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The Buoys of the United Kingdom


Their Colour, Shape, and distinctive Marks.

CONICAL BUOYS are Buoys with a pointed top above water. They are always Starboard-hand buoys.

Can Buoys are Buoys with a flat top above water. They are always Port-hand buoys.

Spherical Buoys are buoys with a domed top above water. They mark the ends of "middle grounds."

Pillar Buoys are buoys with a tall central structure on a broad base. Like other special buoys, such as Bell buoys, Gas buoys, Automatic sounding buoys, etc., etc., they are placed so as to mark special positions either on the coast or in the approaches to harbours.

Spar Buoys are buoys with only a mast above water.

The painting of Starboard-hand Buoys is always in a single colour only.

The painting of Port-hand buoys is always in some different characteristic colour, which may be either single or parti-coloured.

The painting of Spherical buoys is always distinguished by horizontal stripes of White.

The painting of surmounting beacons such as Staffs and Globes, etc., is always in a single dark colour.

Staffs and Globes are only used on Starboard-hand buoys; Staffs and Cages on Port-hand buoys, Diamonds at the outer ends of "middle grounds," and Triangles at the inner ends.

The colour of Wreck buoys, or ships marking the position of Wrecks, is green. When ships are used their navigable side is marked by means of 2 balls vertically arranged, and the other by 1, or at night by 3 lamps from the yard-arm similarly arranged.

The colour of "Watch" buoys, of the "Can" type, is red. They are marked With the word " Watch," pre­ceded by the lightvessel's name in white letters.