Reading Buoys And Other Markers; To Get More Boating Safety Information - Yamaha XR1800Z Ower's Manual

Reading Buoys and Other Markers

The waters of the United States are
marked for safe navigation by the lat-
eral system of buoyage. Simply put,
buoys and markers have an arrange-
ment of shapes, colors, numbers and
lights to show which side of the buoy a
boater should pass on when navigat-
ing in a particular direction. The mark-
ings on these buoys are oriented from
the perspective of being entered from
seaward (the boater is going towards
the harbor). Red buoys are passed on
your starboard (right) side when pro-
ceeding from open water into port, and
black buoys are to your port (left) side.
An easy way to remember the mean-
ing of the colors is the phrase "red right
returning." When navigating out of the
harbor, your position with respect to
the buoys should be reversed; red
buoys should be to port and black
buoys to starboard.
Many bodies of water used by boaters
are entirely within the boundaries of a
particular state. The Uniform State
Waterway Marking System has been
devised for these waters.
This system uses buoys and signs with
distinctive shapes and colors to show
regulatory or advisory information.
These markers are white with black
letters and orange borders. They signi-
fy speed zones, restricted areas, dan-
ger areas, and general information.
Remember, markings may vary by
geographic location. Always consult
local boating authorities before riding
your boat in unfamiliar waters.
S
AFETY
TO GET MORE BOATING
SAFETY INFORMATION
Be informed about boating safety.
Additional publications and information
can be obtained from many organiza-
tions, including the following.
United States Coast Guard
Consumer Affairs Staff (G-BC)
Office of Boating, Public, and
Consumer Affairs
US Coast Guard Headquarters
Washington, D.C. 20593-0001
Boating Safety Hotline:
1-800-368-5647
Other Sources:
You can find local rules by contacting
the National Association of State
Boating Law Administrators, or your
local Power Squadron.
BOAT EDUCATION AND TRAINING
The Online Boating Safety Course,
available through the watercraft sec-
tion of the yamaha-motor.com website,
is a free, 50 question learning course
available to the public. Upon success-
ful completion of 80 percent or better,
the user can request a certificate of
completion by mail or can download
one immediately. The Online Boating
Safety Course, provided by the
Boat/US Foundation, is approved by
the National Association of State
Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA)
and recognized by the United States
Coast Guard. This course meets the
education requirement for those states
that recognize non-proctored, NAS-
BLA-approved courses.
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