Corrosion-and-chafing-resistant, buoy system and method

A buoy comprising:

• a body defining a longitudinal (axial) direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, all mutually orthogonal to one another, a top end, a bottom end, and an outer surface;
• the body, having an outer surface extending continuously in the circumferential direction, and varying in radius along the axial direction between a relief radius in a relief region and a shielding radius, greater than the relief radius, in a shielding region;
• the body further comprising a passage therethrough characterized by a passage perimeter extending continuously in the circumferential direction and extending from the top end to the bottom end;
• an upright extending through the passage in the axial direction to pass from the bottom end to a point thereabove accessible by an operator from a watercraft, the upright being selectively positionable to drop through the body to suspend from the top end;
• markings on the relief region positioned to be protected by the shielding region against contact by objects outside the body;
• a capture secured to the upright, proximate the top end, to engage a pole extending from a watercraft;
• a thimble secured to the upright, proximate the top end to hold a buoy line passing up through the upright from an anchored location therebelow;
• and
• the upright being selectively movable longitudinally through the body between a lower position with the thimble proximate the body and a higher position proximate the watercraft to secure a mooring line from the watercraft to the buoy line.