Floating Dive Flag + Dive Flag on boat BOTH Necessary?

Hi everyone, it's been a while since I've been on the forums! I've been doing a lot of diving lately in the Florida Keys and have heard some conflicting information on using dive flags. If I were to take out my boat and dive a shallow reef marked off by 50+ mooring buoys and if I were to carry a floating dive flag with me is it Mandatory to ALSO have a dive flag displayed on the boat? Obviously the more flags the better but by law are you required to have a flag on your boat even if you are carrying a floating flag? I've tried googling this but couldn't find an answer. Thanks!

I'm thinking this is a matter of state law. I don't believe "dive boats" have to display a flag unless they are engaged in diving at the time. And if the individual diver carries a flag, that is probably sufficient legally, whether the boat has a flag or not (under the federal COLREGS, the only flag required of a dive vessel is the blue/white "A" flag, plus restricted maneuvering lights at night if not anchored). Helpful hints here:

http://scuba.about.com/od/divemedicinesafety/tp/Dive-Flags.htm

But let's talk practicalities. The flag on the boat, whether Alpha or red/white, is higher up, and easier to spot. And if you get far away from the boat, then having your own flag, while a pain in the neck (arm?) is a good idea, and probably required anyway once you get outside the flag-radius of the boat that other traffic must avoid (varies 50-300 feet according to the link above). And the dive flag on the boat does indicate to the distant observer what's going on, and that the boat is probably (or legally, if the Alpha flag is up) not able to maneuver freely.

All this, of course, assumes that other traffic understands what the flags and lights mean. Most do, but definitely not all. So more is better, which is why you'll see large painted dive flags on hulls plus a flag on the mast, plus the Alpha flag. The more the merrier (we hope).

Not the best area to adopt a "minimalist" approach, even if legal.

Actually, you have it backwards, Tom. A vessel in Florida that is supporting dive ops is required to display a dive flag. The divers, as long as they stay within 300 feet of the vessel, are not required to display a flag with float. An SMB is not a proper dive flag (there are size restrictions).

Oops.

Frank knows better than me. Listen to him. ;-)

Here's an easy link to the Florida statutes.

Florida Dive Flags

Thanks Frank. I can't click the link because the internet at work is restricting access to the site saying it's "Games." Weird!

So just to be clear, if I take my boat out diving I MUST have a dive flag on my boat regardless if I carry a floating flag with me or not correct?

Alex1524:

Thanks Frank. I can't click the link because the internet at work is restricting access to the site saying it's "Games." Weird!

So just to be clear, if I take my boat out diving I MUST have a dive flag on my boat regardless if I carry a floating flag with me or not correct?

Click to expand...

Reading the actual statute, the law does not say that. The law says every diver in Lakes, Bays, Sounds, Rivers, and lakes must be within 100 feet of their flag, and in the big blue, they must be within 300 feet of their flag. I've seen a number of boaters in the keys cited for not flying a diver down flag. I don't know if the boat was cited and the divers not towing a flag.