[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 33, Volume 1]

[Revised as of July 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 33CFR62.25]



[Page 147-148]

 

                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 

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.



[[Page 148]]



    (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]