Boating: How to Boat: Basics
Aids to Navigation
Aids to Navigation are placed along coasts and navigable waters as guides to mark
safe water and to assist mariners in determining their position in
relation to land and hidden dangers. Each aid to navigation is used to
provide specific information.
Several aids to navigation are
usually used together to form a local aid to navigation system that helps
the mariner follow natural and improved channels. Such aids to navigation
also provide a continuous system of charted marks for coastal piloting.
Individual aids to navigation are used to mark landfall from seaward, and
to mark isolated dangers.
Lateral markers are buoys or beacons that
indicate the port and starboard sides of a route to be followed. Virtually
all U.S. lateral marks follow the traditional 3R rule of "red, right,
returning". This means, when returning from sea, keep red marks on the
right-hand (starboard) side of the vessel.
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Mariners must NOT rely on buoys alone for determining their
position. Storms and wave action can cause buoys to move.
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Lateral Aids
Lateral aids marking the sides
of channels as seen when entering from seaward.
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| Do not tie
up to Aids to Navigation, it is dangerous and illegal. |
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