Coastal Navigation

Session 2

Part 1 - Aids to Navigation

(Chapter 3, continued)
Part 2 - Lights (Chapter 4)
Part 3 - Coordinates (Chapter 5)
Part 4 - Measuring Angles (Chapter 6)
Part 5 - Measuring Distances (Chapter 7)

Dominique Prinet www.MarineNavigationBooks.com May 2021

 Part 1

Aids to Navigation
(Chapter 3, continued)
Buoys and Markers
 1. Group 1: Lateral buoys
Types

Spar Pillar Can Cone

p. 26
3
 2. System for placing lateral buoys:
Red or Green ?

• Based on direction of FLOOD CURRENT

• Red on the starboard side when sailing
with the flood current
• When entering a harbour: RED, RIGHT,
RETURNING

4
 Assumed tide flood-currents around
N. America

Fig. 3.3
5
 3. Regular lateral buoys and markers

Fig. 3.5 & 3.7

6
 Lateral Markers (Day-Beacons)

Fig. 3.6 & 3.8 7

Lateral buoys and markers

Fig. 3.4
8
 4. Lateral buoys for Bifurcations
Port Bifurcation buoy
Keep the GRG bifurcation buoy to port
(preferred channel to the right)

Fig. 3.9
9
 Starboard Bifurcation
Keep the bifurcation Marker to Starboard
(Preferred channel to the left)

10
 Bifurcations Buoys

Port bifurcation

Starboard bifurcation

Fig. 3.10 & 3.12

11
 Bifurcation Markers (Day Beacons)

Port bifurcation

Starboard bifurcation
Fig. 3.11 & 3.13
12
 5. Images of lateral buoys and markers
(Regular and Bifurcation)
Starboard Lateral Marker

13
Fig. 3.8
 Port Lateral Marker

Fig. 3.6 14
 Lit Port Lateral Marker

Fig. 3.6 15
 Port Lateral Buoy

Fig. 3.5
16
 Starboard Lateral Buoy (spar);
and Port Lateral Marker

Fig. 3.6 & 3.7

17
 Port Lateral Marker
What to do? Keep it to port or starboard?

18
Fig. 3.6
 Keep to port when going with the flood current
The picture is taken towards the ebb:
Keep marker to starboard!

Fig. 3.6 & 3.7

19
 Port Bifurcation
Keep to port (i.e. turn right) when sailing
with the flood current

Fig. 3.11
20
 Which side ?????

Fig. 3.6
21
 6. Other lateral buoys and markers

Fairway
keep to Port, regardless of direction
(up or down stream)

Fig. 3.14
22
 Isolated Danger

Fig. 3.15
23
 Ranges; Leading Lines

p.39 & Fig 10.8 24

 7. Group 2: Cardinal buoys and markers

Fig. 3.17 to 3.20

25
 Black Arrows on Cardinal Buoys

Fig. 3.21
26
 Colour scheme, North Cardinal

North

Fig. 3.17 & 3.21

27
 North

Fig. 3.17 & 3.21

28
 Colour scheme, West Cardinal

West

Fig. 3.18 & 3.21

29
 West

Fig. 3.18 & 3.21

30
 Colour scheme, East Cardinal

East

Fig. 3.19 & 3.21

31
 East

Fig. 3.19 & 3.21

32
 Colour scheme, South Cardinal

South

Fig. 3.20 & 3.21

33
 South

Fig. 3. 20 & 3.21

34
 Mnemonics for Cardinal Buoys

Fig. 3.21
35
 Remain on which side?

Fig. 3.19 & 3.21

36
 Brittany Coast

Fig. 3.17 & 3.21

37
 Brittany Coast

Fig. 3.20 & 3.21

38
 Brittany Coast

Fig. 3.18 & 3.21

39
 Brittany Coast

Fig. 3.19 & 3.21

40
 Brittany Coast

Fig. 3.19 Fig. 3.17 Fig. 3.20

41
 8. Group 3: Special purpose buoys

Fig. 3.22 to 3.31

42
 Special Buoys

Anchoring

Fig. 3.25
43
 Special Buoys
Orange (top) and White (below)
“OrW” on the chart: special purpose buoy, Mooring

Mooring

Fig. 3.24
44
 Special Buoys

Information

Fig. 3.29
45
 Special Buoys

Hazard

Fig. 3.27
46
 Special Buoys

Control

Fig. 3.26
47
 Special Buoys
Control (here: speed)

Control

Fig. 3.26
48
 Special Buoys
White (top) and Orange (below)
“WOr” on the chart: special purpose buoy, Control

Fig. 3.26
49
 Special Buoys

Keep out

Fig. 3.28
50
 Special Buoys

Fig. 3.22 to 3.31

51
Exercise 2.1
Aids to
Navigation

Exercise 2.1, p. 10 & 11 52

 Exercise 2.1 Aids to Navigation Answers:
1. Pillar buoy 2. Cone buoy 3. Can buoy 4. Spar buoy

5. Lateral, port buoy: keep to port when sailing with the flood tide; Green light

6. Lateral, starboard buoy: keep to starboard when sailing with the flood tide; Red light

7. Lateral, starboard fixed aid (day beacon): keep to starboard when sailing with the flood

tide.

