Channel Buoy Colors

[jhigfl]

I'm confused as to why the Channel Marker Buoys are shown as "Red Left Returning" and "Green Right Returning." This is backward to what I learned in Navigation class and what's on the US Coast Guard 6 Passenger Captain's license test. Below is from the Safe Boater safety course,

Red and green in color; channel and bifurcation buoys are all part of the Lateral System. It is an international system.

The most popular memory aid for this system is "Red Right Returning." This is the rule of the lateral system.

It means that when you are "returning to" the headwaters of any waterway, (heading upstream) the red buoys will always be on your right, or starboard side.

Red Right Returning also applies to secondary channels that may be "returning to" another feature, like a harbor.

[76561199060744175]

A good question. There are two buoyage systems. IALA A and IALA B. IALA stands for The International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities previously known as the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities.
In IALA A port lateral marks and lights are coloured red and starboard lateral marks and lights are coloured green. In IALA B, port lateral marks and lights are coloured green. and starboard lateral marks and lights are coloured red.
IALA A is used in the Americas, Japan, Korea and the Philippines and IALA A is used in the res of the world. Both systems use identical cardinal, isolated danger, safe water and special marks.
In eSail, as you are sailing roughly in mid Atlantic north of the Azores and west of the middle of France, and possibly because eSail was developed in Europe, IALA A is used!
As a comment, should eSail have buoys other than just part and starboard lateral buoys to increase it educational aspect?

[Tomn]

Yeah, over in the US the system I learned was "red right returning," but in the UK and Europe it's "Port wine is red." And now you know not to be confused if you ever cruise outside of American waters!

[cbaldwin256]

More buoys will be coming|

[76561199060744175]

Good news about the buoys. I realise it is much quicker and easier to think up new features than to implement them! eSail is very good and enjoyable so many thanks for all your hard work!

[mikekavaney]

Originally posted by Tomn:

Yeah, over in the US the system I learned was "red right returning," but in the UK and Europe it's "Port wine is red." And now you know not to be confused if you ever cruise outside of American waters!

0r, just make sure you check which IALA system is being used for the area you are sailing in on the chart!!