Marker Buoys

Shop Marker Buoys at West Marine

Marker buoys are used to warn boaters of restricted areas or hazards. Most marker buoys are tall cylinders that warn boaters about local conditions. Examples of marker buoys include NO WAKE, NO SWIMMING, 5 MPH SPEED LIMIT, ROCK, and NO WATER-SKIING. In lakes, rivers and coastal areas, marker buoys are also used to indicate safe channels for navigation, or the entrance to a marina. Examples of marker buoys offered by West Marine include Taylor Made’s Sur-Mark™ & Sur-Mark™ II Marker Buoys and Jim Buoy's Swim Area Marker Buoy.

Marker Buoys for Sailboat Regattas

In addition to warning of hazards, marker buoys are also used in sailboat regattas to mark the upwind, downwind or other boundaries of a sailboat race. An example of a marker buoy used for this purpose is Plastimo's Cylindrical Regatta Mark Buoy.

Marker Buoys for Dredging Operations

Marker buoys are also used to indicate the limits of dredging operations. An example of a marker buoy used for this purpose is Jim Buoy’s Dredging Buoy.

Color Coded Marker Buoys

Marker buoys are typically color-coded to indicate their meaning or purpose, with red indicating danger or no-go areas, green indicating safe or navigable areas, and yellow indicating caution or restricted areas. Overall, marker buoys play a critical role in helping boaters safely navigate waterways and avoid potential hazards.