- As far as I can tell, no stake holders were asked for their opinion.
- This was initiated by DEMA or DEMA's lobbyist to promote a single product. One that hasn't been seen by anyone that I know.
- It does not add Safety Sausages as a legal device.
- It does nothing to address reality as it applies to current usages.
- There has been nothing scientific to show what's needed.
- It does nothing to make running over a diver next to a dive flag a criminal offense.
I think we can use this thread to communicate to the Florida Legislature and FWC what we want in a Dive Flag Law. Personally, I would like to keep what they have, including the buoy, and add sausages to it. I would also like to see a caveat for deep dives where we aren't required to drag a flag when we are below 40 ft. They become snag hazards for other buoys and even boats and all we need to do is to shoot a Safety Sausage when we get shallower. After all, that's the standard practice for divers doing very deep dives and spearfishing already. It would also promote the use of Safety Sausages and the ability to shoot them from depth. Think of the drive offs that would be prevented by divers shooting a sausage when they are separated from the main flag.
What do y'all think?
what did the Officers say? I am a local LEO and read the language to be that the buoy is optional if you already have a flag displayed. It would make sense that a company is trying to make a product and sell it, but needed it to be legal before they could. Specifically to the new law changes, I'm not seeing a huge deal here... Or did I miss something?
BUT, I do agree and am disappointed that changes could be made so quickly and without warning. And I would be a supporter of no flag for deep dives until safety stop depth AS LONG AS A BOAT NEARBY IS DISPLAYING A FLAG. I like the idea about safety sausages as legal, but it gets a little weird when it comes to standardization of them. They're are many varieties and colors, we'd all have to agree on one and then make sure they can't be confused with anything else. Dive flags are pretty well known already.
---------- Post added June 5th, 2014 at 01:06 PM ----------
Okay, missed this link the first time... I suggest if anyone wants answers about the new law contact the Senator Abruzzo or Representative Raschein, they wrote it and I'm sure would be happy to answer any questions.
excerpt from the keys article:
"The Senate and House bills would legalize a diver-down buoy, similar to the dive flag towed behind a diver. Raschein, R-Key Largo, argued the buoy is safer because it's 3-D and four-sided, making it more visible.
"It just gives divers an alternative to the flag," Raschein said. "It does not implement any new rules."
Raschein and Abruzzo sponsored the legislation after being approached by representatives of a Boca Raton company, Two Goumbas, which has built a prototype of the buoy. Its founder, Michael Greenfield, began working with an engineer to develop the buoy nearly two years ago because of his concerns about diver safety and boats not being able to see a dive flag.
"It's a pretty simple idea," Greenfield said. "I can't believe someone has not thought of it before."
In addition to being 3-D, the company's prototype is wrapped in reflective material, making it even more visible. It is also sturdy enough to hold the weight of a diver in an emergency situation, company officials said."
