Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Module 4 Module 5 Module 6
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Aids to navigation are devices or systems that are external to a vessel and that: help a pleasure craft operator determine position and course, warn of dangers or obstructions, and indicate the location of safe or preferred routes. Aids to navigation take many forms and can include buoys, day beacons, range markers, and lighthouses.
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The information that you are required to know for the operator exam is highlighted in bold print throughout all six modules in this course. Module 3 contains the following sections:
Lateral buoys indicate safe routes by marking the left and right sides of the deepest water. There are four main types of lateral buoys: port-hand buoys, starboard-hand buoys, port junction buoys, and starboard junction buoys.
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Port-hand buoy
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Port junction buoy
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Starboard junction buoy
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Starboard-hand buoy
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Port-hand buoys and starboard-hand buoys are used to mark the left and right hand sides of channels. By international convention, the right side of a stream, channel, or river is the side that is on one’s right when one is facing upstream (and the left side is the side on one’s left when facing upstream). Thus, port-hand (left-hand) buoys are always located on the left-hand side of channels, and starboard-hand (right-hand) buoys are always positioned on the right-hand side. Traditionally, the term upstream means any direction that is moving up-river, into a harbour, or toward a shoreline.
Starboard-hand (red) buoys
Port-Hand (Green) Buoys
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When travelling upstream, port-hand (green) buoys should always be kept on the port (left) side of the vessel and starboard-hand (red) buoys should be kept on the starboard (right) side of the vessel (the reverse is true when travelling downstream).
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A simple way to remember on what side to leave buoys when travelling upstream is to use the mnemonic (new-mawn-ick) code “red, right, return”, which means “keep red buoys on the right (starboard) side of the boat when returning upstream”. Traditionally, the term upstream means any direction that is moving up-river, into a harbour, or toward a shoreline.
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Port junction buoys and starboard junction buoys (also called bifurcation buoys) are special lateral buoys that are employed when a channel splits. These buoys are used to indicate which of two channels is the main channel.
Port Junction (Bifurcation) Buoy
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Port junction (bifurcation) buoys are green in colour with a red horizontal band across the midsection. Junction buoys are used to mark a junction where one channel splits into two. You may travel on either side of the marker. To enter the preferred or main channel, keep a port junction buoy on your port side when travelling upstream.
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Starboard Junction (Bifurcation) Buoy
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Starboard junction (bifurcation) buoys are red in colour with a green horizontal band across the midsection and are used to mark a junction where one channel splits into two. To enter the preferred or main channel, keep this buoy on your starboard side when travelling upstream.
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Below is an example of how lateral buoys are used to mark channels. The middle of the channel is marked with a fairway buoy. The channel divides at the port junction buoy. One enters the preferred channel (to the right) by keeping the port junction (bifurcation) buoy on the port side of your vessel when going upstream.
Standard day beacons are usually fixed aids, meaning that they are erected either on land or on a pole or structure permanently erected in water. Day beacons are so named because they are unlighted and, thus, they are visible only during daylight hours. Standard day beacons serve exactly the same purpose as lateral buoys; thus there are four standard day beacons:
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Port-hand day beacon
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Port junction day beacon
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Starboard junction day beacon
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Starboard-hand day beacon
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Port-hand Day Beacon
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A port-hand day beacon is a fixed aid that marks the port (left) side of a channel or the location of a danger and must be kept on the vessel’s port side when proceeding upstream or into a harbour. It is marked with a black- or green-coloured square centred on a white background surrounded by a square-shaped green reflecting border. This beacon may display an odd-digit identifier number made of white reflecting material.
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Starboard-hand Day Beacon
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A starboard-hand day beacon is a fixed aid that marks the starboard (right) side of a channel or the location of a danger and must be kept on the vessel’s starboard side when proceeding upstream or into a harbour. It is marked with a red-coloured triangle centred on a white background surrounded by a triangle-shaped red reflecting border. This beacon may display an even-digit identifier number made of white reflecting material.
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Port Junction Day Beacon
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A port junction (bifurcation) day beacon marks a point where a channel divides. This beacon may be safely passed on either side. If the preferred or main channel is desired, then this day beacon should be kept on the port (left) side of the boat.
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Starboard Junction Day Beacon
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A starboard junction (bifurcation) day beacon marks a point where a channel divides. This beacon may be safely passed on either side. If the preferred or main channel is desired, then this day beacon should be kept on the starboard (right) side of the boat when proceeding upstream.
