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Thread: Colorado Reef Buoy

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    371

    Default Colorado Reef Buoy

    As I MOTORED to the HMB finish I could not help but notice the Colorado Reef Buoy was nowhere close to my Garmin chart plotter location or the coordinates of N37 32.186 w122 32.192 on my handheld but much farther to the west….At dinner I think several other races mentioned the same thing….I thought the Buoy may have been moved (better out than in) by a storm so I mentioned it to the harbormaster while paying for my slip but he seemed to think the buoy is in the correct location…..Was I over served or did anyone else notice the different location?.....Rick/Lightspeed

    PS here are some HMB pictures (hope the link works) http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=0YbM2zRwxYsJq
    Last edited by Lightspeed; 06-30-2009 at 03:47 PM. Reason: ad picture link

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    3,688

    Default

    Light List vol. 6 (see P. 36) has it at 37 32.10.023 N, 122 33.09.011W*

    That puts it about 1.5 nm W of Point Montara. Does that seem about right?


    *Quoted at the precision stated in the Light List. This appeals to us accountant-types.
    Last edited by BobJ; 07-01-2009 at 09:17 AM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    448

    Default

    The coordinates I had previously picked up from Colorado Reef buoy are 37 degrees 32 minutes 9 seconds North, 122 degrees 33 minutes 6 seconds West - which is right about where it was again over the weekend.

    I'm always suspicious of lat/lon coordinates set up in thousandths of a minute (that's approximately 6.1 feet of latitude!), as that's far more precise than anyone needs to be... What's the watch circle on a buoy anchored at the depth?

    - rob/beetle

    [edit to correct seconds for minutes]
    Last edited by tiger beetle; 06-30-2009 at 09:30 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    577

    Default

    As I recall, it was moved farther out about 5 years ago. It used to be that you definitely wanted to go outside it to avoid the reef; now it seems kind of pointless.

    I think it was in '06, the last year we had no finishers in this race, that many of us were having all kinds of trouble getting around that buoy.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Santa Rosa
    Posts
    644

    Default Montara Buoy vs Colorado Reef Buoy

    Don't confuse the current CR Buoy with the old Montara Reef Buoy, which was located much closer to shore - right at the end of the reef off the lighthouse. The Montara Wind Hole was much realer when the buoy was closer in and all the HMB races had to do was clear it to port on the way down. At least 1.5 nm (or so) off gets us away from the hole a little. Certainly not enough on Saturday!
    -- Pat B.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    SF Bay Area
    Posts
    380

    Default R "26"

    Rick,

    You point out a good lesson for us all: be careful of those "uncorrected" electronic charts. It sounds like you have old info. I entered a waypoint for R "26" using the Light List location and found it last year and again on Saturday right were it's supposed to be.

    Tom
    Dazzler

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    3,688

    Default

    Yep, neither one of my Garmin chartplotters had the Colorado Reef buoy and I updated the software less than a year ago. It was in my old G-12 handheld because I'd entered it manually the last time I did the race.

    Here's the link to subscribe to the Local Notice to Mariners, including the updated Light List:

    http://cgls.uscg.mil/mailman/listinfo/eleventh-cg-dlnm
    Last edited by BobJ; 07-02-2009 at 08:53 AM.

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