HydroAuto:
I wonder why Wisconsin doesn't allow for diving within 150' of the shoreline? By any chance did you happen to see what the regulation is for distance that boaters must keep from a dive flag?
Actually, if you read it carefully, you can swim (snorkle) up to 150 feet from shore without a dive flag, after that, you need one. If diving, anywhere, you need one. I read these statutes as relatively hostle to divers, and it is my understander that there were altercations between divers and fishermen in the early '70's at a popular state park. In Wisconsin, there are a LOT more fishermen than divers, so he with the largest lobby, wins.
As for how boats are to react to a dive flag:
(5) OPERATING IN CIRCULAR COURSE. No person may operate
a motorboat repeatedly in a circuitous course around any other
boat, or around any person who is swimming, if such circuitous
course is within 200 feet of such boat or swimmer; nor shall any
boat or water skier operate or approach closer than 100 feet to any
skin divers flag or any swimmer unless the boat is part of the skin
diving operation or is accompanying the swimmer, or unless
physical conditions make compliance impossible.
That said, few boaters actually seem to understand this or at the very least put it into practice. Of course, on the other side of the coin, I was diving with a friend a couple of weeks ago in a small pond. The vis was around 10' and we were down around 15'-20'. While we were down, someone launched a boat and started fishing in our intended path. Well, we had no way of knowing they were there so we ended up swiming under it. Our dive flag hit the boat, went under it, and poped up on the other side (as we were later told). He looked at the flag, turned around, and cast off the other side instead. Humorous, but really, who is at fault? As the law is written, we the divers were. Yet, had he not approached our dive flag, we wouldn't have struck the boat with it. It's a funny catch 22; Don't come near our flag: But you're diving where I want to fish. :11: