Is a dive flag/float any safer than a good ear?

[WaScubaDude]

The only time I dove with a float and flag, a boat came along to investigate. We anchored the flag in about 25' of water and just started descending a bit deeper when I heard the whirrr of an out board. I signaled my buddy to listen and we watched the hull and prop of a small boat, maybe 20 feet at most, pull up next to our bouy and they actualy pulled on it. I swam toward shore and up to the surface, still close enough to shout at the idiots. They said they were just checking things out. I told them to stay well away as the flag means divers are below! I still shake my head, and use my ears not a flag. Good idea or bad?

[DivingsInMyBlood]

a dive float and flag are a great idea its just that theres a whole whack of fools out there who dont even know what they are and they shouldnt be allowed to drive a boat untill they understand what they are.

[somewhereinla]

I agree, the protect you. I you dive and a boat hit you, the boat driver is liable, if you don't have a flag/float, the driver is not liable.

[Krakenn]

You have never seen the keel of a yatch doing 20 knots before I take it?

Kraks

[awap]

Based on the legal requirements and the particular conditions of the dive, I use a dive flag as appropriate. I don't like towing it if I don't have to so I often tie it off fairly close to shore, where boats are less likely to come investigate, and retrieve it at the end of the dive.

[Kingpatzer]

While there are plenty of morons out there, having a dive flag does offer some protection, and is in general a good idea.

If a boat gets too close to your flag and you get the registration number off of it, local law enforcement will be willing to have a talk with the boat owner. If you have multiple witnesses, that alone might be enough for a fine. My LDS instructors have several stories of guys they got fined for violating the dive flag space of various classes.

[cgvmer]

for those underwater photographers, take snapshot of the boat near your dive flag so the boat driver can get a nice fine.

[scubasavvy]

I think if you're doing a shore dive or your own boat dives (not with a charter) they are crucial. Better to be safe than sorry.

[PlatypusMan]

Originally Posted by WaScubaDude

...we watched the hull and prop of a small boat, maybe 20 feet at most, pull up next to our bouy and they actualy pulled on it. I swam toward shore and up to the surface, still close enough to shout at the idiots. They said they were just checking things out.

Boater education should have covered something like this; the fact that so many boaters seem to not understand what a dive flag means and what the regulations are that cover it speaks to a lack of effort on both sides of the fence (SCUBA and boating) to educate their community. Back in the day, when I did my basic open water in Florida, the instructor pointed out that it was important even with the flag to use one's ears and eyes when ascending-- since boaters had no trouble running over full-grown manatees in the state, what made us think they would have any trouble running over full-grown divers?

For what it's worth, MAD magazine did a send up several years ago on the sport of SCUBA, where they pointed out that when using a dive flag a prudent and observant diver always knew where it was safe to surface-- namely, any place the flag wasn't -- while illustrating all sorts of boaters using the flag as a target. Stories here and elsewhere indicate that this is in fact now true as opposed to merely humorous. Sad.

[Steve Scuba]

All these years I thought that Van Halen had educated everyone on the meaning of this flag, or at least what it says...

Kidding aside, PlatypusMan has an excellent point, more education is needed, and it has to flow from both communities.