USCG Exam PracticeAids to Navigation — IALA-B (US) buoyage
A mariner in IALA-B waters is uncertain of the direction 'returning from sea' in an unfamiliar inland waterway. Which of the following sources provides the authoritative basis for determining the conventional direction of buoy numbering and coloring in the US lateral system?
- A. 46 CFR §199.175, which establishes survival craft equipment standards
- ✓ Bowditch Ch. 5 §501, which describes the US lateral system under IALA-BCorrect
- C. 33 CFR §164.03, which incorporates by reference the standards for navigation equipment
- D. The Light List entry for IALA-A port-hand marks, which defines the universal lateral convention
Why B is correct
Bowditch Ch. 5 §501 directly addresses the US lateral buoyage system under IALA-B, including the convention that red is on the right returning from sea, even numbers on red aids, and odd on green. The other options address survival equipment, equipment incorporation by reference, or the IALA-A system, none of which govern US lateral buoy conventions.
Cited:Bowditch Ch. 5 §501