What the bouy’s mean
Buoys serve as important navigational aids and safety markers
On Lake Minnetonka, the buoys serve as important navigational aids and safety markers. Here’s a breakdown of the most common types you’ll see and what they mean:
⚪ White Buoys with Orange Markings — Regulatory / Warning Buoys
These are the most common on Lake Minnetonka.
Orange Circle: Controlled area (e.g., speed limits or no wake zones)
Orange Diamond: Warning (e.g., rocks, hazards, or shallow areas)
Orange Diamond with Cross: Boats keep out (e.g., swim areas or private property)
Orange Square: Information (e.g., directions or other notices)
These buoys often indicate "no wake" zones, especially near shorelines, marinas, bridges, and channels.
🟥 🟦 Navigation Buoys (Channel Markers)
These follow the standard "Red Right Returning" system, just like rivers or the Intracoastal Waterway.
Red Buoys (Can-shaped or Nun): Keep these on your right (starboard) side when returning to the main lake or upstream.
Green Buoys: Keep these on your left (port) side when returning to the main lake or upstream.
On Lake Minnetonka, these help you safely navigate tight or shallow channels between bays.
⚫ Black and White Buoys — Hazard or Marker Buoys
May be unlit or unmarked but usually indicate hazards, rocks, or navigational boundaries.
These should generally be given wide berth.
✅ Pro Tips for Boaters:
Stay between the red and green channel markers when moving between bays.
Observe all no-wake zones, especially near homes and docks.
Lake Minnetonka is heavily patrolled in summer by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Water Patrol, and violations are enforced.
1. Channel Markers (Red & Green)
Green buoys (can-shaped) mark the left side of the channel when heading upstream or back toward the main lake.
Red buoys (nun-shaped) mark the right side under the same heading.
➡️ Remember the rule: “Red, right, returning” — always keep red on your right when heading back to shore or upstream.
2. Obstruction (Point) Buoys
White buoys with vertical black stripes indicate hazards like shoals or submerged points.
⚠️ Never pass between these buoys and the shoreline.
3. Mid‑Channel (Safe Water) Buoys
Red and white vertically striped buoys, often topped with a red ball, signal the center of the channel.
🔜 You can safely pass on either side.
4. Regulatory Buoys (Orange Symbols)
White buoys with orange bands and symbols:
Circle: Controlled areas (no-wake, speed zones)
Diamond: Warnings (rocks, shoals)
Diamond with an “X”: Keep-out zones (swim areas, private docks)
Square: Information (directions, distances).
5. Mooring Buoys
White buoys with blue bands, used for mooring boats.
✅ These are the only buoys you’re legally allowed to tie up to under LMCD rules.
6. Diving Buoys
Marked by a diver’s flag, alerting boaters to stay at least 150 feet away to avoid wake disturbance.
Thank you