Understanding Day Beacons – Types and Purposes
What is a Day Beacon?
A day beacon is a fixed, unlighted navigational aid used for daytime guidance, similar to a traffic sign for waterways. Unlike a floating buoy, it is a permanent structure—typically a post or piling—topped with a signboard called a daymare.
Cardinal Day Beacon
Cardinal day beacons use the four compass points to mark the safe route around a hazard. Unlike lateral markers, which define a channel, they indicate which side of the danger to pass. Their daymares are always yellow and black.
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North Cardinal Mark: Black on top, yellow on the bottom. Pass to the north of the beacon.
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East Cardinal Mark: Black on the top and bottom with a yellow band in the middle. Pass to the east of the beacon.
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South Cardinal Mark: Yellow on top, black on the bottom. Pass to the south of the beacon.
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West Cardinal Mark: Yellow with a black band in the middle. Pass to the west of this beacon.
Port-hand Day Beacon
Port-hand and starboard-hand day beacons are lateral markers that outline the edges of a safe channel. This system applies to vessels traveling “upstream” (returning from sea) and follows the mnemonic “Red, Right, Returning.”
| Attribute | Port-hand Beacon | Starboard-hand Beacon |
|—|—|—|
| Side (Upstream) | Left (Port) | Right (Starboard) |
| Daymare Shape | Green Square | Red Triangle |
| Numbering | Odd | Even |
Junction Day Beacon
A junction (or bifurcation) day beacon marks a point where a channel splits into two or where two routes converge.
Its daymare combines a red triangle and a green square, indicating that mariners must select their route.
The topmost shape determines the preferred channel.
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If the red triangle is on top, the preferred channel is to the starboard (right).
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If the green square is on top, the preferred channel is to the port (left).
When following the preferred channel, keep the beacon on the opposite side of your vessel.
