then 1
flash then a longer gap) E.G. of Chart Symbols:
E.G. of Shapes:
E.G. of a real one !