The oral examiner shows you a mark and waits. This is where you make that answer automatic — flip-card study for the marks, lights, shapes and signals, then a self-marking quiz spanning the whole OOW syllabus: navigation, COLREGS, radar, meteorology, stability, emergencies, SAR, watchkeeping, GMDSS, ship handling, fire and survival, and the legislation.
Syllabus topics — from the study modules
Card 1 / 18
BuoyageOnDeck Academy
You're entering harbour from seaward in IALA Region A. Identify this mark.
1.What type of mark is it?
2.Colour, shape and topmark?
3.What light would it show?
4.Which side do you leave it?
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Answers
1.
What type of mark is it?
A port-hand lateral mark (Region A).
2.
Colour, shape and topmark?
Red. Can-shaped (flat top). Topmark, if fitted: a single red can.
3.
What light would it show?
A red light of any rhythm — commonly Fl R, but it may be Oc, Iso, Q or group-flashing.
4.
Which side do you leave it?
To port, when proceeding in the direction of buoyage (normally entering from seaward).
OnDeck note
Region A only. 'Is there any red port left in the bottle?' — red, port, left, coming in. Cross to Region B (the Americas, Japan, Korea, the Philippines) and the colours swap. Superyachts cross the divide mid-season — read the chart's region before you trust the colour.
Original OnDeck Academy study material, drawn from IALA buoyage standards, the COLREGS, the International Code of Signals and the wider OOW syllabus (SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW, IAMSAR and related conventions). A study aid only — verify the currency of all marks, lights, shapes, signals, rules and regulations against current charts and publications before relying on them at sea.