Race Marks

Looking for a spherical black coloured race mark, of about 30"diameter, to use as a Club Race Starting/Finishing mark outer distance marker.

It could even be an inflatable type!

Does anyone have any idea where such a thing can be purchased here in the UK. Most of the known buoy suppliers only seem to do the standard orange or maybe yellow coloured type. But many years of usage prove that in coastal locations, black stands out far better than any other colour, in all type of weather conditions. More so when viewed against the shingle/pebble beach background found along the south eastern costline.

All useful suggestions greatfully appreciated.

Thanks

Peter Daigneault - Eastbourne Sovereign SC

Buy an orange buoy and a can of black paint...

One of our members decided to vandalise one of our black inflatable buoys - he thought it would look better with a fluorescent green top and green spots. He did this without asking anyone.

Anyway he turned up later that week and painted it black again. We can lend him to you if you want. He only lives in Brighton!! 

Thanks Guys,

We have crewsaver tall marks & got black outer covers made locally, rather than the standard orange ones.

Have to say that they have been good for the last few years & still going strong. No signs of any UV problem & they are used pretty much every weekend we race.

Unfortunately they are too big for use as the start mark. We did have a very large polypropolyne fender that was painted black, it did wear off quite often, but also it was very heavy so no one like handling into the safety boats or even towing behind.

2 years ago we bought a full new set of racing marks from Norfloat

www.norfloat.com  They have a full range of colours and can also mould text or numbers into the buoy.  We went for their commercial fishing gear floats (heavy duty) rather than the racing marks as ours stay on the water 12months of the year.  They're a bit covered in bird exrement at the moment but apart from that seem to be lasting well.

Gareth