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Lu Abel asked:

> In addition to buoys with specific shapes:  nuns, cans, and spheres (spar
> buoys are, to the best of my knowledge, not used in US waters), there is
> the standard buoy with an open truss or framework.  It's what the US uses
> for lighted and sound-producing buoys, but they can also be unlighted if
> the CG wants something larger than a nun or can.  I even know they come in
> various sizes like 7 x 17, 8x26, etc (where the first digit is the diameter
> of the float and the second is the overall height, both in feet).  But I've
> been unable to find a name to them.
>
> WHAT ARE THESE THINGS CALLED?
>
> IE, I want to be able to go down to my buoy maker and ask for a
>  buoy and then take it home and paint it red -- or
> green, or red/white, or red over green, or green over red, or yellow, or
> ... well, you get my point.
>
> The closest I've been able to come is a "pillar" buoy (eg, see
> http://www.tpub.com/content/administration/14067/css/14067_149.htm), but
> that looks like it has a tapered framework, not the constant-width
> framework typical of US buoys).

"Pillar buoy" seems to be the Canadian term for any buoy where the shape
(above the floating section) is made of an open framework, regardless of
what that shape is. I suspect that we have copied that from U.S. usage.


Interestingly, my 1973 edition of Admiralty chart 5011 ("Symbols and
Abbreviations", equivalent to U.S. Chart 1) shows "pillar buoy" as an
alternative for "spindle buoy", with both appearing to refer to a
particular shape of buoy superstructure, rather than a framework
construction of that superstructure. British usage may be quite
different to North American.


Trevor Kenchington


--
Trevor J. Kenchington PhD                         Gadus@iStar.ca
Gadus Associates,                                 Office(902) 889-9250
R.R.#1, Musquodoboit Harbour,                     Fax   (902) 889-9251
Nova Scotia  B0J 2L0, CANADA                      Home  (902) 889-3555

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