What is the name of the cylindrical buoy that tapers to a blunt top?

• A. Can buoy
• B. Spar buoy
• C. Nun buoy
• D. Pile buoy

Answer: (C)

The shape being described is a nun buoy. In aid-to-navigation shapes, buoys come in two common cylindrical forms: the can buoy, which has a flat top, and the nun buoy, which tapers toward a blunt top. A cylindrical body that narrows to a rounded or blunt top fits the nun buoy design, whereas a spar buoy is a long, narrow pole-like shape and a pile buoy is tied to a pile or structure. So the best match for a cylindrical buoy that tapers to a blunt top is a nun buoy.