According to Chart One, a green and red striped buoy marks an
obstruction, shallow spot, wreck, or other hazard.  The color of the top
band indicates the preferred side to pass this buoy when entering a
port, channel, etc.  In other words, the "red-right-returning" rule.
There is one of these buoys at the top of a narrow passage we transit
most times we go out.  It marks (I believe) a wreck.  The top band is
red, which indicates that the buoy should be taken on the starboard side
by vessels entering this end of the passage.  The water between this
buoy and the tip of the island to starboard marking the top of the
passage is on average 40 feet deep, so most pleasure boats cut the
corner and take the buoy on the port side.  But larger vessels, tugs,
etc. all take it on the starboard side heading down the channel, port
heading out of the channel.

And here's a semantics question--- in writing the above I began to
wonder just what was meant by "passing a buoy to port."  Does this mean
the buoy is off your port side as you go by it, or does it mean you pass
on the port side of the buoy (its port side as you approach it)?  I have
always assumed the former meaning.

C. Marin Faure
GB36-403 "La Perouse"
Bellingham, Washington

My understanding has always been in the case of a bouy that is not
"striped", but just two colors, green over red or visa-versa, that the top
color is the main or prefered channel and the other is the seconary channel.
I have a little laminated cheat-sheet that I bought at WM that has that info
in it. "Striped" would mean to me more than just 2 "stripes". There are
several in my normal cruising ground of Galveston / Clear Lake area and
that's how they are used.

As far as whether "passing bouy to port" refers to the boats port or the
bouy's port, it has to be the boats. Bouys, docks, markers, etc DON'T have
starboard or port sides. Only boats.

Disclaimer:  I am by no means an expert, but this is my understanding.

Brent Hodges

Marin,

Would you care to cite a reference page in Chart No.1 to support that
statement?

My copy of Chart No.1 shows a buoy with red/green/red or green/red/green
horizontal bands as being a junction buoy, with the top color marking the
preferred channel.

A junction buoy (i.e. a channel junction with the preferred channel on one
side, and secondary but also navigable channel on the other side), would
never be used to mark a wreck, obstruction or hazard. You can pass on either
side of a junction buoy, going up the primary or secondary channel.

Kevin Redden
www.BoatMoves.com