Dive flag-Swim with it or anchor it?

[The Horn]

As previously addressed determine what type of diving you are doing. It may be better to tow or better to anchor depeending on the situation.

Personally my buddy and I have three dive flags we carry around. One is a larger inner tube with milk crate in the center with a larger 27 x 18 inch flag flown about 4 feet above the water. We anchor this flag and use the down line for safety stops on deeper dives. Our second rig is more portable and has the flag mounted on a foam bouy that we use to tow around if we are diving shallow or are on a drift dive or exploration dive where we will surface at a changing location. The third is an inflatable unit we use at known closed type dive sites (quarries) to show that there are divers down-boating traffic is non existant.

Both of us also carry lift bags/marker bouys we can shoot to the surface if required. If we are going to surface away from the flag we will send up a bag and then ascend on that line. Lots of over kill for some conditions as for night dives we illuminate the flag with a flash light or flashing strobe.

Some areas we just don't dive in the "vacation season". There has been one diver killed on her cert dive by a boater using her flag as a turn in an imaginary race and another diver tied his flag to his arm on the dive and a would be thief towed him off the bottom trying to steal the flag. He was very lucky not to drown from the towing or the four mile swim to shore.

If you want to tow the flag make sure you don't have too much line out for tangle reasons. Also make sure you can ditch it if required.

Probably lots of other advice out there but make sure you have the flag. Its better to be able to persue an unsafe boater after showing due dilligence than having an accident because you were negligent...........

 

[duckbill]

How about towing a dive flag, and then submerging it with you once you reach 20 feet or so in depth? Maybe a flag on a small styrofoam float and 20 feet of line?

 

[stiebs]

I've never towed a dive flag with me on scuba. When diving off boats, there's a flag on the boat, and most places I shore dive the boating traffic is negligible, non-existent or illegal. If there is a boating risk the float is usually dropped with a 4lb weight on the end of the line.

But for when I'm spearfishing without scuba, I tow a buoy which is attached by 20m of 3mm nylon cord threaded through 20m of 5mm clear hose (4mm inside diameter). I've spliced a loop into each end of the nylon rope, and sealed the hose with silicon. Obviously its much bulkier to carry down to the water, but it floats well and doesn't tangle.

The end that I carry attaches with a shark clip to my speargun. When I get a catch, I unclip it, shove it through the gills and send the fish up the line to the buoy with the rest of my catch.

And now that I've just explained all that, I figure its easier to show a couple of pictures. One day I'll take it out on scuba just to see how well it works..

 

[PaulChristenson]

Only in NE, all the same uses we have for this contraption. As we know in MA the flags are great for "Lobster Fisherman Giant Slalom Events" also. I surely have yet to meet a local boater that knew to keep away unless there are scuba tanks on that there boat.

Find a very very shallow reef and leave your float right above it....Then they only get to slalom ONCE...

 

[HowardE]

and possibly at the jetties in Panama City Beach, FL this June. I ask because I'm trying to decide if I should buy a reel for it or just some nylon anchor rope.

You should buy a reel. In Florida, there is a LAW. There is a part where it says that divers must stay within 300 feet of the flag, so therefore, you should either stay really close to where you start, or tow the flag.

FLORIDA DIVING LAWS

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.

(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.

(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.

1(8) Any willful violation of this section shall be a misdemeanor of the second degree punishable as provided by s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(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.

Note.--Former s. 861.065.

 

[spectrum]

First you need to know the local regulations. For a new diver I'd suggest either anchoring it and staying in the required radius or getting a more seasoned buddy to tow it. Handling the flag adds some task loading that you don't want on your first dives. It will swing you in an arc even if your body is on a true heading and it will mess with your buoyancy. Since you never want to have it clipped to you you must hold it leaving you one hand short. It also poses other entanglement posibilities.

For an anchor I have a small mesh drawstring bag attached. When I'm getting ready to anchor it I locate a stone or two and add them to the bag.

When possible we take it to a prominent location at the dive site and anchor it. Gladly most of our local waters do not require a flag. I carry a SMB (an inflatable makker buoy I inflate while down) and will shoot it to the surface on a line if I must come up in a place where I'm concerned about boat traffic.

Pete

 

[countryboy]

Like others have said... sometime we tow with us, other times we anchor.

I like the mention of boats "dropping anchor", this is a sound argument to keep the flag with you at all times.

 

[SteveAD]

when beach diving I usually leave it at an easily located landmark (watermark?), but this is only to comply with the law. for protection from idiot boaters the only effective variation on the dive flag is someone wearing a red tshirt holding a white shotgun at "port arms"

if only we could use that one

 

[coachrenz]

Having read all these horror stories about boats and dive flags, etc, I feel really fortunate diving in the PNW. I have yet to have any issue with fishermen, boats, or anyone trying to steal my flag.

I did hear a train once when I was underwater go roaring by.

If we do fly a flag, we drop it in about 20 feet of water with a 2 lb bag weight on the end of it.

Tim

 

[Iruka]

Depends...if you plan on getting in & out at the same place, just tie it down or use a weight. If your bouyancy is really bad & you might pop to the surface, probably better to bring it with you. If you plan on doing a DEEP shore dive, might not be practical to tow a flag if you're down 100' or more (because of the currents and/or wind, you'd probably need even more line than that, as it will probably not be straight above you.) Even if you leave the flag in one place, it's good to have a dive sausage/inflatable marker of some kind which you can deploy if you need to come up unexpectedly anywhere boat traffic might be a concern.