8. Lateral, fairway buoy. Keep to port going either with or against the flood tide. Safe water

all around.

9. Lateral, port fixed aid (day beacon): keep to port when sailing with the flood tide.

10. Lateral, port bifurcation buoy. Secondary channel to port; Keep to port in order to remain

on main channel. Green light.

11. Starboard bifurcation fixed aid (day beacon). Secondary channel to starboard; Keep to

starboard in order to remain on main channel

12. Lateral, isolated danger. Safe water all around at sufficient distance (see chart). White

light.

13. Lateral, starboard bifurcation buoy. Secondary channel to starboard; Keep to starboard

in order to remain on main channel. Red light.

14. Port bifurcation fixed aid (day beacon). Secondary channel to port; Keep to port in order

to remain on main channel.

15. West Cardinal. remain West. White light

16. North Cardinal; remain North. White light.

17. East Cardinal; remain East. White light.

18. South Cardinal; remain South. White light.

19. Special purpose, hazard. Yellow light.

Answer to exercise 2.1, p. 71 20. Special purpose, control (e.g. of speed). Yellow light.
53
Exercise 2.2
Navigation
Course

Exercises Fig. 2.2, p.12

54
Exercise 2.2
Navigation
Course
Answer:

Exercises Fig. 2.2 p.72

55
 Part 2

Lights
(Chapter 4)
Lights

See “The Canadian

Aids to Marine
Navigation Systems”,
p 26-27

Fig. 4.10
57
 Flashing Lights

Fig 4.2 – 4.9

58
 Lateral buoys (Lights)

Port: Fl Starboard: Fl

Port Bifurcation: FL(2+1) Starboard Bifurcation: FL(2+1)

Isolated Danger: Fl(2) Fairway: Mo A

Fig. 4.2 – 4.7 59

 Lights
From section P, “Lights”, Canadian Aids to Navigation

Section 4.3.1 p. 33, & Fig. 4.10

60
 Cardinal Buoys (Lights)

North

West East

South
Fig. 4.8
61
 Special Purpose Buoys #1 (when lighted)

Fig. 4.9
62
 Special Purpose Buoys #2 (when lighted)

Fig. 4.9
63
 Sample Lights (buoys; Sector)

Fig. 4.13
64
 Exercise 2.3 (Lights)

Lights:

a. GP Fl(2) 10s 25m 12M (U)

b. (Q(6) + LFl) 10s
c. Mo(A)
d. Fl(2) 10s
e. FlG; FLR
f. FlY
g. Q
h. VQ
i. FlG (2+1) 6s; FlR (2+1) 6s

65
 Exercise 2.3 Answers:
a. GP Fl(2) 10s 25m 12M (U) : White; Group of 2 flashes; repeats every 10s;
light 25m above highest water; nominal range 12 NM (Lighthouse)

b. Q(6) + LFl) 10s: White, 6 quick flashes + 1 long flash (2s); every 10s
(S Cardinal)

c. Mo(A): White; Morse code for letter “A” ( . _ ) (Fairway)

d. Fl(2) 10s: White; 2 flashes; every 10 seconds (Isolated Danger)

e. FLG; FLR: Green or Red; 1 flash repeated every 4 s

(Lateral port or starboard)

f. FLY: Yellow; 1 flash repeated every 4 s (Special Purpose buoy)

g. Q: White; 1 flash repeated every 1 s (N Cardinal)

h. VQ: White, 1 flash repeated every ½ s (N Cardinal)

i. FLG(2+1) 6s: Green (or Red); group of 2 flashes followed by a single flash,
repeated every 6 s; [Port (or Starboard) bifurcation]
66
 Part 3

Coordinates (Chapter 5)

67
Fig. 5.1
68
Latitude Scale

Fig. 5.5
69
Latitude Scale
(degrees missing!)

Fig. 5.5
70
 Longitude Scale

Fig. 5.4
71
 Longitude Scale
(Degrees missing!)

Fig. 5.4
72
 Measures of Latitude and Longitude
on the chart

Latitudes are written first (two digits); then,

Longitudes (three digits). Example:

Lat: 05° 23.5’ N; Long: 023° 34.5’ W

Section 5.2, p.42

73
Use the parallel
rules vertically!

Fig. 5.4
74
 Read on the Scale of Longitudes!

