Safe Boat Operations – General Characteristics of Short-Range Aids to Navigation (AtoN)
By Captain Bob Figular
 Aids to navigation have many different characteristics. An aid’s color, size, light, or sound signifies what mariners should do when they see it.
Solid red AtoN buoys and beacons bear even numbers and all solid green AtoN bear odd numbers. No other AtoN are numbered. When proceeding from seaward toward the direction of conventional navigation, the numbers increase. Numbers are kept in approximate sequence on both sides of the channel. Letters may be used to augment numbers when lateral AtoN are added to channels with previously completed numerical sequences. For instance, a buoy added between R”4” and R”6” in a channel would be numbered R”4A”. Letters will also increase in alphabetical order.
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Electronic Navigation – ‘Unfolding’ Electronic Charts
 Almost all electronic plotters include the same kind of capabilities for creating and storing waypoints that are found in GPS receivers. They have an important advantage, though, in that you don’t have to enter waypoint positions in terms of their latitude and longitude coordinates; there is a much simpler procedure for creating waypoints graphically, in effect by just pointing at the chart image and telling the plotter where you want to go.
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Safe Boat Operations – Line Handling and Care
 Marlinespike is the art of handling and working with all kinds of line or rope. It includes knot tying and splicing. Knowledge of line handling terminology, phrases, and standard communication is important to operating a boat safely in all docking situations.
The uses for a particular line will depend heavily upon the type and characteristics of the line.
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Safe Boat Operations – Knot Tying – Terminology
 Knots are used for pulling, holding, lifting, and lowering. When using line for these purposes, it is often necessary to join two or more lines together. Knots and bends are used for temporary joining, and splices provide a permanent joining. In either case, the breaking strength (BS) of the joined line is normally less than the BS of the separated lines. The weakest point in a line is the knot or splice. They can reduce the breaking strength of a line as much as 50 to 60 percent.
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Understanding Marine Weather – The Marine Layer
 Somewhat Similar to the sea breeze, the marine layer also represents a difference between a cool, moist air mass and a warmer air mass. Unlike the sea breeze, which reforms almost everyday along the east coast in summer, the marine layer can persists for days and weeks along the west coast, particularly Southern California.
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Safe Boating Operations – Anchoring – Which Anchor is right for my boat?
 There are different types of anchors with specific advantages and disadvantages depending on various factors. The type of anchor and size (weight) of anchor a boat uses basically depends upon the size of the boat, bottom characteristics of the anchorage, time at anchor and weather. It is advisable for Coastal cruising sailors and power boaters to carry at least two anchors of different designs.
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