Buoy recommendations: shape, size and sources
Posted: 30 Apr 2007, 03:00
Our club needs a new set of buoys, and I want us to do this right. In the past we've had a sort of rigid PVC pipe canister, surrounded by styrofoam donuts that can slide up and down on the canister; these get filthy, and in my opinion are too complicated.
I've seen spherical, apparently inflatable, buoys in pictures from major events; and a page on Lester Gilbert's site has a recommendation for these too.
So, I'd like some input:
Is spherical the way to go?
If so, is a simple sphere sufficient, or is there any reason to have a pole out the top, like the ones in photos of the Mooloolaba World Champs?
How about size? Recommendations on Lester Gilbert's site are for starting/finishing buoys from 200-500 mm diameter, and course buoys no larger than half the mast height. The buoys at Mooloolaba look a bit underscaled to my eye - perhaps 250 mm diameter. What do others think.
There's a company here in the USA called Polyform who makes durable inflatable buoys and fenders (the latter sausage-shaped). Does anyone have experience with these, or ones like them? Their spherical buoys come in eight or nine diameters. These are used for fishing and the like, so I have to assume that their air-tightness over time is fairly reliable.
How about color? Is there any advantage in having buoys at different positions be different colors? The recommendation on Lester Gilbert's site suggests avoiding red and green, and using red or blue.
Any ideas on the best stuff to use for cordage and weights? I have some ideas, but am open to suggestions.
Thanks in advance for any advice/experience/opinions.
I've seen spherical, apparently inflatable, buoys in pictures from major events; and a page on Lester Gilbert's site has a recommendation for these too.
So, I'd like some input:
Is spherical the way to go?
If so, is a simple sphere sufficient, or is there any reason to have a pole out the top, like the ones in photos of the Mooloolaba World Champs?
How about size? Recommendations on Lester Gilbert's site are for starting/finishing buoys from 200-500 mm diameter, and course buoys no larger than half the mast height. The buoys at Mooloolaba look a bit underscaled to my eye - perhaps 250 mm diameter. What do others think.
There's a company here in the USA called Polyform who makes durable inflatable buoys and fenders (the latter sausage-shaped). Does anyone have experience with these, or ones like them? Their spherical buoys come in eight or nine diameters. These are used for fishing and the like, so I have to assume that their air-tightness over time is fairly reliable.
How about color? Is there any advantage in having buoys at different positions be different colors? The recommendation on Lester Gilbert's site suggests avoiding red and green, and using red or blue.
Any ideas on the best stuff to use for cordage and weights? I have some ideas, but am open to suggestions.
Thanks in advance for any advice/experience/opinions.