Supertramp
Well-Known Member
That is true, and in the era of GPS and electronic charts unlikely to lead to trouble. But worth understanding as in the example below a starboard course is considerably more challenging than the port one!
Buoy identification - for the experts
- Thread starter Neeves
- Start date
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
You will if you go up the wrong channel.....
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
Also sometimes called bifurcation buoys
with the preferred channel indicated by the colour of the top colour
Red keep the buoy to your Port side (pass buoy to starboard)
Green keep buoy to your starboard side (pass buoy to Port)
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
There are plenty of well lit preferred channel marks in many ports and harbours. The light sequence reserved for them is F2+1 either red or green. The shape of the buoy and top mark are for the main channel.
See NP 5011 chart symbols and abbreviations.
All buoyage is taught on the day skipper Theory and practical courses.
14K478
Well-Known Member
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
I though one just rounded SA to port or Stbd depending on what way one was going
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
I though one just rounded SA to port or Stbd depending on what way one was going
Yes there is only one channel so no prefered channel so no prefered channel buoy
Laser310
Well-Known Member
not necessarily
the cardinal buoy implies a danger.., whereas RGR and GRG only tell you that the channel is bifurcating, and one side is preferred; there might not be any danger between them
also, the cardinal buoy does not signify channels on either side, where as RGR and GRG do
there are regional variations in buoyage custom, beyond just A and B, and it's worth figuring them out. For example, in my experience, Cardinal marks are very uncommon in the USA.
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capnsensible
Well-Known Member
I would write down the word 'bifurcating' on a pice of paper, screw it up and throw it in the nearest out bin.
On a dark and stormy night, in the rain, the question is 'that way or this way'. As always, lights, shapes and topmarks indicate your safe track.
There aren't that many!!
On a dark and stormy night, in the rain, the question is 'that way or this way'. As always, lights, shapes and topmarks indicate your safe track.
There aren't that many!!
Supertramp
Well-Known Member
It may be - but it was real when I was there. I asked my wife to count the green buoys as we went in for the first time and when we got to that one she said "What do you want me to count that as?".That’s the practice chart! I rest my case!
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
Well firstly if someone's not familiar they'll have a chart out.
Secondly, unless I'm missing something it's possible to go through either channel, it's just one is preferred. If there was a wrong channel they'd surely stick a red or green there.
Neeves is still alive and I've never heard of anyone else coming a cropper over a preferred channel mark.
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
Surely the guy who made that chart up could have made up a slightly saner use of a GRG!?
My 7yo could come up with something better.
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
I take it back, it's a real place in Ireland.
According to Navionics the GRG is still there. Bless 'em!
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
It's doesn't really matter but plenty of other places use a Cardinal in exactly that situation.
Doesn't really matter because the chart makes it clear what's going on but I'd personally prefer a cardinal there. Would feel a bit odd leaving a flashing green to port when going rock dodging into that anchorage.
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
But one is the "Preferred" channel. It does not mean that the other is the "Wrong" channel. Just not as good as the other.
One used to do something like that when going north into the sound of Kerran approaching Oban, until they got fed up with boats running aground on the bank in the middle. I believe they have revised the buoyage now.
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
Yeah, there wasn't a preferred channel mark last time I was there, and that was before kids so at least 10 years.
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
Cmon, it depends on the draft and size of your boat/ship. Of course there is a wrong channel. That's the whole point.
For an easy way to understand it, big ships use the preferred channel, little boats can use both.
Check your charts, make your pilotage plan!
Add and keep it simple.
dunedin
Well-Known Member
Kerrera Sound inconveniently has the Ferry Rocks slap bang in the middle, and people used to get confused by the buoyage and go straight into them (possibly simply by forgetting the direction of buoyage in the channel).
A few years back they improved the buoyage by putting both red and green buoys close together on the preferred West channel and an East Cardinal on the east of the rocks.
No preferred channel buoys used. Indeed I personally couldn‘t name any place on West Scotland with such a buoy, but suspect somebody will be along shortly to correct me.
Mark-1
Well-Known Member
I've only ever seen a preferred channel marker where the reason for the preferred channel was rudimentary traffic management. It's clearly not (typically) based on size of vessel or there would be preferred channel markers all over busy places with shipping and small boats like the Solent.
If there's a wrong channel you'd jist use a red/green, that's what they're for.
Having said all that all any nav mark *really* does is mark a pin point on the chart so it doesn't really matter.