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Drawings & Resources

International Code For Signal Flags

Alfa

Diver Down 		  Bravo

Dangerous Cargo 		  Charlie

Yes		   Delta

Keep Clear 		  Echo

Altering Course to Starboard 		  Foxtrot

Disabled		   Golf

Want A Pilot
Hotel

Pilot On Board 		  India

Altering Course To Port 		  Juliett

On Fire
Keep Clear 		  Kilo

Desire To Communicate		   Lima

Stop Instantly		   Mike

I Am Stopped		   November

No
Oscar

Man Overboard		   Papa

About To Sail		   Quebec

Request Pratique		   Romeo

   Sierra

Engines Going Astern		   Tango

Keep Clear Of Me		   Uniform

Standing Into Danger
    Victor

Require Assistance		   Whiskey

Require Medical Assistance		   Xray

Stop Your Intention		   Yankee

Am Dragging Anchor		   Zulu

Require A Tug		    



Code and Answering Pennant (Decimal Point)   1st Repeater 2nd Repeater 3rd Repeater
 



Storm Warning Signals

These signals are displayed when necessary at principal harbors, yacht clubs and Coast Guard stations and vessels.

 Night Signal Day Signal Small Craft Warnings
Winds to 38 mph		 Gale
Winds 39-54 mph		 Storm
Winds 55-73 mph		 Hurricane
Winds 74 mph & up



(International Association of Lighthouse Authorities)

  Lateral Aids
(Mark Sides of Channel)

All Lateral Aids will be numbered. Green aids will be odd numbered. Red aids will be even numbered. When returning from sea, keep the green Lateral Aids to your left or port side and the red Lateral Aids to your right or starboard side.



  Preferred Channel Aids
(Mark Converging Channels)

Junction or Preferred Channel Aids will be plain or
lettered. These aids are combined red and green in
color and are used where two channels converge.
Lights will match the top most color of the buoy.
The top most color marks the preferred channel and
the lower color indicates a converging channel with
converging traffic. When entering from seaward,
if green is top most color, for preferred channel,
keep buoy to your left or port side. If red is the top
most color, for preferred channel, keep buoy to
your right or starboard side.



  Safe Water Aids
(Mark Mid-Channel and Fairways)

Safe Water Aids have no lateral significance and will be plain or lettered. Unlighted buoys will be spherical. Both lighted and sound Safe Water Aids will have a red spherical top mark. Lighted Safe Water aids will display a white, flashing light (Morse Code A, • –). Although non-lateral shore structures display white flashing lights (lighthouses) take notice that some white flashing shore
lights have a red danger sector. If a white flashing shore light suddenly changes to red flashing light, you are in the danger sector of shoal waters.



  Buoy Regions A & B

IALA - International Association of Lighthouse Authorities has sponsored an agreement to standardize aids to navigation in order to promote uniform systems for navigation. Two regions have been delineated with most countries in each region participating in use of the standardized aids. Shown above are the aids in use in Region B which have been adopted by the U.S. Coast Guard.


Intracoastal Water (ICW)

  Lateral Aids

Intracoastal Navigation Aids (including daymarks, can, nun, lighted junction, preferred channel and mid channel aids) are distinguished by yellow, horizontal stripes. When entering the Intracoastal Waterways (from New Jersey thru Texas) from North or East, treat the yellow stripes on navigation aids by the colors of the aid, keeping the red aids to your right or starboard side as you proceed South or West.



  Midchannel Aids

Midchannel Aids have no lateral
significance and will be either plain or
lettered. Lighted buoys will display a
white light only.


  Preferred Channel Aids

Junction or Preferred Channel Aids mark junctions and obstructions and indicate the preferred channel. Preferred Channel Aids will be either plain or lettered. The top most color marks the preferred channel and the lower color marks the converging channel with converging traffic. Lights will correspond to the top most color.



  Dual Purpose Aids

Dual Purpose Aids are used
when the Intracoastal Waterway temporarily joins with other waterways. These aids are painted with fluorescent yellow triangles or squares. Ignore the color and shape of the aids and follow the yellow triangles and squares, keeping the yellow triangles to your right and the yellow squares to your left as you proceed South or West.



  Special Purpose Aids
All Waters

Special Purpose Aids are used to designate special areas such as dredging, anchorage, fish net, spoil ground, traffic separation, military zones, ocean data buoys as well as others. They have no lateral significance. Lighted aids will display yellow lights only and will have a slow flashing pattern.



  Information and Regulatory Aids
All Waters

Information and Regulatory aids are used to convey important information about or control access to particular areas of navigable waterways. Lighted aids will display yellow lights only and will have a slow flashing pattern.



  Non-Lateral Daymarks
All Waters

Daymarks are placed on shore or marine structures as reference navigation aids which have no lateral significance. They are diamond shaped boards which provide visibility for aids which are difficult to see in poor daylight weather conditions.


Key To Abbreviations
B - Black
Fl - Flashing Rhythm
I - Intracoastal Aid
M - Midchannel Aid
OR - Orange		 S - Square Daymark
T - Triangle Daymark
W - White
C - Can Buoy
G - Green		 J - Junction Aid
N - Nun Buoy
R - Red
SP - Spherical Buoy
Y - Yellow