Palm Beach diver loses arm as group hit by boat - Florida

[Joneill]

Yes, born before 1988 you must take the boat safety course. I was not required so I can't speak to how comprehensive it is or if they go into much detail about divers in water. Given how people drive their boats, I don't think it's all that comprehensive and despite the course most would still fail a rules of the road test.

Agreed. You also need a driver's license on land in every state - yet, I never cease to be amazed at the idiotic things I see people doing on the roads almost every day!

 

[Rooster59]

Things like this make me day dream of legalizing it so dive boats with proper signage/floats/what-have-you be licensed to shoot at other vessels intruding into their space illegally. I wonder how many would have to get shot at before word got around?

Not gonna happen, but these tragedies are so frustrating.

Naval Architect note: Replace flybridge with a humvee turret sporting a Mk19 40mm grenade launcher.

 

[CuzzA]

The "crab pot" float with a flag on top is, by far, the most commonly used diver flag in this area.

And yet we still have accidents every year. I get it, they are cheap and easy to haul, but maybe it's time people rethink their surface marking techniques. The cost for a bigger, better surface marker is peanuts to the expense of medical care or a life.

On the Gulf coast there is almost no shore diving so we have our boats for protection, but if I lived where shore diving was an option I would participate and probably use one of @MAKO Spearguns lifeguard hard floats and a big ass DIY 3D flag. Something like this.

 

[PBcatfish]

Things like this make me day dream of legalizing it so dive boats with proper signage/floats/what-have-you be licensed to shoot at other vessels intruding into their space illegally.....

By the same logic, should fishing boats also be similarly equipped to fend off intruding vessels? The same for boats that stop & anchor up for people to take a swim? Water skiers? Kayaks? Row Boats? Rubber Duckies?

Somehow, I don't see this as being the best possible solution.

 

[CuzzA]

Another good product Mike over at Mangrove Marine produces in Tampa Bay is the Starboard Diver Down Flag. Not practical for in water use, but for the boaters who anchor on calm days, most dive flags sit limp despite the cheap wire flag stiffeners. This one will last forever and is always upright.

Hard Dive Flag

 

[Bob DBF]

There should a "no wake" zone 200 ft out from shore.

A witness said the divers were 100 yards off shore, so we might want to move out your limit"

Why wouldn't the boat driver swerve the boat to the east, away from the divers?

He didn't see the divers or know where the divers were, at that point stopping would be the safest course.

Time for flag laws to change. 12 inch flag is not adequate. Increase size to 24 inches and the bottom of the flag must be at least 36 inches above the water.

Make the flag three sided so it can be seen regardless of wind conditions as well.

It's similar to motorcycle riders on the streets. People distracted, are not used to seeing them so it doesn't register what it is until too late.

Also, and I don't know the conditions at the time, but between waves and wind one may just get partial and/or edge views of a dive flag until it's too late, and divers are hard to see in the water

It sounds like the boater did the right thing but, for whatever reason, it was too late. That's why the faster I'm moving in a boat, the further off shore I like to be, it cuts down on surprises. Then we could get into increasing the requirements for piloting a boat, however looking at the results on the highway, I'm not holding out a lot of hope.



Bob

 

[1isNone]

Make the flag three sided so it can be seen regardless of wind conditions as well.

Brilliant idea... Might have my first project for the incoming TIG welder...

 

[The Chairman]

A witness said the divers were 100 yards off shore, so we might want to move out your limit"

300 ft would be better, but I was only repeating what I saw before. Depending on the lake, it was 100 or 200. With an ocean, it should be much more.

Make the flag three sided so it can be seen regardless of wind conditions as well.

I have one and it's a &%^@* bear to pull with any wind. In fact, it pulled me against a current.

It sounds like the boater did the right thing but,

Not if they had a flag.

 

[Dan]

Diver who lost arm in boat accident ID'd

"In 2017, there were 172 accidents in which at least one person was struck by a propeller with 31 resulting in deaths, according to the Coast Guard."

 

[The Chairman]

The ensuing civil lawsuit here will be sufficient punishment, I think.

I'm not worried about punishing this man: I think an example needs to be set for everyone to see. As it is, unless it results in an accident, a boater is only fined $50 if they violate this law and are caught. Make it $500, tag a number of violators and watch the State's flag awareness increase ten fold in a heart beat. However, if a diver violates the law, they can get a $100.00 fine. Stupidity should hurt, and not the diver displaying a flag. Right now, if they hit someone who has a flag, I believe it's up to a $1,000.00 fine. Just ask this snorkeler if he thinks that's fair?