Question on use of diver down flag

[GP]

Originally posted by scubakat
Hi Norm, sorry about your friend & thanks for the splaining... but how would having a dive flag change the outcome?

-K

Well...I know you directed this to Norm but here's my take, I would think that provided the flag wasn't pulled under water into the cave it would have given him a line to follow back out of the cave.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by GP
I would think that provided the flag wasn't pulled under water into the cave it would have given him a line to follow back out of the cave.

Why wouldn't it have been pulled in with him?
How far in would he have to go before it was pulled in?

 

[chepar]

I have a further question for NetDoc -

I have been told that while towing a flag, not to attach the reel or line to your person. I suppose that is in case somehow your flag is taken, you won't be dragged (up, I guess) with it. However, I figure your reel will have quite a bit of line on it, so if your flag is taken/entangled your ascent wouldn't be an immediate reaction, and you would have time to disengage whatever is connecting the reel to your BC. If at all possible, I would like to keep my hands free, instead of one clutching a reel.

Also, does towing a flag create any noticeable amount of drag in the water?

Thanks!

 

[The Chairman]

It would probably be better to clip it to your buddy's BC while they aren't looking!!! Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk! Actually, I have never been "corrected", but then again, I have never taken a Divers Down bouy class either. If I were snagged by a passing boat, I would hope to have the presence of mind to un-clip. However, affixing your clip to a loop of 10# mono tied to your D-ring would be safer. I think that I will do that from now on.

Yes there is more drag, but I seem to be one of the "speedsters" anyway, so its good to slow me down a tad. There is the standing rule though, that the crowd follows the flag, and NOT visa versa. It helps keep the group together, and gives the poor shmuck toting the thing at least some "payback" for their effort.

On a lighter note, I think I see the beginnings of an underwater tag game here... When I raced canoes in High School, we had a trick of tying a ballon onto the stearn of a team mate's canoe in practice... When it got caught in the wake it really made them work HARD. The longer the line usually meant the longer it took for them to figure out they had been "had".

 

[diver tom]

Learned my lesson earlier this year. A group of us were shore diving near Munising MI and everyone thought someone else was going to drag the flag aroung. Well, turns out that when we accended there was a DNR officier waiting for us. He was good enough to only give one of us in the group the ticket. We deserved it and will remember in the future.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by diver tom
He was good enough to only give one of us in the group the ticket. We deserved it and will remember in the future.

Did you guys split the cost of the ticket???

Would a submersible dive marker inflated before ascent suffice to satisfy the law in your area....

Or are you required to continuously mark your position underwater???

 

[GP]

Originally posted by Uncle Pug


Why wouldn't it have been pulled in with him?
How far in would he have to go before it was pulled in?

Well when I dive with a flag I can definately tell if I don't have enough line out and can feel the added tension if the the flag is being pulled underwater which lets me know I need to let out some line. This may not be the case if you are diving real deep though?