Fig. 5.4
75
 Measure the difference of Latitude, along the
parallel rules, from the nearest parallel

Fig. 5.5
76
 Read on the Scale of Latitudes!

Fig. 5.5
77
 Exercise 2.4
What features are found at the
following positions:

• 49° 20.1’ N 123° 21.7’ W

• 49° 08.0’ N 123° 49.0’ W
• 48° 53.0’ N 123° 28.2’ W
• 49° 13.0’ N 123° 53.4’ W

78
 Exercise 2.4 Answers:

• 49° 20.1’ N 123° 21.7’ W : Point Cowan light

• 49° 08.0’ N 123° 49.0’ W : Dodd Narrows
• 48° 53.0’ N 123° 28.2’ W : Atkins Reef
• 49° 13.0’ N 123° 53.4’ W : Snake Island
lighthouse

79
 Exercise 2.5
What are the coordinates of the following
points?

a. Point Atkinson light (West Vancouver)

b. Sand Head light (FlG 5s 13m) at the West end of
the Steveston jetty (SW of the airport, mouth of
the Fraser river)
c. Thrasher Rock light (East of Gabriola Island)  
d. Light on Entrance Island (North of Gabriola
Island)

80
 Exercise 2.5 Answers:

a. Point Atkinson: 49° 19.8’ / 123° 15.9’

b. Sand Head: 49° 06.4’ / 123° 18.2’
c. Thrasher Rock: 49° 09.0’ / 123° 38.5’
d. Entrance Island: 49° 12.6’ / 123° 48.5’

81
 Part 4

Measuring Angles
(Chapter 6)

82
 1. With Parallel Rules

Fig. 6.1
83
 2. With a square protractor
Plotting a Bearing of 25° (1/2)

Fig. 6.3
84
 Plotting a Bearing of 25° (2/2)

Fig. 6.3
85
 Measuring a course

Fig. 6.4
86
 Course of either 060° T or 240° T

Fig. 6.4
87
 Part 5

Measuring Distances
(Chapter 7)

88
 Measuring Distances

Distances are measured in Nautical Miles

– Abbreviation: “M” or, preferably, “NM”.
– Original Definition: 1’ (from the Center of the
earth) at the surface of the earth.
– Only the Parallels of Latitude have a constant
separation. Therefore, 1 NM = 1’ of Latitude
– Current definition: 1,852 m

89
 Measuring Short Distances

Fig. 7.1
90
 Measuring Short Distances

Fig. 7.2
91
 Measuring Short Distances

Distance ?
Fig. 7.3
92
 Exercise 2.6: Angles; courses

What are the successive courses (° T) along the

following three segments:
 
a. Q62 Bell buoy (off Point Grey on UBC) to Point Cowan
light (to the NW, on Bowen Island)

b. Point Cowan light to Thrasher Rock lighthouse (to the

SW, just east of Gabriola Island)
 
c. Thrasher Rock light to Sand Head light (FlG 5s 13m), to
the E, across Georgia Strait, near the Vancouver airport,
at the end of the Steveston jetty.

93
 Exercise 2.6 Answers:

 Courses along the three segments, in °T:

 
a. Q62 Bell buoy to Point Cowan light: 307° T

b. Point Cowan to Thrasher Rock lighthouse:225° T

 
c. Thrasher Rock light to Sand Head light: 102° T

94
 Exercise 2.7: Distances

How would you measure relatively short distances

on a Mercator chart?

95
 Exercise 2.7 Answers:

Use dividers; read distances in NM on the latitude scales, Right or Left side of the
chart.

1’ of latitude = 1 NM

96
 Exercise 2.8: Distances

If 1° of longitude = 60 NM at the equator (Lat. 0°), approximately how

many miles does it represent at Lat. 60° (N or S) ?

97
 Exercise 2.8 Answers:
The longitude scale varies as the cosine of the latitude:

Cosine 0° = 1 Scale = 60 NM/’ x 1 = 60 NM

Cosine 60° = 0.5 Scale = 60 NM/’ x 0.5 = 30 NM

98
 Exercise 2.9: Distances
 
What are the lengths of the three segments:
a. Q62 Bell buoy (off Point Grey and UBC) to Pt Cowan
light (to the NW, on Bowen Island)

b. Point Cowan to Thrasher Rock lighthouse (to the SW,

across Georgia Strait)  

c. Thrasher Rock light to Sand Head light (“FlG 5s 13m”, to

the E, at the end of the Steveston jetty, by the airport)
 
 

99
 Exercise 2.9 Answers:

Lengths of the three segments:

a. QR Bell buoy to Point Cowan light:

4.7 NM

b. Point Cowan to Thrasher Rock light:

15.8 NM

c. Thrasher Rock light to Sand Head light: 13.6

NM 100
 End of
Session 2

101