169 lines
6.3 KiB
Markdown
169 lines
6.3 KiB
Markdown
# IALA Buoyage System — Complete Rules Reference
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Source: IALA/AISM Publication R1001 (5th edition, 2010); IHO S-57 Object Catalogue; INT-1
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---
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## Region Overview
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| Region | Coverage |
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|--------|----------|
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| A | Europe, Africa, Asia (including Middle East, India, SE Asia, China, Australia, New Zealand) |
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| B | Americas (North, Central, South), Philippines, Japan, South Korea |
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The only practical difference between Region A and B is the **lateral mark colour convention** (red/green sides are swapped). All other marks (cardinal, isolated danger, safe water, special) are identical.
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---
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## 1. Lateral Marks
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### Lateral marks — Region A
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| Mark | Colour | Shape | Topmark | Light rhythm | Light colour |
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|------|--------|-------|---------|-------------|--------------|
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| Port hand (pass on port side) | Red | Can / Cylinder | Red can (if any) | Any (Fl R common) | Red |
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| Starboard hand (pass on stbd) | Green | Conical | Green cone point up (if any) | Any (Fl G common) | Green |
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| Preferred channel — port hand (modified port) | Red with green band(s) | Can | Red can | Fl(2+1) R | Red |
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| Preferred channel — stbd hand (modified stbd) | Green with red band(s) | Conical | Green cone point up | Fl(2+1) G | Green |
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### Lateral marks — Region B
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| Mark | Colour | Shape | Topmark | Light rhythm | Light colour |
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|------|--------|-------|---------|-------------|--------------|
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| Port hand | Green | Can / Cylinder | Green can (if any) | Any (Fl G common) | Green |
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| Starboard hand | Red | Conical | Red cone point up (if any) | Any (Fl R common) | Red |
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| Preferred channel — port hand | Green with red band(s) | Can | Green can | Fl(2+1) G | Green |
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| Preferred channel — stbd hand | Red with green band(s) | Conical | Red cone up | Fl(2+1) R | Red |
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> S-57 CATLAM attribute: 1=port, 2=starboard, 3=preferred_channel_to_stbd (vessel keeps to starboard = mark acts as port), 4=preferred_channel_to_port
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---
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## 2. Cardinal Marks (same in both regions)
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Direction refers to where the mark is placed relative to the danger (e.g., a North cardinal is placed NORTH of the danger — pass to the north).
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| Mark | Topmark | Colours (top→bottom) | Light rhythm | Light colour |
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|-------|----------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------|--------------|
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| North | 2 cones point UP | Black over Yellow | Q (60/min) or VQ (100/min) | White |
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| East | 2 cones base-to-base | Black/Yellow/Black | Q(3) 10s or VQ(3) 5s | White |
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| South | 2 cones point DOWN | Yellow over Black | Q(6)+LFl 15s or VQ(6)+LFl 10s | White |
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| West | 2 cones point-to-point | Yellow/Black/Yellow | Q(9) 15s or VQ(9) 10s | White |
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Memory aid for topmarks: cones point TOWARD the black portion.
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- North = both black (top), cones point up
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- South = both black (bottom), cones point down
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- East = black both top and bottom, cones point apart (base together)
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- West = black in middle, cones point together
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> S-57 CATCAM: 1=North, 2=East, 3=South, 4=West
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---
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## 3. Isolated Danger Mark
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Placed ON or OVER an isolated danger of limited extent with navigable water all around.
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| Attribute | Value |
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|-----------|-------|
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| Colour | Black with one or more broad horizontal RED bands |
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| Shape | Pillar or spar |
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| Topmark | 2 black spheres (vertically in line) |
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| Light | Fl(2) White |
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| Light period | 5s typical |
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> S-57 layers: BOYISD (buoy), BCNISD (beacon)
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---
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## 4. Safe Water Mark
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Indicates safe navigable water all around — used for mid-channel, landfall, or fairway axis marks.
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| Attribute | Value |
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|-----------|-------|
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| Colour | Red and white vertical stripes |
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| Shape | Spherical (preferred), pillar, or spar |
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| Topmark | Single red sphere |
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| Light | Iso W, Oc W, LFl W 10s, or Mo(A) W — any white rhythm not used for other marks |
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> S-57 layer: BOYSAW
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---
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## 5. Special Purpose Mark
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Not primarily intended to aid navigation — marks a special feature or area.
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| Attribute | Value |
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|-----------|-------|
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| Colour | Yellow |
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| Shape | Any (optional X topmark) |
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| Topmark | Single yellow X (optional) |
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| Light | Yellow, any rhythm not already used by other marks in the area |
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Uses: traffic separation schemes, spoil grounds, military exercise areas, cables/pipelines, ODAS buoys, recreation areas, ferry crossings.
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> S-57 layer: BOYSPP
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---
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## 6. Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy (EWMB)
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Introduced by IALA 2006, for newly discovered dangerous wrecks before standard survey/marking.
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| Attribute | Value |
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|-----------|-------|
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| Colour | Blue and yellow vertical stripes (alternating) |
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| Shape | Pillar or spar |
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| Topmark | Single upright yellow cross |
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| Light | Al.Bu.Y 3s (alternating blue / yellow) |
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| AIS | AIS AtoN transmitter active if fitted |
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| RACON | Morse "D" (— . .) if fitted |
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Deployed in pairs when possible, one on each side of the wreck. Removed once proper marks or formal notices are in place.
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---
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## 7. New Dangers (S-57 / ECDIS)
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A newly discovered hazard (shoal, wreck, obstruction) not yet charted or inadequately charted is marked by:
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- One or more cardinal or lateral marks as appropriate
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- Identical mark may be doubled for emphasis
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- ECDIS may show a "New Danger" highlight
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---
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## 8. Fairway and Mid-Channel Buoys
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On wide rivers, lakes, and channels a single line of buoys may be laid along the fairway centreline — these are safe water marks (red/white) or may be lateral depending on the traffic pattern.
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---
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## 9. Light Phase Descriptions — Standard S-52 / INT-1 rhythms used on IALA marks
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| Rhythm | Typical period |
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|--------|---------------|
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| Q | 1s (60/min) |
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| VQ | 0.5s (100–120/min) |
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| Fl | 3s–10s depending on group count |
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| Oc | Equal or longer eclipse; period 4s–12s |
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| Iso | Equal on/off; period 2s–8s |
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| LFl | Flash ≥ 2s; period 10s typical |
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| Mo(A) | Morse A (. —); period 6s |
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---
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## 10. S-57 Layer to IALA Mark Type Mapping
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| S-57 Layer | Mark type | AidsMonitoring classify() result |
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|------------|-------------|----------------------------------|
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| BOYLAT / BCNLAT | Lateral buoy / beacon | LATERAL_PORT, LATERAL_STBD, LATERAL_PREF_PORT, LATERAL_PREF_STBD |
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| BOYCAR / BCNCAR | Cardinal buoy / beacon | CARDINAL_N/E/S/W |
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| BOYISD / BCNISD | Isolated danger | ISOLATED_DANGER |
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| BOYSAW | Safe water buoy | SAFE_WATER |
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| BOYSPP | Special purpose buoy | SPECIAL |
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| LIGHTS | Light (point) | LIGHT_POINT |
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| LNDMRK | Landmark | LANDMARK |
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| RTPBCN | Racon | RACON |
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