{{Short description|Ship type}} [[Image:UnitedStatesCoastGuardCutterOBION.jpg|thumb|right|300px|USCGC ''Obion'', a river buoy tender, maintaining navigational buoys on the Ohio River at Louisville, Kentucky.]] A '''buoy tender''' is a type of [[boat|vessel]] used to maintain and replace navigational [[buoy]]s. This term can also apply to an actual person who does this work.
The [[United States Coast Guard]] uses buoy tenders to accomplish one of its primary missions of maintaining all U.S. [[Navigational aid|aids to navigation]] (ATON).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gocoastguard.com/about-the-coast-guard/discover-our-roles-missions/aids-to-navigation|title=Aids to Navigation – Mapping the Waters {{!}} GoCoastGuard.com|website=www.gocoastguard.com|access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref>
The [[Canadian Coast Guard]] uses multi-use vessels (most being icebreakers) with tasks including buoy tending.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/Icebreaking/Fleet|title=Icebreaker Fleet|date=May 6, 2019|website=Canadian Coast Guard}}</ref>
==Types of coast guard buoy tenders==
[[File:Maritime Gendarmerie ship Provence (3).jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Maritime Gendarmerie]] buoy tender ''Provence'']]
'''United States Coast Guard''' *240' {{USCGC|Mackinaw|WLBB-30}} *225' [[USCG seagoing buoy tender]] (WLB) *175' [[USCG coastal buoy tender]] (WLM) *100' [[USCG inland buoy tender]] ([[USCG inland buoy tender|WLI]]) *100' [[USCG inland construction tender]] ([[WLIC]]) * 75' [[River buoy tender]] ([[Hull classification symbol#United States Coast Guard vessels|WLR]]) * 75' [[Inland construction tender]] ([[WLIC]]) * 65' [[River buoy tender]] ([[Hull classification symbol#United States Coast Guard vessels|WLR]]) * 65' [[Inland buoy tender]] ([[USCG inland buoy tender|WLI]]) * 49' [[Buoy utility stern loading boat]] (BUSL) * Other miscellaneous aids to navigation boats
[[Image:CCGS samuel risley.jpg|thumb|right|200px|CCGS buoy tender ''Samuel Risley'']]
'''Canadian Coast Guard''' *272' {{ship|CCGS|Ann Harvey}} *272' {{ship|CCGS|George R. Pearkes}} *228' {{ship|CCGS|Earl Grey}} *228' {{ship|CCGS|Samuel Risley}} *198' {{ship|CCGS|Alexander Henry}} *180' {{ship|CGS|Aberdeen}} *179' {{ship|CCGS|Simcoe}} *180' {{ship|CGS|Simcoe|1909|6}} *144' {{ship|CCGS|C.P. Edwards}} *125' {{ship|CCGS|Brant}} *66' {{ship|CCGS|Cove Isle}}
==Other buoy tenders== Many coastal States have buoy tenders to maintain aids to navigation in and around their coastal waters. In the UK, this includes lighthouse authorities, including the [[Northern Lighthouse Board]] and [[Trinity House]] who ships maintain buoys as well as acting as [[lighthouse tender]]s.<ref name="Riv">{{Cite web |title=Shipbuilders invited to industry day on buoy tender replacement |url=https://www.rivieramm.com/news-content-hub/news-content-hub/shipbuilders-invited-to-industry-day-on-buoy-tender-replacement-63483 |access-date=5 June 2024 |publisher=Riviera}}</ref><ref name="TrinityHouse">{{Cite web |title=Buoys Are Back In Town|url=https://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/commercial-services/our-work/case-studies/buoys-are-back-in-town|access-date=5 June 2024 |publisher=Trinity House}}</ref>
* [[NLV Pharos]], multi-function tender * [[NLV Pole Star]], medium buoy tender * [[THV Galatea]], multi-function tender
==Further reading== * [[United States Coast Guard]] [http://www.uscg.mil/History/h_lhindex.asp Bibliography and links on buoy tenders.]
==References== {{Reflist}}
[[Category:Boat types]] [[Category:Service vessels of the United States|*]] [[Category:Service vessels of Canada|*]] [[Category:Ships of the United States Lighthouse Service]]
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