Navigation markers - red and black

[ursa minor]

Originally Posted by Juiced06GTO

Glad I am not the only one with this complaint! I think a different shape or addition to distinguish the markers from each other is the best/easiest solution to implement that could actually happen. We were out quite a bit during dusk this past week on vacation and it became very apparent that it was difficult to distinguish the colors during that time period. Maybe a simple solution would be to wrap some white tape around the black markers in a spiral so the whit contrasts with the water/sky a bit better?

Great thought! In the days before the current PVC pipe spars wooden spars that tapered from roughly 4 x 4 to maybe 2" square at the very top were used, the tapering helped to float them upright I assume. All of the red and black spars were painted white with the corresponding color stripe about halfway up the visible part of the spar. They then added a band of reflective tape in the color band. These spars were way easier to see both night and day when they were in good condition. I assume the difference in cost of making and maintaining the wooden spars as compared to the current PVC ones was the determining factor. It would be great if they added the scotchbrite tape again though.

Edited to add: Solid red and black channel marker spars were painted entirely in the spar color but still had a reflective tape stripe to help see them at night if I'm remembering correctly.

[Woody38]

If in Woods Hole and Broadway beware the Red Right Returning. Next thing you know you're in trouble because things have changed and you are not returning. Every year someone unfamilular with the area or not paying attention to the chart or navigation aids, finds themself grounded or worse.

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I am a retired workaholic and continnuing aquaholic

[znh]

I love even more how the 'No Wake' buoys and the 'Danger Rocks' buoys looks exactly the same!!!

[Phantom]

Not sure you all are aware (for night riding) - little know fact :

All Red Tops have a reflective (white) tape between the red & white of the marker.

[Barney Bear]

The old wood spar buoys had white reflecting tape on the black spar buoys and red reflecting tape on the red spars. When we were still working, most of our travel to and from East Bear Island was after dark. Our searchlight easily picked up these buoys. 🐻

[Patofnaud]

Small tidbit, did not see mentioned, my understanding is the red/black spars are the shape they are so that if they get caught at the ice in, they can slide down/trough the ice as it moves and not get dragged away and out of position.

That being said, even something as simple as a rubber post on the top of one or the other would help greatly when heading west into the sun. Anything to make the shadow 'different'. Even the best polarized sunglasses can't tell you if it is red or black when you get a trillion lumens behind it

And ditto to what others have said, nothing worse than trying to navigate a small channel with black non-reflective spars on a moonless sky and no light polution to help. I've bonked a black spar or two at crawling speed over the years. *oops*

[Phantom]

Originally Posted by Patofnaud

I've bonked a black spar or two at crawling speed over the years. *oops*

Funny you say that - on the 4th of July leaving Weirs area with all the rest parading towards Gov Isl bridge, instictively I STOPPED following the line of boats in front of me and veered hard left then redirected towards the bridge.

As it turns out, like mice, all were following each other well inside the black markers. Albeit it is not rocky- shows how people will just blindly follow - my isnstints & memory of the bridge approach sent signals “this is wrong”.

No GPS needed !!