Session V Introduction to Basic Aid to Navigation Training

Training Objectives 1. Review the definitions for the various Federal and Private AtoNs. 2. Understand why AtoNs are established. 3. Understand the specific purpose of the various AtoNs. 4. Become familiar with the flash characteristics used on AtoNs. 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

AToN System Definitions IALA = International Association of Lighthouse Authorities. Divides the world into 2 regions: Region “A”: Most of the World Region “B”: North & South America, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines Bowditch pg.72 Each country had their own system of navigation. Ships going to other countries were confused. All the countries got together and came up with a standard. In 1980 IALA maritime buoyage system was adopted. 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

AToN System Definitions The US uses the IALA-B System IALA-B = Red, Right, Returning from sea Bowditch pg.72 Each country had their own system of navigation. Ships going to other countries were confused. All the countries got together and came up with a standard. In 1980 IALA maritime buoyage system was adopted. 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

AtoN System Modes Region “B” Region “A” Green – Even - Triangles Red - Odd - Squares Region “B” Red – Even - Triangles and nuns Green - Odd - Squares and cans

Western River System ATON System Names U.S. Marking System Intracoastal Waterway System Western River System

U. S. Marking System Lateral System: Employs a simple arrangement of . . . 1. Colors RED & Green 2. Numbers EVEN & ODD 3. Shapes NUNS & CANS 4. Shapes TRIANGLES & SQUARES Bowditch pg.73 The LATERAL system indicates the PORT & STBD sides of the channel. Europeans use a CARDINAL system, developed from the four points of the compass, that marks where navigable water is located. an eastern quadrant buoy means that there is navigable water on the eastern side of the buoy . 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Lateral Marks define the port and starboard sides of a channel or fairway being followed. Their most frequent use is to mark the sides of channels - may be used individually to mark obstructions located outside of clearly defined channels. have three criteria that assist the mariner in their quick identification – shape, color, and numbering. Bowditch pg.73 The LATERAL system indicates the PORT & STBD sides of the channel. Europeans use a CARDINAL system, developed from the four points of the compass, that marks where navigable water is located. an eastern quadrant buoy means that there is navigable water on the eastern side of the buoy . 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

U. S. Marking System Lateral System Numbering: Red aids get even numbers Green aids get odd numbers Number start from sea and increase toward shore Bowditch pg.73 The LATERAL system indicates the PORT & STBD sides of the channel. Europeans use a CARDINAL system, developed from the four points of the compass, that marks where navigable water is located. an eastern quadrant buoy means that there is navigable water on the eastern side of the buoy . 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Conventional Direction of Buoyage Purpose: To identify how aids should be passed in areas other than channels. Regions: Atlantic Coast: Southerly Gulf Coast: North and Westerly Pacific Coast: Northerly Great Lakes: North and Westerly (Lake Michigan: Southerly) 4-3 AM / Bowditch pg.73,74 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Conventional Direction of Buoyage Used for marking the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) and the off-shore ocean buoys along the coast. 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Definition of an Aid to Navigation Any device, external to a vessel, intended to assist navigators to determine their position, safe course, or to warn them of dangers or obstructions to navigation. 4-1 4-14 Admin manual 1-2/ 1-5 Any device external, could be a landmark, building, jetty, buoy, or whatever... that assists YOU with navigation. 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Definition of a Buoy Any unmanned, floating aid to navigation that is moored to the seabed. May be lighted or unlighted. The seabed is owned by the Corp of Engineers and is licensed to the Coast Guard who authorizes private parties to deploy PATONs.

Definition of a Beacon Any fixed aid to navigation located on a shore or marine site. Lighted beacons are called Lights. Unlighted beacons are called Daybeacons or Daymarks. 4-13 4-12 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Definition of a Daymark The daytime identifier of an aid to navigation presenting one of several colors, shapes, numerals or letters. Shape may be square, triangle, rectangle, diamond or octagon. 4-1 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Starboard Lateral Marks Color: Red Shape: Triangular or conical—nuns. Character: Even Numbers Light: Red 3-6 tech manual 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Port Lateral Marks Cans Numbers Color: Green Shape: Square / Character: Odd Numbers Light: Green 3-6 tech manual 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Red Daymark 2 Should have a contrasting red number 2

Will have a contrasting GREEN number 3 3 Green Daymark

Nun Buoy Should have a white number 6

Can Buoy 7 Should have a white number 7

Preferred Channel Marks Purpose: Marks junctions / bifurcations Description: Color: Red & Green horizontally banded (top color band is preferred channel) Shape: Same as preferred channel (uppermost band is preferred channel) Character: Letter not number. Light: Same color as uppermost band. Characteristic: Gp Fl (2+1) 6s Bowditch pg. 76 / 3-10 TM 4-28 TO SEA JUNCTION BIFURCATION energize 2+1 flashing lantern A 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Safe Water Mark all around the mark Purpose: Indicates navigable water Description: Color: Red and White vertically striped Shape: Sphere or Buoy with Topmark Character: White letters (ex. “NC” North Channel) Light Color: White Characteristic: Mo(A) 4-5 usually the sea buoy / entrance buoy We use a RED BALL for the topmark. IALA states that spheres signifies a safe water mark. U.S. uses a red/white striped aid. This is to costly for us to change to a sphere, so we use the topmark to comply with the sphere requirement. 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Safe Water Marks MR Spherical Lighted and or sound

