[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 33, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 33CFR62.25]

[Page 145-146]
 
                TITLE 33--NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS
 
         CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
 
PART 62--UNITED STATES AIDS TO NAVIGATION SYSTEM--Table of Contents
 
              Subpart B--The U.S. Aids to Navigation System
 
Sec. 62.25  Lateral marks.

    (a) Lateral marks define the port and starboard sides of a route to 
be followed. They may be either beacons or buoys.
    (b) Sidemarks are lateral marks which advise the mariner to stay to

[[Page 146]]

one side of the mark. Their most frequent use is to mark the sides of 
channels; however, they may be used individually to mark obstructions 
outside of clearly defined channels. Sidemarks are not always placed 
directly on a channel edge and may be positioned outside the channel as 
indicated on charts and nautical publications.
    (1) Port hand marks indicate the left side of channels when 
proceeding in the Conventional Direction of Buoyage. Beacons have green 
square daymarks, while buoys are green can or pillar buoys.
    (2) Starboard hand marks indicate the right side of channels when 
proceeding in the Conventional Direction of Buoyage. Beacons have red 
triangular daymarks, while buoys are red nun or pillar buoys.
    (c) Preferred channel marks indicate channel junctions or 
bifurcations and may also mark wrecks or obstructions which the mariner, 
after consulting a chart to ascertain the location of the obstruction 
relative to the aid, may pass on either side. Preferred channel marks 
have red and green horizontal bands with the color of the topmost band 
indicating the preferred channel. If the topmost band is green, the mark 
serves as a port hand mark for vessels following the preferred channel 
proceeding in the Conventional Direction of Buoyage, and as a starboard 
hand mark for the other channel. Beacons would have square daymarks, 
while buoys would be can or pillar buoys. If the topmost band is red, 
the mark serves as a starboard hand mark for vessels following the 
preferred channel proceeding in the Conventional Direction of Buoyage, 
and a port hand mark for the other channel. Beacons would have 
triangular daymarks, while buoys would be nun or pillar buoys.
    (d) The above color schemes apply to IALA Region B. Marks located in 
the IALA Region A exhibit reversed color significance: port hand marks 
will be red when following the Conventional Direction of Buoyage, and 
starboard hand marks will be green. The meaning of daymark and buoy 
shapes is identical in both regions.
    (e) Certain marks on the Intracoastal Waterway may exhibit reversed 
lateral significance. See Sec. 62.49.

[CGD 86-031, 52 FR 42640, Nov. 6, 1987, as amended by CGD 88-018, 54 FR 
48608, Nov. 24, 1989]