A day beacon is an unlighted nautical sea mark. A sea mark, also seamark and Navigation mark, is a Pilotage aid which identifies the approximate position of a maritime channel hazard Typically, day beacons supplement channels whose key points are marked by lighted buoys. Physical geography, a channel is the physical confine of a River, slough or ocean Strait consisting of a bed and banks Day beacons may also mark smaller navigable routes in their entirety. They are the most common aid to nautical navigation as they are relatively inexpensive to install and maintain, and unlike buoys, their position does not change as they cannot drift.
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Identification
Day beacons, as with other aids, are generally paired. Proceeding from open water towards harbor, odd-numbered beacons are kept to starboard (right facing abow) of the vessel, with even-numbered aids to port. Starboard is the nautical term that refers to the right side of a vessel as perceived by a person on board a vessel and facing the bow (front Port is the nautical term (used on Boats and Ships) that refers to the left side of a ship as perceived by a person on board the ship and Beacons are numbered in descending order from open water to harbor.
Region A
Region A comprises Europe, Africa, Australia, and Asia, with the exception of Japan and the Philippines. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Within Region A, day beacons are characterized as follows:
Even-numbered beacons are characterized by:
- Green color
- Conical shape (floating, also known as a nun)
- Triangular shape (signpost)
Odd-numbered beacons are characterized by:
- Red color
- Cylindrical shape (floating, also known as a can)
- Square shape (signpost)
Region B
Region B comprises the Americas, Japan, and the Philippines. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Within Region B, day beacons are characterized as follows:
Even-numbered beacons are characterized by:
- Red color
- Conical shape (floating)
- Triangular shape (signpost)
Odd-numbered beacons are characterized by:
- Green color
- Cylindrical shape (floating)
- Square shape (signpost)
A common mnemonic for remembering the appropriate characteristics (within Region B) is "an odd can of green beans. " Orientation can also be remembered via "red right returning," indicating that the red odd-numbered beacons should be kept to starboard when returning from open water to harbor.
General placement
Navigation around day beacons is the same as with all other navigational aids. Navigation is the process of reading and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another When beacons are paired, vessels should pass between the pairing. However, beacons are also commonly placed individually. Generally, single beacons are at the inside corner of a turn. However, single beacons are also occasionally placed outside a turn. Interior or exterior placement can be determined based upon the passing side (port or starboard) dictated by beacon designation. In either case, common practice is to approach the beacon as close as is prudent under the assumption that the beacon itself is in channel-depth water. However, current charting should always be consulted for all but the shallowest-draft vessels, as channel conditions are rarely ideal. The draft (or draught) of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the Waterline and the bottom of the hull ( Keel) with the thickness This is particularly necessary when encountering non-standard beacons such as those neither red nor green.
Identification on charts
Because color standards vary internationally, beacon number is the best way to identify beacons on charts. A nautical chart is a graphic representation of a maritime area and adjacent Coastal regions Additionally, charts may be limited in color and not show red and green beacons directly as such. When color is not immediately apparent, a red beacon is typically shaded white with an "R" in its designation. More frequently, green is omitted from charts, and a green beacon is rendered black with a "G" in its designation.
See also
References
History The most popular navigational text of the late 18th centurywas The New Practical Navigator by John Hamilton Moore. A lateral Buoy, lateral post or lateral mark, as defined by the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities, is a Sea mark A lighthouse is a Tower, building or framework designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or in older times from a fire and used as an For other meanings see Foghorn (disambiguation. A foghorn or fog signal is a device that uses sound to warn vehicles of hazards (or of the A lightvessel, or lightship, is a Ship which acts as a Lighthouse.Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic