How do you carry your dive flag?

[rhwestfall]

those inexpensive ratchet reels are quite nice.....

 

[rhwestfall]

supporting picture...

 

[Tug]

I started with one of the cheap plastic hand wind line holder but lately use a reel. I find the reel to be easier, especially since I usually have one already in my gear box.

The one exception is when I'm scalloping with Boston Scuba. We use heavier line for our flags since we have a lobster pot hauler that we use to haul up the full scallop bags. Standard practice for us is to have the divers tie the flag line to their catch bag and then ascend on that line. We then pick up the full bags using the hauler.

 

[WarrenZ]

My flag has long since been relegated to internal use by a game warden in NM (Ie take this and shove it) however I would take it out and tie it off near my entry area. Now If I am diving near boat traffic I just shoot a DSMB and hope for the best.

 

[Jherny]

do you guys clip your flags to your BCD or hold them.

i was told by a few people not to clip them but its such a pain in the butt to hold it... i carry a knife so i could cut it if i got tangled.

any of you more experienced guys have some input?

 

[DoubleAA]

do you guys clip your flags to your BCD or hold them.

i was told by a few people not to clip them but its such a pain in the butt to hold it... i carry a knife so i could cut it if i got tangled.

any of you more experienced guys have some input?

The reason for not clipping them to you is that a boat may come along and drag you along at a very high rate of speed and up to the surface. Have I clipped the flag to me when taking pictures somewhere like Blue Heron Bridge? Yes. Is it a bad idea? Yep but I'll take that risk. Would I do it on deeper dives where I could get pulled up from deeper and have a runaway ascent? No.

 

[scubadada]

do you guys clip your flags to your BCD or hold them.

i was told by a few people not to clip them but its such a pain in the butt to hold it... i carry a knife so i could cut it if i got tangled.

any of you more experienced guys have some input?

I do not hook the flag to myself but I know some very skilled/experienced divers who do, sometimes with a float to keep the line away from them. Most of these divers are photographers, maybe some hunters too. When the current is brisk, I sometimes attach a reef hook to my reel so that I can stop and swim around a bit without being relentlessly dragged by my flag

 

[Jherny]

The reason for not clipping them to you is that a boat may come along and drag you along at a very high rate of speed and up to the surface. Have I clipped the flag to me when taking pictures somewhere like Blue Heron Bridge? Yes. Is it a bad idea? Yep but I'll take that risk. Would I do it on deeper dives where I could get pulled up from deeper and have a runaway ascent? No.

and that makes sense. thanks.

 

[rhwestfall]

Thin diameter bungie oversized loop on my wrist to free up hands. Quickly pulled off or a broken bungie to be free of it.

 

[Jherny]

I do not hook the flag to myself but I know some very skilled/experienced divers who do, sometimes with a float to keep the line away from them. Most of these divers are photographers, maybe some hunters too. When the current is brisk, I sometimes attach a reef hook to my reel so that I can stop and swim around a bit without being relentlessly dragged by my flag

i thought about getting a hook too or something i can just place in a general area if I'm going to be near. thanks for the idea.