Navigation question

[Rich]

Yes, Bizer has clear charts that easily show good routes and hazard areas!

[Barney Bear]

Just noticed in the portion of the Bizer chart included in Item #21 above, that the red over white spar buoys have a white stripe, but the black over white spar buoys do not have a white stripe. Not shown in this chart portion, solid red spars are shown solid red and black spars are shown solid black.

[Rich]

If I remember, all of his charts are like this, but I could be wrong as I don't have one in front of me.

I always wondered myself why the black tops didn't have the white stripe on the Bizer charts like the red tops do to help differentiate the black top from the solid black markers.

[DPatnaude]

Originally Posted by Rich

If I remember, all of his charts are like this, but I could be wrong as I don't have one in front of me.

I always wondered myself why the black tops didn't have the white stripe on the chart like the red tops do.

The red spars do have a white/red stripe below the red top. Another way to tell them apart for everyone that complains the red and black are hard to differentiate.

See the graphical image of the spars here: https://www.boat-ed.com/newhampshire...101_700056575/

[Rich]

I was referring to the Bizer chart... not the actual spar buoys that float in the water.

Yes, I've seen the stripe below the red top markers. This helps to differentiate between red top and black top markers when at a slight distance if the marker isn't partially submerged.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by Rich

I was referring to the Bizer chart... not the actual spar buoys that float in the water.

Yes, I've seen the stripe below the red top markers. This helps to differentiate between red top and black top markers when at a slight distance if the marker isn't partially submerged.

That stripe is reflective too. Makes it really easy to differentiate them at night.

[Phantom]

That white stripe below on an actual spar is also "Reflective tape" thus if you hit it with docking lights or spotlight at night you can differentiate a black top from Red top ---

Did ya all know THAT little tid bit ?


WOOOPS -- just saw Rich beat me ..... Dayum !

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[ursa minor]

I know they're not practical from a cost standpoint as compared to the current PVC spars but am I the only one that misses the old school wooden spars? I think they floated higher and were easier to see. A lot of the PVC ones float so low it almost covers the white below the color.

[Phantom]

Originally Posted by ursa minor

I know they're not practical from a cost standpoint as compared to the current PVC spars but am I the only one that misses the old school wooden spars? I think they floated higher and were easier to see. A lot of the PVC ones float so low it almost covers the white below the color.

I am not 100% sure but I think part of the reason some are so low in the water is because they are leaking and filling with water.


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[Barney Bear]

Many of the old wood spar buoys had a reflective band on them - - white on the black top spars and red on the red top spars. 🐻

[ApS]

Originally Posted by ursa minor

I know they're not practical from a cost standpoint as compared to the current PVC spars but am I the only one that misses the old school wooden spars? I think they floated higher and were easier to see. A lot of the PVC ones float so low it almost covers the white below the color.

A wood spar floated up several years ago. I'll check it for that reflective band, and post a photo.

I suspect that maintenance was much higher with the wood spars, but they did float much higher, and were much easier to see.

In fact, you'd better see it! Wood spars were also prone to breaking-off when struck!

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[Bizer]

Originally Posted by Barney Bear

Just noticed in the portion of the Bizer chart included in Item #21 above, that the red over white spar buoys have a white stripe, but the black over white spar buoys do not have a white stripe. Not shown in this chart portion, solid red spars are shown solid red and black spars are shown solid black.

The purpose of the white stripe in the red buoys is for reading the chart at night. In low-light conditions, it may be hard to tell red from black on Bizer's chart. It has no bearing on the buoy itself.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Bizer

The purpose of the white stripe in the red buoys is for reading the chart at night. In low-light conditions, it may be hard to tell red from black on Bizer's chart. It has no bearing on the buoy itself.

Oh, NOW this makes sense to me!

Maybe a future version of the chart should have a note in the legend to point this useful feature out to make it more obvious?

Did anyone else realize the purpose of this white stripe, or am I the only one that learned something new today?