Buoyage system (Questions and Answers)

Cardinal Buoys for Buoyage System A & B

North Cardinal

East Cardinal

South Cardinal

West Cardinal

White Light;

White light;

White light;

White light;

V.Q. Flashing

V.Q.or Q. Flashing

Or Quick Flashing

3 every 5 or 10 seconds;

V.Q. or Q. 6 flashes plus

a long flash every
10 or 15 seconds;

V.Q. or Q.
9 Flashes every 10
or 15 seconds;

Continuous;

Pass to the East

side of this buoy

Pass to the South

side of this Buoy

Pass to the West

side of this buoy

Pass to the North

side of this buoy

Cardinal Buoys (Marking a new danger)

This lets you know there is a new danger that may not be in the weekly notices to mariners;
The second cardinal buoy will have a racon beacon that you will see on your radar display, usually
Morse D
You still keep to the North side of the buoy's

Lateral Marks for Buoyage System A (Check charts for direction of Buoyage)

Port Hand Lateral

Mark

Port Hand Lateral Mark

Starboard Hand Lateral Mark
Preferred channel to Starboard
Preferred channel to Port

Starboard Hand
Lateral Mark

Red Light;

Red Light;

Green Light;

Green Light;

Any Rhythm except

2 +1;

Flashing 2 +1;

Flashing 2 + 1;

Any Rhythm
except 2 + 1;

Going with direction of

Going with direction of
Going with
Buoyage, alter to
Buoyage, alter to port and
Going with
direction of
starboard and take the
take the buoy down your
direction of
Buoyage, alter to buoy down your port side, starboard side, you can go Buoyage, alter to
starboard and take you can go up the wrong
up the wrong side of the port and take the
the buoy down
side of the buoy if you
buoy if you have a shallow buoy down your
your port side
have a shallow drafted
drafted vessel and have
starboard side
vessel and have local
local knowledge of the
knowledge of the area
area

Lateral Marks for Buoyage System B (Check Charts for Direction of Buoyage)

Port Hand Lateral Port Hand Lateral Mark Starboard Hand Lateral
Mark
Preferred channel to
Mark
Starboard
Preferred channel to Port

Starboard Hand
Lateral Mark

Green Light;

Green Light;

Red Light;

Red Light;

Any Rhythm except 2

+1;

Flashing 2 +1;

Flashing 2 + 1;

Any Rhythm except

2 + 1;

Going with
Going with direction of
Going with direction of
Going with
direction of
Buoyage, alter to
Buoyage, alter to port and
direction of
Buoyage, alter to
starboard and take the
take the buoy down your Buoyage, alter to
starboard and take buoy down your port side, starboard side, you can go port and take the
the buoy down
you can go up the wrong
up the wrong side of the
buoy down your
your port side
side of the buoy if you
buoy if you have a shallow starboard side
have a shallow drafted
drafted vessel and have
vessel and have local
local knowledge of the
knowledge of the area
area

Special Marks

Port Hand Lateral

Special Mark

Starboard Hand Lateral Special

Mark

Spar Buoy Special Mark

Safewater Special
Mark

Yellow Light;
Any Rhythm not used for any buoys with white lights in the area;
Going with
Going with direction of
Pass either side,
Pass either side,
direction of
Buoyage, alter to port and
preferable alter to
preferable alter to
Buoyage, alter to take the buoy down your
starboard and take the
starboard and
starboard and take
starboard side
buoy down your port side
take the buoy
the buoy down
down your port
your port side
side

Safe Water and Isolated Danger Buoys

Safewater or Landfall
Buoy

Isolated Danger
Mark

White Light;

White Light;

One of four flashes

Group Flash 2;

Isophase

You can pass

either side of this
buoy, preferable
altering to
starboard and
take the buoy
down your port
side

Occulting
Morse A
Long flash every 10 seconds
You can pass either side of this buoy,
preferable altering to starboard and take the
buoy down your port side
Long Flash is between 4 6 seconds

Direction Of Buoyage

Magenta Arrow
This will be on every chart and lets you know the direction
of Buoyage
Caution !!!

During the Oral Exam, the captain will test your knowledge
on the buoys, it's common for them to place the wrong top
marks on the buoys

Direction of Buoyage in Buoyage System A ( U.K. )

North up the North Sea, North up the Irish Sea, North up the west coast of Ireland, East to West in the
Pentland Firth and English Channel, and also going into every harbour unless there is two channels
going into that harbour then direction of buoyage is going in the South entrance