Isolated Danger Mark banded Purpose: Marks isolated dangers or obstructions that can be passed on all sides Description: Color: Black and Red horizontally banded Shape: Buoy with Top marks Character: White Letters Light: White Characteristic: Gp Fl (2) 5s Bowditch pg.74 / 4-5AM This doesn’t have anything to do with the channel. This is off by itself. Topmark is 2 black balls. 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Special Marks Purpose: Not intended to assist safe navigation but to indicate special areas marked on charts (anchorage, traffic separation, data gathering) Description: Color: Yellow Shape: Various Character: Black letters Light: Yellow Characteristic: Fixed, Flashing (except Mo A, 2+1, Qk) 3-16TM / 4-5AM 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Regulatory & Information Marks Not part of Lateral System Diamond - means danger and words may appear explaining the danger. Called a Danger Buoy Circle- means restricted operations. Speed Buoys (5 MPH) or No Wake Buoys. Diamond with a Cross - tells you that vessels are not allowed in the area. Sometimes called Exclusion Buoys Square - contains directions to the boater. Bridge Regulatory Signs. 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Regulatory and Information Marks Purpose: Alert the mariner to such things as submerged pipes, no wake zones, etc. Description: Color: White with orange band or border Shape: Square, Round, or Diamond Character: Letters (black, usually words) Light: White 3-24 Maintained by state and civilians. CG has some also. Orange boarder is retro. 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Definition of a Range A pair of beacons arranged so that when they are aligned they indicate the center of the navigable channel. 4-13 4-12 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Range Marks KGW = Range Green with White Stripe. Purpose: Indicate the center line of a channel when aligned as you traverse the channel. Description: Color: They will have colored panels equal in size vertical striped. Shape: Rectangle tall side up. Light - Green, Red, White and Yellow. Front range light is lower of the two. Rear range light is higher and further from the mariner. KGW = Range Green with White Stripe. 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

WRECK MARKS Purpose: To alert the mariner to wrecks. Description: Color: Appropriate to side of channel. Shape: Appropriate to side of channel. Character: White letters “WR”, numbered in sequence with channel (WR2). Light: Same as buoy color. Characteristic: Quick Flashing (unless aid is a preferred channel aid) 4-36AM 6-1 This is part of the lateral system, and is numbered consecutively. Can be red or green. 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

DAY MARK Some markers will have no lateral significance. They are not designed to indicate the channel but rather, to help you determine where you are. 2003 Aids to Navigation Workshop

Light Structures Major Lighthouses Minor Lights Not named Are named. e.g. Boston Light Symbol is large exclamation point. Fixed position Minor Lights Not named Same symbol

Lighthouse Enclosed edifice that houses protects, displays, or supports visual, audible, or radio aids to navigation. All US Lighthouses are now unmanned (except Boston Light)

Light Patterns – see page 12 Fixed (F) – continuous, unblinking light Flashing (Fl) – light duration shorter than darkness. Frequency not greater than 30 per minute. Quick Flashing (Q) – light duration shorter than darkness. Frequency is at least 60 per minute. Very Quick Flashing (VQ) – light duration shorter than darkness. Frequency is at least 100 per minute. Interrupted Quick Flashing (IQ) – like quick flashing but having a brief, extended darkness period. Isophase (Iso) – Light has equal duration between light and darkness. Period consists of both light and dark interval. Also called Equal Interval (E Int).

Light Patterns Group Flashing (Gp Fl (x+x)) – Combination of two patterns in one period, i.e. 2 flashes followed by three flashes. Occulting (Occ) – Opposite of flashing – light is on more than it is off. Alternating (AL) – Alternating light changes color. Special purpose light for situations requiring significant caution. Example shows AL.WG…alternating white and green light. Morse (Mo) – Morse code light signal. Example is Morse “U” which is two short flashes followed by one prolonged flash then a period of darkness. Shown as (Mo(U)) on charts. Long Flashing (LFL) – One long flash in a period with lighted period of at least 2 seconds.

Timing for Lights Lights are timed for 60 seconds See Standard Rhythms Table for time i.e. Quick, 60 flashes/min FL 4, 15 fl/min and FL 6, 10 fl/min

Intracoastal Waterway Begins in New Jersey. Goes south to the Florida Keys. Then north along the west coast of Florida. Then west along the Gulf of Mexico to Brownsville, Texas.

Intracoastal Waterway Marks When aids in a channel are also used to identify an ICW channel. The normal “Red right returning from the sea” rule applies to both. Intracoastal Waterway Marks

Yellow triangles, squares and bands are used to identify ICW marks. The material used is retroreflective. Yellow triangles are usually displayed on red lateral marks used on the ICW. Yellow squares are usually displayed on green lateral marks used on the ICW. Yellow bands are displayed on non-lateral ATONS used on the ICW.

Aids marking the Intracoastal Waterway

Dual Purpose Marks Are found on cans and nuns in the ICW. Sometimes a yellow triangle appears on a can or square daymark or a yellow square appears on a nun or triangle daymark. The buoy has dual purpose. To use the ICW, follow the yellow marks. When following the local waterway, use the (red or green) lateral system marks.

Intracoastal Waterway Marks Dual Purpose Marks

END OF Session V