As a maritime instructor, I’ve spent years teaching students the IALA buoyage system. One challenge always stood out: while a 2D image of a buoy in a textbook or on a slide can show the basics, it simply doesn’t compare to being able to see and handle a 3D model that directly represents the real buoy.
That gap between theory and practice is what inspired me to design the IALA Buoys Collection. I wanted my students to go beyond flat diagrams and experience buoyage in a way that felt tangible, memorable, and true to life.
Why I Designed the Models
In my early years of teaching, I watched students struggle to transfer their classroom learning into real navigation. On paper, they could identify a port-hand buoy or a cardinal mark. But at sea, when faced with the actual buoy, hesitation crept in.
I knew that if they could hold a scaled 3D buoy in their hands, see its proportions, its topmark, and its color scheme from every angle, the knowledge would “stick” far better than any 2D diagram ever could. That’s why I designed this collection—to give students a direct bridge between the classroom and the real world.
How They Transform Learning
The first time I used the IALA model buoys in a lesson, the difference was immediate. Students weren’t passively looking at drawings—they were actively engaging. They picked up the buoys, rotated them, compared shapes, and arranged them into realistic navigation scenarios.
It was no longer just theory; it became an experience. And for many learners, that hands-on interaction was the key to unlocking true understanding.
Seeing the Results
What I value most is the feedback I get from students. Many have told me how much easier it is to identify buoys at sea after handling the models in class. The 3D practice gave them confidence—they weren’t second-guessing; they already knew what they were looking at.
For me, that’s the ultimate reward: seeing them translate classroom learning into safe, confident navigation in real-world conditions.
Why I Recommend Them
The IALA Buoys Collection isn’t just another teaching aid. It’s something I designed from the ground up, based on my own experience as a maritime instructor and my students’ needs.
A 2D image can show you what a buoy looks like—but only a 3D model lets you truly understand it. That’s why these models have become an invaluable part of my teaching, and why I wholeheartedly recommend them to any maritime school or training provider.
