Section R. 281.1111 - Aids to navigationRule 11.
(1) On a well defined channel including a river or other relatively narrow natural or improved waterway, an aid to navigation shall be a solid colored buoy. A buoy which marks the left side of the channel looking upstream or toward the head of navigation shall be colored all black. A buoy which marks the right side of the channel looking upstream or toward the head of navigation shall be colored all red. On a well defined channel, solid colored buoys shall be established in pairs, 1 or each side of the navigable channel which they mark, and opposite each other to inform the user that the channel lies between the buoys and that he should pass between the buoys.(2) On an irregularly defined channel, solid colored buoys may be used singly in staggered fashion on alternate sides of the channel if they are spaced at sufficiently close intervals to inform the user that the channel lies between the buoys and that he should pass between the buoys.(3) Where there is no well defined channel or when a body of water is obstructed by objects whose nature or location is such that the obstruction can be approached by a vessel from more than 1 direction, supplemental aids to navigation having cardinal meaning (i.e., pertaining to the cardinal points of the compass, north, east, south, and west) shall be used. The use of aids to navigation having cardinal meaning is limited to those waters of the state which are not navigable waters of the United States.(4) Aids to navigation conforming to the cardinal system shall consist of 3 distinctly colored buoys.(a) A white buoy with a red top shall be used to indicate to a vessel operator that he must pass to the south or west of the buoy.(b) A white buoy with a black top shall be used to indicate to a vessel operator that he must pass to the north or east of the buoy.(c) A buoy showing alternate red and white stripes shall be used to indicate to a vessel operator that an obstruction to navigation extends from the nearest shore to the buoy and that he must not pass between the buoy and shore. The number of white and red stripes is discretionary, if the white stripes are twice the width of the red stripes.Mich. Admin. Code R. 281.1111