Navigating Winni for new boaters

[SIKSUKR]

Having never boated outside of NH and hearing about how we should be like the rest of the country, I looked to find out what the marking system is on inland(lakes). All I can find are buoys that reference returning from sea/upstream and leaving which I'm well aware of. How does that relate to a lake? It doesn't. Can somebody show me what the typical marking system looks like on other state lakes and how an area is marked?

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

Having never boated outside of NH and hearing about how we should be like the rest of the country, I looked to find out what the marking system is on inland(lakes). All I can find are buoys that reference returning from sea/upstream and leaving which I'm well aware of. How does that relate to a lake? It doesn't. Can somebody show me what the typical marking system looks like on other state lakes and how an area is marked?

The old USWMS black port side channel markers are now GREEN can buoys.

The old USWMS red starboard side channel markers are now red NUN buoys.

The old USWMS red and white vertically striped buoys have been replaced by one of the following:
a red or green channel marker directing safe passage, an orange and white regulatory marker,
or a red and black isolated danger marker.

The old USWMS white buoys topped with black or red bands, have been replaced by one of the following: a red or green channel marker directing safe passage, an orange and white regulatory marker, or a red and black isolated danger marker.

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

Having never boated outside of NH and hearing about how we should be like the rest of the country, I looked to find out what the marking system is on inland(lakes). All I can find are buoys that reference returning from sea/upstream and leaving which I'm well aware of. How does that relate to a lake? It doesn't. Can somebody show me what the typical marking system looks like on other state lakes and how an area is marked?

I was on Long Lake in Maine for a week last year, and found the markers to be very simple. I think the best one was the one that is white with black vertical stripes, that tells you at a glance not to go between the marker and the shore. But they were all good, way better than NH in my opinion.

http://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/wate...nal_aids.shtml

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by chipj29

I was on Long Lake in Maine for a week last year, and found the markers to be very simple. I think the best one was the one that is white with black vertical stripes, that tells you at a glance not to go between the marker and the shore. But they were all good, way better than NH in my opinion.

http://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/wate...nal_aids.shtml

Did you go down the river too? It's very well marked and easy to understand.

[SIKSUKR]

I must be kind of dumb here. The link Chip posted has the same info that I've been finding, they all talk about a channel or upstream/downstream. Apply these to a Winni chart is what I'm looking for where there is no upstream/ downstream in the middle of the lake. Do you just stay one side of the green and another side of the red?

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

I must be kind of dumb here. The link Chip posted has the same info that I've been finding, they all talk about a channel or upstream/downstream. Apply these to a Winni chart is what I'm looking for where there is no upstream/ downstream in the middle of the lake. Do you just stay one side of the green and another side of the red?

Greens and reds are always in pairs and you always go between them. Hazards in the middle of an open area are marked with unambiguous and big danger buoys all the way around. Hazards near shore are marked with big white and black vertical striped buoys that indicate "don't pass between me and shore". It's very simple when you get used to it.

[persistence]

Originally Posted by Dave R

Greens and reds are always in pairs and you always go between them.

Where are green and reds always in pairs?

[Dave R]

Edited to indicate that I thought it said:

Originally Posted by persistence

Why are green and reds always in pairs?

So that you know to go between them; it's really hard to go between just one, unless you are drunk.

It really said:

Originally Posted by persistence

Where are green and reds always in pairs?

The answer is anywhere there's a safe channel surrounded by underwater obstructions. On Winnipesaukee, if they used the currently accepted practice, reds and greens would be used in the obvious places like the 6 pack and the Graveyard, but they would also make sense in places like the path between Spectacle Island and Nine Acre island.

[Phantom]

Originally Posted by persistence

Where are green and reds always in pairs?

Weirs Channel for one place !

.

[KPW]

Originally Posted by persistence

Where are green and reds always in pairs?

On Winnipesaukee, there are no green and reds. They are black and red.

[Phantom]

Originally Posted by KPW

On Winnipesaukee, there are no green and reds. They are black and red.

KPW -- although the buoys are white, the Weirs Channel marker lights blink Green & Red at night





.

[KPW]

Originally Posted by Phantom

KPW -- although the buoys are white, the Weirs Channel marker lights blink Green & Red at night





.

Are they black and white topped? Its been a while since I have been there, and never at night.

[Phantom]

They are "No Wake" buoys ..... similar to any other FL ... with Red/Green flashing lite versus white.



.

[Orion]

They should replace all the black spars with green. There is virtually no white showing on many of the blacks now as the white is underwater (waterlogged styrofoam?). When there is any heavy chop, even in daytime, it's almost impossible to see in the dark water. I have a few I travel buy several times each week for years, so I know exactly where they are (in relatively open water north of Cow), but when it's rough you don't see them until you're about 75' away. Green would be much more visible or at least have more white showing.

[Descant]

Bright fluorescent green, not forest green. And maybe red should be fluorescent orange. Of course, if we're going to spend all that effort to repaint , maybe we should just swap to the "international plan"?

I agree. In areas where I travel frequently, I rarely look at the buoys to see color, and when in unfamiliar waters, caution abounds.

[4Fun]

Originally Posted by KPW

On Winnipesaukee, there are no green and reds. They are black and red.

It guess it was was too hard to see the flashing black lights

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by Dave R

Did you go down the river too? It's very well marked and easy to understand.

Yes we did, and yes it is well marked. I thought that Long Lake was very well marked, and the part of Sebago that we were on was as well.

Siksukr, I don't recall which side of the channels which markers (red or green) were on, but they were always side by side, making it very clear to pass in between them. The hazard markers that you see on that link were very prominent. To be clear, I only went close enough to one of them to read what it said. Otherwise, I just stayed far away!