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Originally Posted by jrc
Can't you fly the flag from the boat?
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You need to be within 75 feet of the flag, and this would restrict your movement. And it often difficult to gauge exactly how far away you are from the boat -- particularly at depth. If you read the law, it doesn't say that you must have it WITH or ATTACHED to you, but that you must be within 75 feet of it. I wonder what the bottom line is...
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Originally Posted by jrc
Personally, I wish divers would use a really big flag. Nothing scares me more than the thought of hitting someone with my boat.
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Usually, on the Big Lake, divers will be near islands. Flags will be visible. And when it's a charter, there are many visible signs and flags. Since boats must remain 150' feet from the flag, the 3-foot-to-bottom of flag rule makes much sense.
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Originally Posted by jrc
More than once at the Lady of the Lake, I've had the dive boat between me and the dive flag. Now I know any boat anchored in that area is probably diving.
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Could be. The charters I've done to the "Lady" have always tied a flag to the bow and stern of the wreck, and the divers are not carrying flags. Divers are required to ascend to and descend from the wreck via the anchor line, so there's little chance of hitting a diver. With a flag tethered to each end of wreck, all divers would be well within the 75-foot range. That being said, I've seen some jokers drop anchor, strap on a harness, and plop over the transom while Betty reads in the boat. Scary stuff.
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Originally Posted by jrc
Yeah, I know I posted this before. This one of my pet peeves. Not divers, just tiny dive flags.
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Well, at least you are AWARE of them -- I see too many boaters who disregard them entirely, which creates an incredibly dangerous situation. Think of what they could do to a downed waterskier (with no flag of any kind)!