Quote:
Originally Posted by captndale
Depending on the state in which you are diving, there may be minimum size requirements for the flag to be legal. That said, flags flown from boats should be proportional to the size of the boat. Flags that are intended to be towed by a diver are better seen if they are large and flown higher above the water. However, the larger the flag and float the more windage, drag and resistance to waves they have. It can be very fatiguing to tow a large flag/float through the water, especially in adverse weather conditions.
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state of texas states that in must be 15X15" at minimum on vessel or bouy, the academy unit is only 12X15", so does not in fact meet these requirements, and it is as big or bigger than the flags on most of the units I see in dive shops locally. The project unit is 20X23", and the flag is easily detachable from pole unit as is the pole unit from bouy so I can use the fiberglass pole unit on boat diving excursions. I could purchase other flag units if required, considering getting an alpha flag as well.
The buoy unit is intended more to be set in place to protect entry exit place, but could be towed, I would think as easily as a inner tube based flag buoy.
Texas law does not require you to even display dive flag, although I believe the corp of engineers lakes do. But if you do not display the dive flag you are not entitled to the protection it is supposed to afford. We usually just pop an smb if we have to surface away from buoy or protected shore area.
I found a great deal of useful information on dive flags at
dive-flag.com