Rules for Diver down flag and fishing boats?

[Guba]

I once surfaced to find a jet ski parked at my dive flag. The youthful operator picked up the corner of the flag and asked, "Hey mister! What's this mean?"

Alas, it happens more than one would think.

[Standingbear56]

More than once, I've noticed my dive buoy all of a sudden taking on a lot of drag. I surface to find someone tying off to it to go fishing, swimming etc. When I inform them of the true meaning of the Diver's Down Flag, I've often been told that it is I who should watch out for the boats. Now where are those old 3' dive knives when you need them????? Bet they would make an impression the boaters wouldn't soon forget!
Safe Diving,
George

[OldNSalty]

I’ll relay a story once told to me by a dive master/instructor. Once while spear fishing he noticed that a jet ski had started to use the groups flag as a turn-around marker at speed. The old dive master said he decided to clear the water so he cut the cord to his shaft and hovered a few feet below the marker. When the jet sky came back around he fired right into the soft hull. He said he isn’t sure what happened but the shaft went in and the jet ski never came back. I imagine that would do some damage…

I can’t say if the story is true or not but I never knew the guy to lie (maybe stretch the truth when trying to sell me some new gear but never lie)

[Standingbear56]

[QUOTE=OldNSalty;3801855]I’ll relay a story once told to me by a dive master/instructor. Once while spear fishing he noticed that a jet ski had started to use the groups flag as a turn-around marker at speed. The old dive master said he decided to clear the water so he cut the cord to his shaft and hovered a few feet below the marker. When the jet sky came back around he fired right into the soft hull. He said he isn’t sure what happened but the shaft went in and the jet ski never came back. I imagine that would do some damage…

I can’t say if the story is true or not but I never knew the guy to lie (maybe stretch the truth when trying to sell me some new gear but never lie)[/QUOT

Even if this story is even half true, some Jet Skiier has a real interesting story to tell his grand kids. I don't know what kind of spear gun he was using, but I want one!! Sounds like it has excellent penetration!

[ama294]

In Michigan a boater must stay 200 feet from a diver down flag if they were not anchored there first. The divers must stay within 100 feet of the flag.

Our LDS is on a lake that has condos (like most) and we had our flag stationary doing some training on submerged platforms, a boat went within 25 feet of it. Lucky for us a Marine Patrol Deputy from the local Sheriff's Department was on the dock at the LDS. He watched the boat do this and drove over to the condo docks and when the boat come over they got a ticket. The funny thing is this is a non accessible lake to the public and they know we are there so it is nothing new to them. They just don't like us there and think they own the lake.

There are some watching out for us underwater!!! By the way the deputy is a diver also so that helped.

[perdidochas]

Hi, I'm just wondering about the rules of the water ...when it comes to diver down flag and a general small fishing boat? Like if the fishing boat was there first? Is there a distance the boat must stay away from the diver boat?? how do you approach this type of situtation? thanks

If the fishing boat was there first, it has right of way.