ABOUT OUR STORE

For the same reason that a you don't have your name taped to your forehead. The numbers on the charts give the buoys individualism and uniqueness, but they're not obvious when "meeting" that certain buoy on the lake. Number #609, below, for example, has the location 43°36.278 latitude, 71°24.013 longitude, it's on Lake Winnipesaukee, and it's a black-top (cardinal) buoy. You don't need to know all those things, but they are part of the information on a table of buoys under buoy number #609. The Marine Patrol has this table.

BUT buoy number #609 does not "wear" a number #609.

The one exception to this is light-numbered buoys, which have the numbers right on their spars. The light numbered buoys are the black or red numbered buoys on the chart. For example, the black 71 and the red 27 and 28 buoys on the chart below are the light numbered buoys.

For more on the buoy numbering system, see buoys, Buoys and their numbers.