Two recent accidents have us wondering if anyone remembers what this is for -- or if its even being used. In one incident, a man had to have his legs amputated. In another, two women were hit. Both accidents had one thing in common. They involved divers. Were their dive flags handy or just ignored?
This begs for a bit of a reminder of what the dive flag means and what it requires of a boater. Obviously, since it’s called a “dive flag” you can surmise that it means there are divers in the area around it. It is meant to effectively create a zone of safety around it. How far that zone extends depends on local regulations. It is typically between 100 feet and 100 yards. Frankly, if you are unclear on your area, the further the better. It’s not an envelope you want to push. The diver should surface within ? that distance from the vessel displaying the flag.
But all this is academic if the persons in the water aren’t using one. If that’s the case, then it’s an accident waiting to happen, and that’s small consolation to the innocent boat driver that hit’s them because he/she never knew they were there.
More... Boattest.com
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