Spotter for Buoys
You'll become familiar with your usual routes pretty quickly, but when I go for a trip to an unfamiliar area I ask someone to be the spotter for buoys.
I use my chart plotter (w/ Bizer chart) then as I approach an area with a buoy I ask my spotter to start looking for it. As the boat driver, I can't always dedicate all my attention to searching for the upcoming buoy. Often I see the buoy before the spotter, but I feel more comfortable knowing that someone else is looking. If the chart plotter shows me getting close, but I still haven't found it, I slow down, or even stop. (You have to be aware if someone is immediately on your stern.)
I review a new route before going out (using the Bizer paper chart) and identify any tricky areas and plan my approach (go slow, avoid, watch for cross traffic, etc.).
I find that dusk can be a difficult time to spot buoys so I'm more likely to take a course well away from it on the chart plotter.
In spite of all that, I found myself on the wrong side of a buoy near Ragged Island a few years ago and heard someone yelling from shore. Thanks to him, no damage done.
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