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blasts).if.intent.is.not.clear..A.short.blast.is.one.or.two.
seconds.long..A.long.blast.is.4.to.6.seconds.long..The.
Navigational.Aids.Chart.at.the.end.of.this.section.lists.
the.meanings.of.the.various.whistle.signals.
C - 2
NAVIGATIONAL AIDS
Aids.to.navigation.(ATONS).help.you.to.travel.safely.on.
the.water..They.help.you.get.from.one.place.to.another.
and.are.most.helpful.if.you.have.a.nautical.chart..A.
navigational.aids.chart.is.at.the.end.of.this.section.
NEVER tie your vessel to an ATON. It is illegal
because it blocks the ATON from view of other
boaters. Decreased visiblility can contribute to
a serious accident which may result in property
damage, personal injury, or death.
There.are.two.ATON.systems..The.system.used.on.
federal.waters.is.known.as.the.International.Associa-
tion.of.Lighthouse.Authorities.System.B.(IALA-B)...
The.Coast.Guard.maintains.this.system..The.second.
system.is.the.Uniform.State.Waterway.Marking.System.
(USWMS)..This.system.is.maintained.by.state..
authorities.
A. International Association of Lighthouse
Authorities System B (IALA-B)
IALA-B.uses.four.types.of.ATONS..This.section.
discusses.the.two.most.common.markers:.lateral.
markers.and.safe.water.markers..Other.federal..
markers.include.special.markers.and.isolated.danger.
markers..The.Navigational.Aids.Chart.at.the.end..
of.this.section.shows.these.aids.
B. Lateral Markers
Lateral.markers.indicate.the.sides.of.navigable..
channels..They.consist.of.lighted.can.or.nun.buoys..
and.daymarks..Each.has.a.number.and.is.either.red..
or.green..The.numbers.on.the.green.markers.are.odd..
Red.markers.have.even.numbers.
Buoys are red or green floating ATONS. If lighted, they
have.either.red.or.green.lights..Unlighted.green.buoys,.
called.cans,.look.like.cylinders..Unlighted.red.nun.
buoys.have.a.cone.shaped.top.with.their.points..
cut.off..Do.not.pass.too.close.to.a.buoy..You.may.foul.
the.propeller.in.its.chain.
Basic Seamanship - Section C
NOTICE
Buoys are anchored floating objects and may
not always be in exactly the same position.
Daymarks.are.red.or.green.boards.with.numbers..
They.are.on.posts.or.groups.of.pilings.tied.together.
and.called.dolphins..Daymarks.and.their.supports..
are.daybeacons..Daybeacons.may.or.may.not.have.
lights..If.a.red.or.green.daybeacon.has.a.light,.it.is.
the.same.color.as.the.marker-red.or.green..Red.
daymarks.are.triangular.and.have.even.numbers..
Green.daymarks.are.square.and.have.odd.numbers.
Red Right Returning.is.a.basic.rule.to.assist.you.in.
using.lateral.markers..When.you.are.returning.from.
seaward,.keep.red.markers.on.the.starboard.(right).
side.when.you.pass.them..Keep.green.markers.to.
the.port.side.
Returning.from.seaward.is.very.clear.if.you.have.
been.on.the.ocean..You.are.returning.to.port..By.
agreement,.going.upstream.on.a.navigational.river.is.
returning.from.seaward..The.outlet.ends.of.the.Great.
Lakes.are.also.the.seaward.ends..Traveling.from.a.
large.body.of.water.to.a.smaller.one.is.considered.
returning.from.seaward.
C. Safe Water Markers
Safe.water.markers.have.vertical.red.and.white.
stripes.and.mark.the.center.of.navigable.channels.
and.fairways..Safe.water.markers.included.both.
lighted.and.unlighted.buoys.and.daymarks..If.a.
marker is lighted, the light is white and flashes the
letter."A".is.Morse.Code.
Preferred.Channel.markers.have.horizontal.red.and.
green.bands..If.lighted,.the.color.of.the.light.is.the.
same.as.the.top.of.the.band..They.show.the.pre-
ferred.channel.for.you.to.use.at.a.junction.point..Be.
sure.to.notice.the.color.of.the.top.of.the.band,.and.
treat.it.as.any.other.marker.you.would.of.that.color...
If.the.band.is.red.and.you.are.returning.from.sea-
ward,.keep.the.marker.to.the.right.
Most lights on markers flash on and off. Others such
as lights on aids with no lateral significance are fixed.
They stay on all night. ATON lights flash in regular
patterns. For example, they may flash every three
seconds, or in groups such as two flashes and a
pause. There are a number of flashing patterns,
which.help.you.identify.the.light.at.night..To.identify.
..
Owner's Manual Page 0
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