Posted by Melvin Pasley on April 13, 2004 at 17:52:42:
In Reply to: Diver's Flag Law needs to be revised. posted by Mojostone on April 13, 2004 at 11:47:06:
I really do not want a mandatory dive down flag law. I would like to have it remain optional for us to use it, but see some penalties for boaters not respecting a safe distance and speed from the flag.
IMHO a dive flag is impractical for beach diving as towing it around though kelp would be a pain and anchoring it and then going back to retrieve it would also be a pain (I normally swim out on surface, dive, swim around and navigate back to my exit point underwater). Currenlty as there is no license requirement for boat operators, a dive flag is just a target. They are clueless as to what it means and it attrcts them to see what it is.
I would be for mandatory signs in marinas and boat launch ramps showing a diver down flax and the words "keep clear 100 yards, $400 fine.