Palm Beach diver loses arm as group hit by boat - Florida

[DennisS]

The minimum dive flags are pretty much worthless if there is any sea or if the boat driver is heading into the sun. A boat going 25-30 mph is on it before they see it

 

[Bob DBF]

But it is. The coasties won't write a ticket for not carrying or ignoring the flag: FWC and some sheriffs will

You are not talking about regulation, which is making the law, but about enforcement, which it sounds like no one is actually taking seriously.

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Bob

 

[Soloist]

Attaching a 360 degree high intensity LED strobe to the top of the dive flag would be an aerodynamic, lightweight and cost effective solution. A bright flashing beacon will get the attention of even the most complacent and distracted boat driver.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Attaching a 360 degree high intensity LED strobe to the top of the dive flag would be an aerodynamic, lightweight and cost effective solution. A bright flashing beacon will get the attention of even the most complacent and distracted boat driver.

Recommendation of a type/model?

 

[Soloist]

Recommendation of a type/model?

Dive Gear Express sells a couple that fits the bill.

Strobe and Marking Lights | Dive Gear Express®

 

[Mike Walker]

Attaching a 360 degree high intensity LED strobe to the top of the dive flag would be an aerodynamic, lightweight and cost effective solution. A bright flashing beacon will get the attention of even the most complacent and distracted boat driver.

Something similar is popular with STOP signs around here at intersections with high collision rates (typically rural). Flashing LEDs are very effective, but for the biggest punch in daylight they need to be facing directly at the problem not lighting a diffuser or reflector. An effective solution is probably a bit more than putting a typical beacon on top of a flag - but if you could get one with a series of LEDs pointing outward through the full 360 and flash them at different and random rates I suspect if would be very hard to ignore. Probably only practical for high risk locations, but it would be nice if it was on the menu for those that need it.

 

[Dan]

Dive Gear Express sells a couple that fits the bill.

Strobe and Marking Lights | Dive Gear Express®

I posted this strobe in Best signaling devices from the searcher’s point of view - update

The idea is to strap it on top of DSMB, like shown, below.

 

[wgw04024]

I have read most of this but didn't see any mention, for those without much boat experience....depending on the time of day (which can vary with seasons), wave action, and direction of boat, in certain lighting conditions, there are alot of things that you just simply cannot pickup until you are on top of them unless they are big visible objects. With the vast distances people down there probably go to, when the conditions are like that, it is idealistic to think boaters are simply going to move at headway speed if visuals are not ideal. Snorkeling in that situation seems far more risky than diving due to the constant coming to surface routine.

 

[tursiops]

Dive Gear Express sells a couple that fits the bill.

Strobe and Marking Lights | Dive Gear Express®

The brightest strobe in the listing is the Light Monkey, at 4000 lumens, which is about 3 times brighter than the next best one on the list, the high-intensity tektite.

 

[Lostdiver71]

He shut down when he saw the flag, it will come out how visible the flag was, or how distracted the helmsman was, and so on. It shouldn't have happened, it may be informative to know why. At least it wasen't the usual hit and run.


Bob

He should not have been traveling at high speed 200 feet from shore, especially in a popular snorkeling area. If Law Enforcement had seen him before the incident he would have been stopped and charged with reckless endangerment!