Arizona Dive Flag Laws

[Calle Roo]

This is what I have come up with.

Arizona Revised Statutes say:

5-362. Diver flag

A red flag with white diagonal stripe from staffhead to opposite corner shall be recognized as a diver flag and shall be displayed when a person or persons are actually diving below the water surface and are equipped with apparatus to allow such person or persons to breathe under water.

Found here: Format Document

And from the Game & Fish Department in their "Boaters Guide" it says:

It's the Law: On the Water
Diver-Down Flags

* Scuba divers and snorkelers must display a diver-down flag to mark their diving area. The flag must be displayed whenever someone is diving below the surface.
* Vessels should stay as far away from a diver-down flag as is reasonable and prudent for the circumstances. The suggested safe distance from a flag is 100 yards.

Found here: Diver-Down Flag - Arizona Boating License Laws and Safety Guide

 

[The Chairman]

Excellent work... so there are no consequences for diver or boater? Amazing.

 

[Calle Roo]

Excellent work... so there are no consequences for diver or boater? Amazing.

From what I've heard is either party can get a ticket. But dont know enough about the details.

Heres some issues that have been going on here in AZ....

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/southwest-sand-sharks/235087-lake-pleasant-dive-flag-issue.html

I'm in the process of volunteering at a few events here to bring awareness to both boaters and divers.

Below is a rough draft of what everyone will be seeing handed out in the next few months.

 

[RAWalker]

This is what I have come up with.

Arizona Revised Statutes say:

5-362. Diver flag

A red flag with white diagonal stripe from staffhead to opposite corner shall be recognized as a diver flag and shall be displayed when a person or persons are actually diving below the water surface and are equipped with apparatus to allow such person or persons to breathe under water.

Found here: Format Document

And from the Game & Fish Department in their "Boaters Guide" it says:

It's the Law: On the Water
Diver-Down Flags

* Scuba divers and snorkelers must display a diver-down flag to mark their diving area. The flag must be displayed whenever someone is diving below the surface.
* Vessels should stay as far away from a diver-down flag as is reasonable and prudent for the circumstances. The suggested safe distance from a flag is 100 yards.

Found here: Diver-Down Flag - Arizona Boating License Laws and Safety Guide

Althought it doesn't discuss what enforcement can do, but because the law is found under boating license laws it can be presumed enforcement would be to require boaters to maintain safety standards if a dive flag is posted in the general area.
This is a good foothold and should be used to contact public officials for clarification of the law. The federal and international maritime laws should be used to come up with standards for Arizona laws to protect divers and maintain safe boating.
We need to act as a group to put pressure on polititians to insure our safety and safeguard our rights to use of Arizona's bodies of water. This isn't just a local problem but one for the entire diving community should handle to bringing any and all resources to bear. I'm sure there are other regions of the country and the world with similar problems and if we deal with them one at a time we can effect positive change.
Maybe such worthy efforts should be a project that should be coordinated in and by a forum such as this. Scubaboard being a centralized point where divers, sanctioning bodies, dive equipment manufacturers and the like come together seems to lend itself toward such endevours.

 

[stnichols]

Here in Arizona the diver can be ticketed if they don't have a flag out. I know it has happened to a few people. But thats it a boat can anchor right next to and well......

I believe Lake Pleasant has been looking into putting information about dive flags on the park entry ticket. Yeah I know who reads them, but its a start.

Stephen

 

[ScubaSteve2000]

I saw this happen last spring or summer at the lake. Bill, Mike and I were diving at DT. A dive shop from Tucson was holding a class/check-out dive because they were leaving on a trip in a few weeks. When we got out of the water we were asked by one of Maricopa County's Finest if we had a dive flag. We pointed out our flag and told him we were diving together. He asked the same question to the group from Tucson. Ooops. They didn't have one.

I don't know what the fine was but I heard what must have been the head instructor or owner of the dive shop shout, "The fine is HOW MUCH???" Kinda put a damper on their day.

Steve.

 

[RAWalker]

Just an FYI if it seems you're about to get one of these wastes of paper from law enforcement just handle it calmly. Use a phony name and when asked state that you don't have ID with you. The officer is going to threaten to take you in but be calm and just remember he doesn't want to do excess paperwork so either you'll be warned or given a citation in the phony name.

 

[ScubaSteve2000]

...Or just set a dive flag. You can't be ticketed for violating a "recommended" distance from the flag; just for not having one in the first place.

Steve.