It's That Time Of Year Again. Idiot Boaters Don't Know What A Dive Flag Is

[The Chairman]

it was most likely some Florida man or woman who released the dreadful Lionfish into the sea.

Probably a hurricane.

 

[AlwaysLearning]

I carry my dive video camera with me when I know there are boaters out and about. I'll record the and share the information with the local patrol if they get to close to my float and flag. I too have had them go damn near right over the top of me and it is a terrible feeling.

 

[USdiver1]

This is not just boaters, this is Florida. Google "florida man" and you'll find lots of exciting news. Like, "Florida Man Arrested for Beating His Girlfriend with a Pet Alligator", "Florida Man Shoots Self, Does Not Notice for 3 Days", "Florida Man Running from Police Gets His Arm Bitten Off by Gator" etc etc.

OMG TarponChik, this is better than reading the Darwin Awards. If I ever had the evil intention to lower the gene pool even further than it is at present, I'd just suggest to a few single female friends that their ideal mate would be "Florida Man" a sub-species of Neanderthal Man.

BTW TarponChik judging from your moniker and the fact that Tarpon live in Florida, I'd do my gender a favor and get the hell our of there lest a Florida Man seek thee.

 

[tarponchik]

BTW TarponChik judging from your moniker and the fact that Tarpon live in Florida, I'd do my gender a favor and get the hell our of there lest a Florida Man seek thee.

My dear USedDiver1, very soon the latest introduction by the Florida Man, the Nile crock, will bite the Florida Man's balls off, and it's gonna be totally safe.

 

[tarponchik]

Probably a hurricane.

Good excuse, blame it all on God and we know that He moves in mysterious ways. So where do "idiot boaters" come from?

Assuming most stories of Florida Man are fake, as you claimed, and Floridians are smart, why don't these smart Floridians elect some smart people into Florida Congress so these smart Florida Congressmen would do a smart thing about "idiot boaters"? Like, maybe require them to take safe boating courses, as they do in MD?

 

[Buliwyf]

I had a dive planned with a friend of mine, and he invited a 3rd guy along. He was going to meet us on the water by his favorite spot. He was also always complaining about boats too close and just about everything listed in this thread. He gave us GPS coordinates, which instantly impressed me. Not lame directions or a stupid address, actual coordinates.

So we're sitting on the boat 100yards from shore wondering why he's late. Then we spot him on the shore jumping in, and towing his little scuba float flag behind him.

The marina is only a half mile away.

You have a right to shore dive in boat busy areas. But it's stupid IMO. You have the right to inform Mike Tyson that he can't carry an open container of alcohol in Ohio at night while walking on the street, but I wouldn't recommend it.

If you want to not get run over, go out in a boat, and anchor your boat. Dive directly under it, and surface directly by it. Idiot boaters rarely crash into parked boats.

As others have mentioned, sometimes those silly little flags are hard to spot. And even if a boater does spot them, the hungover half conscience human brain doesn't register a little flag as a threat. That's the same reason car drivers pull out in front of motorcycles while looking directly at the bike. They see it, but it doesn't register as danger in their brain. If your dive flag is a battleship, noones going to crash into you.

 

[Bert van den Berg]

It's almost safer not using a dive flag. The wife and I have had curious boaters and jet ski operators zoom up to our dive flag to check it out.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

You have a right to shore dive in boat busy areas. But it's stupid IMO.

well then with that logic, maybe I need to quit diving. Port Everglades, one of the busiest ports on the East coast is in Ft. Lauderdale. Not only big huge ocean going vessels and cruise ships use the port, but the Stranahan River (aka, the inlet) is the only boating access to the ocean for miles around.
Where the OP happened was some 3 miles south. Very busy area. Boaters are mostly just clueless about looking at their surroundings. I was less than 50 yards off shore when the boat ran over top of us.

 

[Bob DBF]

Where the OP happened was some 3 miles south. Very busy area. Boaters are mostly just clueless about looking at their surroundings. I was less than 50 yards off shore when the boat ran over top of us.

I agree that a large percentage of boaters are clueless and have their head so far up their a** that they can not see anything which exacerbates the ongoing problems.

On the other hand, the law in Florida:

Chapter 27 of the 2003 Florida Statutes:
(6) Any vessel other than a law enforcement or rescue vessel that approaches within 100 feet of a divers-down flag on a river, inlet, or navigation channel, or within 300 feet of a divers-down flag on waters other than a river, inlet, or navigation channel, must proceed no faster than is necessary to maintain headway and steerageway.

So if a boat goes over you it is a matter of speed rather than space.

California is similar, but we don't have to use flags except in specific cases such as federal property and local regulations.

Alpha Flag
Although the presence of the 'A' flag may afford some protection for divers in the vicinity of the vessel displaying the flag, the intention of the rigid replica required by IRPCS Rule 27 (e) is to warn other vessels of the danger of collision. This marks a distinction between the 'A' flag and the red and white diver down flag.[4]


Bob

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

yeah, laws. Only work when they can be enforced AND boaters know what a dive flag is. No boating courses required for anybody born before 1988.
So, back to page 1. We need to educate the public about dive flags..