Hawaii Dive Flag Rules.

[bluemagoo]

That makes me wonder if I'm allowed to tow a flag while snorkeling... the wording makes it sound like it's not legal ... I try to tow a flag when snorkeling with kids where boats might come...

Tim

Saaayyy, you're right.... The rule's kind of confusing about just plain snorkeling. Isn't the whole idea to alert boat drivers to watch for "speed bumps"? I guess common sense would say to use a flag regardless, if you're in navigable water. But the rules seem to imply that you don't need a flag as long as you don't "break the surface of the water" (i.e. wholly submerge). That exception makes no sense; being on the surface is precisely when you need the flag Ahhh, government spin-mumbo-jumbo strikes again.....

I'm concerned about the minimum 12"x12" flag size; it wasn't like that before. No freediver or diver I know uses one that big; too much windage. The only ones that big are on class inner-tubes or boats.

 

[E.Hi.Divers]

O.K. Do I dive with a flag every time? No. The gray area in the rules as I see it is [navigable waters] some areas I dive I don't consider navigable. Most divers on the Big Is. don't use flags. The chance of you getting a ticket are slight.
P.S Kidspot its O.K. to snorkel with a dive flag.