SL-B700 Float Collar Buoys Help Ensure Safe Navigation for Mariners At Island Anchorages

Background

Thirteen miles off Rhode Island’s southern coast lies Block Island, a favorite east coast sailing and fishing destination with a sea-faring history dating back to the early 1660s. Attractions on the 11 square mile island include two lighthouses, two protected harbors, 15+ miles of sandy beaches and the nation’s first offshore wind farm. Block Island was recently named one of the “last great places” in the western hemisphere by a major conservation organization for its natural beauty.

Challenge

Sealite’s SL-B700 buoy displays NO ANCHOR regulatory signage with custom anchor graphic at Great Salt Pond, Rhode Island.

A .5 mile long, 18’ deep channel leads from the ocean to Block Island’s Great Salt Pond and Inner Harbor. The channel, pond and harbor are used extensively by local fishing fleets, passenger ferries, water taxis and recreational vessels.

Great Salt Pond is one of the island’s most significant natural features and attraction for thousands of visiting yachts because of its protected anchorage. It hosts seven marinas and an expansive mooring field for transiting boats.

Another coveted mooring area on the island is the Old Harbor, which also offers protection for visiting yachts from an expansive breakwater.

The municipality of New Shoreham on Block Island had to replace existing, worn buoys with new regulatory and channel marking buoys to remind all mariners of local boating rules, regulations and identified navigation routes. The new buoys were also required to minimize erosion and maintain the pristine local shoreline, ensure moored and berthed vessels remain safely on station, ensure the safety of recreational users such as swimmers, kayakers and paddleboarders, and protect important sea beds.

Solution

The Town of New Shoreham purchased approximately fifty SL-B700 Float Collar Buoys for Great Salt Pond, Old Harbor and nearby navigation channels. Location specific regulatory signage included SLOW 5 MPH NO WAKE and NO ANCHOR messages to suit local mooring requirements. Several buoys were also ordered in channel marking configurations of green can and red nun styles.

The SL-B700’s feature a concreted, tapered base producing a completely, self-righting float collar buoy. The patented design ensures that the buoy nestles into the water column for outstanding vertical integrity while providing optimal visibility for the customized signage.

The SL-B700 Float Collar Buoys feature an integrated stainless steel tie bar that connects the topside lifting eye to the bottom mooring eye, adding structural strength and durability at critical mooring and lifting points.

Like all Sealite aid to navigation (AtoN) products, the SL-B700 Float Collar Buoys are rotationally molded using UV-stabilized virgin polyethylene as a single piece to a uniform .25 inch thickness for strength and durability.

With a can diameter of 12 inches, and overall height of 54 inches, the SL-B700 is compact enough to ship four to a pallet, optimizing freight costs. Increased visibility can be achieved with Sealite’s SL-15, SL-60 or SL-70 LED Solar Marine Lanterns.

Outcome

The integrated tie bar adds strength and durability at critical mooring/lifting points.

With the help of Sealite’s SL-B700 Buoys, the town of New Shoreham marked Great Salt Pond, Old Harbor and nearby channels with important controlled area navigation messages and navigation aids to protect their important recreational resources, help contribute to the economic stability of the small, seasonal island, and ensure navigation safety for vessel traffic.

“Sealite has been a trusted supplier of AtoNs to the town of New Shoreham in the past. To meet our current and future needs, we returned to Sealite to mark our harbors and channel for navigation safety.”

— Town Employee, New Shoreham

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SL-B700 Regulatory Buoy