Dive Flag Laws in Florida

[CBulla]

The dive flag laws synapsis is that anyone face down in the water must have a flag to mark their presence. I have one flag that has a 30' line to it specifically for shore diving, its got a little handle on the end, and I clip it to me or loop to my wrist. Fortuanately boats aren't silent and can't sneak up and when I hear the little tell tale wishwishwishwish of the props pushing water I unclip. Usually that means that the boater is completely unaware of what a dive flag means OR because these little flags on buoy's are miniscule in size on open water, it just may not be seen until the boater is almost on it. The torpedo's are cute but they make an already small marker even smaller in footprint visibility.

Ultimately, its a compliance with the laws that in places where divers are more common, the LEO officers are willing to enforce because they know them. Reality is as much of a boat target as these little stick flags make us, utimately its our own responsibility as divers to ensure our own safety.

 

[Nemrod]

Get yourself a small (but legal) flag and float and use a reel on it so that you don't have to fight with retrieving or letting out line but I must tel you this--do not tie or clip the flag to you unless youn can convince yourself that the clip or line has a breakaway that will fail should a propeller or boat foul your tow line.

N

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I think if a boat can get in it's called a Bite not a Quarry. We have a lot of Bites down here where sail boats/boats go when there is a storm coming in for safe mooring.

Ok I didn't know that. Eventually I might even know the difference between a key and a cay. But that's for later.

Thanks for the info and opinions

 

[Walter]

You don't have to tow it. You do have to stay within a specified distance of it.

(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.

 

[Divergirl4U]

I was out this morning at Marvel’s side yard, we where on the second reef at the surface, there where 3 other groups of divers heading back in from the 3rd reef line and a boat come hauling butt between us and the other divers full throttle. We all yelled at him to watch out he was so close he heard us above the roar of his own engines and he jumped as he saw the divers so close to the edge of his boat. He could have killed someone; I guess he thought our dive flags marked a route for him. Please do not dive with out a flag, it is dangerous enough with one.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Appreciate the info Walter.

Umm as I said in an earlier post, I had a jet skier use my two dive flags as racing pylons. I think like most topics we can all find reasons to be for or against the use of dive flags. I see both sides and if the law says I have to be within a certain distance I'm fine with that. After all when I'm taking photos, grabbing bugs or swiming through something the dive flag would only be in the way and pretty much wreck a good time.

 

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

Since we are on the topic of dive flags, and towing them I have a question. I understand the theoritical possibility of a dive flag teather becoming entangled in a boat propellor, but does anyone know firsthand of this ever happening to anyone? I have questioned about 100 diver with a wide variety of experience with most giving the same answers "never clip the flag teather to yourself", but none knew first hand of an entanglement and resulting diver injury ever actually happening.

 

[DennisS]

Appreciate the info Walter.

Umm as I said in an earlier post, I had a jet skier use my two dive flags as racing pylons. I think like most topics we can all find reasons to be for or against the use of dive flags. I see both sides and if the law says I have to be within a certain distance I'm fine with that. After all when I'm taking photos, grabbing bugs or swiming through something the dive flag would only be in the way and pretty much wreck a good time.

The dive flag won't protect you from boats but it will prevent the marine patrol from writing you a ticket, they love to write dive flag tickets.

I had one of those beach ball floats with a flag on it. I came in one time and there was a marine patrol officer waiting with her binoculars, someone told me she was on the beach for over an hour. She checked me for lobsters and then told me she could write me up because the shaft on my flag was kind of laying over. She said she'd give me a break but I might not be so lucky with another officer.---That's what you're dealing with--- It's about avoiding a ticket

 

[The Chairman]

Divers Down Flag Law is Florida's web page for the Divers Down Flag rules.

Divers must stay within 300 ft unless they are in a high traffic area, and then they have to stay within 100 ft. Boats can only maintain headway (slow) while within 300 ft of a Diver Down Flag.

 

[The Chairman]

but does anyone know firsthand of this ever happening to anyone?

I have never heard of this happening either. I routinely clip it off to my right waist especially when I am taking pictures or hunting for sharks teeth.