Dive flag w/reel configuration

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mbalmr

Contributor
Messages
164
Reaction score
2
Location
Belding, Michigan
# of dives
25 - 49
When using a dive flag do you usually tow it with you or anchor it? I am diving local lakes not open ocean. I usually tow mine with me but it seems to always be in the way. Do you usually clip your reel to you or just carry it in your hand? Just looking for general suggestions. Thanks
 
I usually clip my reel to my harness. The reel is just a cheap plastic X with a handle so if the line is taken up by a passing boat the reel will breakaway before the line can pull me into the prop.
 
I use a spool like this:
Float Line Holder 100ft for snorkeling or scuba diving

It's easier to carry it in hand, however the one linked allows you to pass your arm through it (assuming you aren't the hulk), and wear it near your shoulder. This makes it pretty easy.

When you dive the lake are you in one specific area? If so, then maybe anchoring would be okay. Most of the time I've used mine have been on drift dives.
 
I hold it in my hand - always releasable. I have knots every 10 feet - one knot at 10 - two knots at 20 - three knots at 30 and so on... I find it helpful when diving new areas - always know my depth. Yes I use a PDC but the knots go back to when I dove long ago in the 70's - just a visual cue for me and my depth.
 
Common practice is to hold it in your hand or tie it off to something on the bottom. Clipping anything like that off is a generally a bad idea if there are any boats anywhere near you. Too many idiots driving them. I also would never slip anything over my arm up to the shoulder. Again a boat hitting it or some nitwit deciding to grab it can have bad results. When we dive inland it is often in places where there are no boats so the flag gets tied off. If there do happen to be boats then someone carries a reel attached to the float and hand carries it.
 
If the dive is in a limited location, I will tie off the flag every time, and if we move more than 50 feet from it, I will move it to a new location. I only tow it en route to the site we are diving. When towing I prefer to have it in my hand, able to let go of it, rather than clip it to my BCD. In the event of entanglement or snag when moving, letting go is the quickest release there is. By the way, lets have more dive flag discussions and more people USING them. I am adding some dive flag handling exercises to my AOW students' dives this summer.
DivemasterDennis
 
I almost always use one. I like to carry the line spool in one hand away from my body to help prevent entanglement in the line. Floating line also helps a great deal. I have used a flag with line that did not float and it was a night-mare with any slack line falling down on you.
We dive in some areas with sunken forests and will tie off the flag as we enter the area because getting the flag and line through the trees and branches with out getting tangled is impossible.
 
I only think about sending my smb when I am going up. Why would you want to deploy a flag during a full dive. Am I missing something?
 
I only think about sending my smb when I am going up. Why would you want to deploy a flag during a full dive. Am I missing something?

Because it's a law in many states in the US. And I know that, at least for one popular dive site that I frequent, that if the authorities are bored, or perhaps low on funds, they will wait and ticket divers as they exit the water if they don't have a flag.

I use the same yellow plastic one mentioned and linked above.
 
Thanks everyone,
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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