Dive Flag Laws in Florida

[Divergirl4U]

It's about avoiding a ticket

I have to disagree here, :mooner:towing a dive flag is about safety, not avoiding a ticket. But I can see through this discussion some divers only carry a flag to avoiding a ticket. I shore dive a lot and I and I have yet to see a diver ticked for not having a flag, yet I carry one. It seems that as an instructor you should know this as it was an instructor who taught it to me.

 

[CBulla]

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.

There was a story at the shop I went to about a fella there whose flag was run over at Venice and he went skiing behind the boat. I never met the guy, so as far as I know its sub-urban legend.

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.

Ditto! Hello, I like to have my hands free and not be 'tethered' to the tether.

The cool thing with boats are *noisy* under water. Trust me when I say you'll know when they're getting close, it changes from engine rumble to the addition of a 'wishwishwishwish' in the water. I have watched a boat going over while I was plastered to the bottom at Venice.. I had taken the flag off my wrist and was holding the handle in my hand. There was more than ample time to hear the danger, decide what to do, and take action to ensure I wasn't going to be yanked off the bottom and up to the top. Once the moron in the boat had stopped trying to destroy my flag and left, I looped it back on my wrist and headed to the beach... I sort of killed the air in my tank with the festivities.

Hey, I clipped off Saturday, FL West's Boat showed up close, I unclipped, clipped again when they turned off the motors and I'm still alive to tell the story.

 

[DennisS]

I have to disagree here, :mooner:towing a dive flag is about safety, not avoiding a ticket. But I can see through this discussion some divers only carry a flag to avoiding a ticket. I shore dive a lot and I and I have yet to see a diver ticked for not having a flag, yet I carry one. It seems that as an instructor you should know this as it was an instructor who taught it to me.

The poster was making a point that jet skis use his float as a marker buoy and that towing a flag ruins his dive. I gave him another good reason to tow the flag.

I've seen marine patrol give tickets for not having a flag, it's a pet peave of theirs, they know how crazy the boaters are. I was talking to one and he said they are starting to do stings to catch boaters, it's good to see the boaters getting dive flag tickets, not just the divers.

PS I'm not an instructor, I wouldn't have the patience.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Although I'm an instructor I also hate snorkels

 

[deepstops]

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.

I haven't had one run over by a boat but TWICE I've had boaters pick mine up start to drive away with it like they'd hit the jackpot at the lost and found department in the ocean.

As Dan Volker stated, towing a Riffe torpedo float (with the flag inserted in the top) is effortless to tow and the right way to do things. We use them when scootering.

 

[Nemrod]

OK, I have been entangled with a boat with my line and had it pulled rapidly from my hand leaving a wound across the palm of my hand that bled profusely. As soon as the boat fouled my line he came to a stop but it still yanked the line through my hand which I had looped once around my palm with an awfull lot of force.

It is not urban legend. Wrap or clip that line around you or to you without a break away is asking for an injury or worse. I most assuredly recommend holding the line and using a spool or reel.

This BTW ocurred near the Destin Jetty some time circa 1978 or so. To be more specific the line did not wrap in the propeller but the skeg caught it and yanked the h---out of it. They saw the flag go under and pull so they realized they were fouled and cut their engine. He said he did not see the flag, which is possible because sometimes they fall over or even go under if you tug on them. They were very concerned and lifted me aboard and set me in the shallow "pool" area that used to be there before one of the many hurricanes, after I told them I was OK and we all had a laugh. It was not intentional in this incident.

N

 

[deepstops]

OK, I have been entangled with a boat with my line .....

It is not urban legend. Wrap or clip that line around you or to you without a break away is asking for an injury or worse. I most assuredly recommend holding the line and using a spool or reel.

N

I agree 100%, I use tank neck o-ring on one side of a double ender.

 

[Dive-aholic]

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.

I've had a boat come up do my flag and grab it. My wife was on shore yelling at the boater to get away from the flag. I've seen drunk boaters grab dive flags and pull them along after them. Yes, it does happen.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Hmmm, so towing those silly things around is dangerous. Good to know

 

[Divergirl4U]

Although I'm an instructor I also hate snorkels

Well I have to agree with you there