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In addition to the buoys described above, the lateral system includes fairway buoys and isolated danger buoys.
Fairway Buoy
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A fairway buoy is used to mark safe water and is usually used to mark a channel entrance, the centre of a shipping channel, or a landfall. This buoy indicates that there is safe water to pass on either side but it should be kept to the port (left) side of your vessel when proceeding upstream or downstream. It is painted half in red and half in white. If it is equipped with a light, it is white in colour and operates on a flash cycle (flashing Morse Code “A”, which is a short, then long flash, repeated 10 times per minute).
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Isolated Danger Buoy
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An isolated danger buoy is used to mark an isolated danger such as a rock, shoal, or a wreck. The buoy is moored on or above the danger and has navigable water all around it. To be safe, stay well away from this type of buoy. Consult the chart for information concerning the danger (dimensions, depth, etc). This buoy is painted black with a horizontal red stripe midway up. If equipped with a light, it will be white in colour and will operate on a flash cycle (giving two flashes every 4 seconds).
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Range Day Beacons
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Range day beacons (at right) are shore-mounted aids to navigation that indicate to a vessel when it is on the safest route through a channel or harbour.
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Range day beacons are constructed so that there is an upper marker and a lower marker. The lower marker is constructed near ground level at the shore (see photo above) while the upper marker is attached to a tower, located several metres behind the lower marker. One navigates through the channel by maintaining a course that keeps one marker aligned top and bottom with the other. When the two markers are lined up vertically, you are on the recommended course.
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Not on best
course(markers
misaligned)
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On best
course (markers
aligned)
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Cardinal buoys are a special system of buoys that indicate a hazard by reference to the four cardinal directions (points) of the compass: north, east, west, and south. A cardinal buoy indicates that the safest water exists in the direction indicated by the cardinal point (direction) represented by the buoy. Cardinal buoys and lateral buoys are the two main systems of navigational aids used on Canadian waters.
Main Characteristics of cardinal buoys
 Yellow and black
White lights - flash characters indicated below (if equipped)
Two conical topmarks: directions of points have significance
Black topmark cones point to the black portion(s) of the buoy
Lettered - no numbers
White retroreflective material
North Cardinal Buoy
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A north cardinal buoy is positioned so that the safest water lies to the north. The top half of the visible portion is black and the bottom half is yellow. The top mark is two stacked cones, black in colour, both pointing up (like a needle pointing north on a compass). If it is equipped with a light, it is white in colour and operates on either a (Q) 1s quick flash cycle (single flashes one second apart) or on a (VQ) 0.5s very-quick flash cycle (single flash every half second). If the buoy does not carry a light, it is normally spar shaped.
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South Cardinal Buoy
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A south cardinal buoy is positioned so that the safest water lies to the south. The top half is yellow and the bottom half is black. The top mark is two stacked cones, black in colour, both pointing down (like a needle pointing south on a compass). If it is equipped with a light, it is white in colour and operates on a ((Q6)+LFl)15s cycle (six single flashes one second apart and one 3-second flash, every 15s) or a ((VQ6)+LFl)10s (six single flashes one half second apart and one 3-second flash, repeated every 10s. If the buoy does not carry a light, it is normally spar shaped.
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East Cardinal Buoy
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An east cardinal buoy is positioned so that the safest water lies to the east. This buoy is black in colour except for a broad horizontal yellow band around its midsection. Its top mark consists of two stacked black cones; the top one pointing up, the bottom one pointing down. Its light is white in colour and operates on a (Q3) 10s cycle (three flashes one second apart, repeated every 10 seconds) or a (VQ3)5s cycle (three flashes one half second apart, every 5 seconds). If the buoy does not carry a light, it is normally spar shaped.
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West Cardinal Buoy
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A west cardinal buoy is positioned so that the safest water is located to the west. This buoy is yellow in colour except for a broad horizontal black band around its midsection. Its top mark consists of two stacked black cones; the top one pointing down, the bottom one pointing up. Its light is white in colour and operates on a (Q9) 15s cycle (nine flashes one second apart, every 15 seconds) or a (VQ9) 10s cycle (nine flashes ˝ second apart repeated every 10 seconds). If the buoy does not carry a light, it is normally spar shaped.
