Dive flag at night?

[AfterDark]

yes - was replying to a previous post - not yours afterdark..

Oh, never mind.

 

[Roko]

I have one of those inflatable floats with a flag on it. (Inflatable Float and Dive Flag for Snorkeling and Scuba Diving) I rarely use it, but I have taken it out at night before on certain lakes. Putting one of those hand held / pistol grip lights inside of it worked well. Although the flag didn't light up well, the written "Diver Below" text was clearly lit up, and is more recognizable than a flag to most people anyways. One downside is that the text it isn't legible from a distance, and could potentially attract people to the area....

 

[HowardE]

Both the Inland Rules and the COLREGS (Rule 27 b, e & 30 a, d) require small boats at night to display an all around white light when at anchor, except when in a designated anchorage, and three vertical lights (red, white, red) when supporting divers. It makes no difference whether the vessel is moving or not. A vessel that is dragging anchor or swinging at anchor is still required to display the light. Likewise, a vessel aground is required to display different lights; a vessel underway but not making way (becalmed and adrift) is required to display the running lights for her class; a vessel tied to a pier or wharf is not required to display any lights.

There are no rules regarding signals to be displayed by divers not supported by vessels at night. I agree that towing a surface float with a light would be appropriate. The inclusion of a flag may also be advisable if only because local authorities may interpret the state laws to require it, even at night, although it is not likely that a boater would be able to recognize a flag in the dark, even with a light on it.

Florida law requires divers to fly a dive flag at all times. Regardless of COLREGS, this is for near coastal and inland waters off the coast of Florida.

The following is from Chapter 27 of the 2003 Florida Statutes:

327.331 Divers; definitions; divers-down flag required; obstruction to navigation of certain waters; penalty.--

(1) As used in this section:

(a) "Diver" means any person who is wholly or partially submerged in the waters of the state and is equipped with a face mask and snorkel or underwater breathing apparatus.

(b) "Underwater breathing apparatus" means any apparatus, whether self-contained or connected to a distant source of air or other gas, whereby a person wholly or partially submerged in water is enabled to obtain or reuse air or any other gas or gases for breathing without returning to the surface of the water.

(c) "Divers-down flag" means a flag that meets the following specifications:

1. The flag must be square or rectangular. If rectangular, the length must not be less than the height, or more than 25 percent longer than the height. The flag must have a wire or other stiffener to hold it fully unfurled and extended in the absence of a wind or breeze.

2. The flag must be red with a white diagonal stripe that begins at the top staff-side of the flag and extends diagonally to the lower opposite corner. The width of the stripe must be 25 percent of the height of the flag.

3. The minimum size for any divers-down flag displayed on a buoy or float towed by the diver is 12 inches by 12 inches. The minimum size for any divers-down flag displayed from a vessel or structure is 20 inches by 24 inches.

4. Any divers-down flag displayed from a vessel must be displayed from the highest point of the vessel or such other location which provides that the visibility of the divers-down flag is not obstructed in any direction.

(2) All divers must prominently display a divers-down flag in the area in which the diving occurs, other than when diving in an area customarily used for swimming only.

(3) No diver or group of divers shall display one or more divers-down flags on a river, inlet, or navigation channel, except in case of emergency, in a manner which shall unreasonably constitute a navigational hazard.

(4) Divers shall make reasonable efforts to stay within 100 feet of the divers-down flag on rivers, inlets, and navigation channels. Any person operating a vessel on a river, inlet, or navigation channel must make a reasonable effort to maintain a distance of at least 100 feet from any divers-down flag.

(5) Divers must make reasonable efforts to stay within 300 feet of the divers-down flag on all waters other than rivers, inlets, and navigation channels. Any person operating a vessel on waters other than a river, inlet, or navigation channel must make a reasonable effort to maintain a distance of at least 300 feet from any divers-down flag.

(7) The divers-down flag must be lowered once all divers are aboard or ashore. No person may operate any vessel displaying a divers-down flag unless the vessel has one or more divers in the water.

(8) Except as provided in s. 327.33, any violation of this section shall be a noncriminal infraction punishable as provided in s. 327.73.​

[h=2]For Boaters in Florida[/h]The following is from Chapter 27 of the 2003 Florida Statutes:

(6) Any vessel other than a law enforcement or rescue vessel that approaches within 100 feet of a divers-down flag on a river, inlet, or navigation channel, or within 300 feet of a divers-down flag on waters other than a river, inlet, or navigation channel, must proceed no faster than is necessary to maintain headway and steerageway.​