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Navigation
Charts
Nearly
all of the charts and maps of Loch Lomond are based
on an Admlitary Chart of the 1860's which was last updated
in the early 1900's. (Chart 5077). This chart is therefore
considerably out of date, the Ordnance Survey Landranger
Map Sheet 56 is far more up to date for the surrounding
area but does not cover navigational obstructions, spot
depths and other aids etc.
The
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Park Authority provide
"A Guide to Navigation" as part of the registration.
This chart although basic is more up to date in terms
of buoyage, navigational notes and unmarked hazards,
but does not include spot soundings or finer detail.
A
number of years ago Cullins Yacht Charters licensed
a reprint of Chart 5077 and included cruise and local
navigation information, this is still readily obtained
around the Loch for around £3.50, and is probably
one of the best charts still available.
If
you are lucky enough to own an electronic Chart Plotter
then C-Map make a cartridge that covers Loch Lomond,
the cost of the Chart is @ £76.
Chart
Numbers / Names
Admilitary Chart No.5077
CMAP NT Chart No. M-EW-C091 INNER CLYDE INC. LOCH
LOMOND
Buoyage
Types
The
Loch Lomond and Trossachs Park Authority maintain the
buoyage system on the Loch. There are four
types of marks used which adhere to the the IALA System
A: Lateral, Cardinal, Isolated Danger, and Special.
Special
is used to mark restricted areas on the Loch, which
refers to restricted area of navigation and signifies
the existence of a specific byelaw.
Direction
of buoyage
The
" General Direction" of the buoyage on Loch
Lomond is North. That means when traveling North you
should keep the Port Cardinal to your Port side and
Starboard Cardinal to your Starboard side. When traveling
south the opposite is the case.
Lateral
marks
These
are used to indicate the port (left) and the starboard
(right) sides of the channels when traveling in the
Direction of Buoyage, that is, into port.
Port-hand marks are coloured red and the basic
shape is cylindrical (can) for buoy (and topmark when
fitted). Such a mark would be on the port side of a
vessel when traveling in the Direction of Buoyage.
Colour:
Red
Shape (buoys): Cylindrical (can), pillar or spar
Topmark (if any): Single red cylinder (can)
Starboard-hand
marks
are coloured green and the basic shape is conical (and
topmark when fitted).
Colour:
Green
Shape (buoys): Conical (cone), pillar or spar
Topmark (if any): Single green cone point upwards
When marks are numbered, odd numbers will lie
on the starboard side, and even numbers on the port
when traveling in the Direction of Buoyage. They are
numbered from seaward.
Cardinal
marks
These
are used to indicate the location of the best navigable
water; to show the safe side on which to pass danger
(rocks, wrecks, shoals, etc) and to draw attention to
a feature in a channel.
To understand the meaning of a particular cardinal
mark, the navigator must be aware of his geographical
directions and, therefore, needs a compass to indicate
where the best navigable water lies. The mark is placed
in one of the four quadrants: north, south, east or
west. If in doubt, consult the chart.
The shape of a cardinal mark is not significant,
but in the case of a buoy it will be a pillar or spar.
The most important daylight feature of the Cardinal
mark is the black double cone topmark and the four different
arrangements that indicate the relevant direction from
the mark.
Black and yellow horizontal bands are used to
colour the Cardinal marks.
North
cardinal mark
Has two cones pointing up - Pass on the northern
side of this mark.
East
cardinal mark
Has two cones pointing away from each other -
Pass on the eastern side of this mark.
South cardinal mark
Has two cones pointing down - Pass on the southern
side of this mark.
West cardinal mark
Has two cones point to point - Pass on the western
side of this mark.
These
are used to indicate a special area or feature, the
nature of which may be found by consulting a chart
or sailing directions. Some local examples are the
restricted
navigational areas such as speed restrictions.
(Although remember a spead restriction may start before
the navigational restriction as indicated by the special
mark, for example around the islands).
The colour of the Special mark is always yellow,
and the top mark is a single yellow X.
Isolated
danger marks
These
are on, or moored above, an isolated danger of limited
extent that has navigable water all around it. The colours
are red and black horizontal stripes and the mark is,
when practicable, fitted with a double sphere, vertically
disposed, black topmark.
Some examples of the Isolated Danger Mark are
on the rock just of Cameron House Marina and the Rocks
off Rob Roy's cave near Inversnaid. Isolated Danger
Marks are not always positioned centrally over a danger
and it is therefore advisable not to pass too close.
Some other examples exist on the Loch such as off Luss
which are steek poles.
Site design and
maintenance by Boat Loch Lomond
Copyright © 2007
All Rights Reserved.
Please e-mail
with any comments, suggestions, or corrections.
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