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To remember the topmarks for a west cardinal buoy, simply note how the marks are arranged so as to allow one to draw a “w” through the topmarks. Similarly, note how the topmarks on the east cardinal buoy seem to be arranged to allow one to draw an “e” through them.
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REMEMBER
With cardinal buoys, safest water lies in the direction indicated by the buoy. Water in the opposite direction should be considered unsafe and avoided.
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The shapes of the following special purpose buoys have no special significance. They may be lettered but they are never numbered. Cautionary, scientific, and anchorage buoys may display a yellow “X” topmark. If a special purpose buoy has been equipped with a light, it will be yellow in colour.
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A cautionary buoy is a yellow-coloured buoy that marks traffic separations as well as dangers such as firing ranges, underwater pipelines, race courses, seaplane bases, underwater structures, and areas where no through channel exists. This type of buoy displays identification letters. If it carries a topmark, the mark is a single yellow “X”. If it carries a light, it operates on a flash cycle, (F1) 4s, (i.e. flashing once every 4 seconds).
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An anchorage buoy marks the perimeter of designated anchorage areas. One should consult the chart for anchorage depths to ensure the anchorage can accept your vessel’s draft.
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A mooring buoy is used for mooring or securing vessels. Be aware that another vessel may be secured to the same buoy. Do not tie up if another boat is already using the buoy. The mooring buoy is not a navigation buoy; and it is the only type of buoy to which you may be moored. Tying up to any navigation buoy (i.e. any other buoy in this module) is an infraction under the Criminal Code of Canada.
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An information buoy displays by means of words or symbols information such as locality, a marina, or campsite. This type of buoy is white in colour and displays information within a hollow orange square with two horizontal orange bands, one above the square and one below. If it carries a light, the light is yellow in colour and operates on a flash cycle, (F1) 4s, (one flash, repeated every 4 seconds).
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A hazard buoy marks random hazards such as rocks and shoals. This type of buoy is white in colour and is marked with an orange diamond with two horizontal orange bands, one above the diamond and one below. Information concerning the hazard is indicated by a black symbol displayed inside the orange diamond. If it carries a light, the light is yellow in colour and operates on a flash cycle, (F1) 4s, (i.e. flashing once every 4 seconds).
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A control buoy is used to mark an area where a restriction has been placed on boating. The restriction may be a speed limit or a no-wake restriction. This type of buoy is white in colour and has a hollow orange circle with two horizontal orange bands, one above the circle and one below. A black symbol displayed inside the orange circle indicates the type of restriction that is in effect. If it carries a light, the light is yellow in colour and operates on a flash cycle, (F1) 4s, (i.e. flashing once every 4 seconds).
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A keep-out buoy is used to mark an area in which boats are prohibited. It is white in colour and is marked with an orange diamond the interior points of which are joined by an orange cross. It also has two orange, horizontal bands, one above and one below the diamond-shaped symbol. If it carries a light, the light is yellow in colour and operates on a flash cycle, (F1) 4s, (i.e. flashing once every 4 seconds).
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A scientific buoy, also called an ODAS buoy (for Ocean Data Acquisition System), collects meteorological and other scientific data. The hazard represented is the buoy itself.
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A diving buoy is used to mark areas where scuba or other diving is in progress. This buoy is white in colour. It carries a red flag not less than 50 cm square with a white diagonal stripe extending from the tip of the hoist to the bottom of the fly. If the buoy is equipped with a light, it operates on a flash cycle, (F1) 4s, (i.e. flashing once every 4 seconds).
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Swimming buoys are used to mark the perimeter of a swimming area. A swimming buoy is white in colour and carries no markings. If it carries a light, the light is yellow in colour and operates on a flash cycle, (F1) 4s, (i.e. flashing once every 4 seconds).
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Other aids to navigation that a boater will encounter include command signs and warning signs, either posted on a pole or buoy in the water or on constructed onshore. The types or commands and warnings that one may see posted on these signs include:
Regulations concerning private aids to navigation can be found in the Private Buoy Regulations under the Canada Shipping Act. An interpretation of these regulations titled “An Owner’s Guide to Private Aids to Navigation” can be found at the following web site:
http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/mns-snm/pubs/aidsnavguide2001/main_e.htm
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This free online course is solely for the use of boaters preparing to write a freecourse.ca Operator Proficiency Exam on the Internet or at a freecourse.ca testing centre. Please see our list of Testing Centres for a location near you.
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Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Module 4 Module 5 Module 6
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