Tips for managing Dive Flags?

[AfterDark]

Here’s what I do: I use a manual type “reel” not a wreck reel or the like. My line is marked in 10 foot increments with a loop. Each loop has the correct amount of plastic wraps in factors of 10 attached to for a quick visual ref. I use it to have no more than 10 feet of line over the depth I’m at, if I’m at 50FSW I have 60 feet of line out the loop has 6 type wraps on it. I have an old camera case good to 200fsw that I attach to the reel. The case contains my keys and cell phone. I use two bungees to make a loop that is connected to the reel. I put my left arm thru the loop which allows me to ditch the reel quickly by pointing my arm up. The camera case is buoyant so it keeps the reel floating above my left shoulder. Works quite well .

 

[tddfleming]

Here’s what I do: I use a manual type “reel” not a wreck reel or the like. My line is marked in 10 foot increments with a loop. Each loop has the correct amount of plastic wraps in factors of 10 attached to for a quick visual ref. I use it to have no more than 10 feet of line over the depth I’m at, if I’m at 50FSW I have 60 feet of line out the loop has 6 type wraps on it. I have an old camera case good to 200fsw that I attach to the reel. The case contains my keys and cell phone. I use two bungees to make a loop that is connected to the reel. I put my left arm thru the loop which allows me to ditch the reel quickly by pointing my arm up. The camera case is buoyant so it keeps the reel floating above my left shoulder. Works quite well .

We did this a couple of times, then decided that if a boat tangled in our line or we lost our flagwe would loose the keys to our car. Cell phone stays in the car or on the boat.

 

[AfterDark]

We did this a couple of times, then decided that if a boat tangled in our line or we lost our flagwe would loose the keys to our car. Cell phone stays in the car or on the boat.

IMO the odds are really against a boat fouling your line. I can say in the hundreds of dives I've used a flag, a boat has yet to foul my line. Read A&E section, there's very little of that kind of incident there. The camera case is mostly used for keeping the reel above my left shoulder out of my way and out of my sight until I reach for it. The cell phone is carried during solo night diving mostly, never actually used it, but I only started taking the cell with me 2 or 3 years ago so there's still time.

Edit: I forgot the ulitmate in dive flag management a 4ft SMB with a dive flag sewn on to it and 1lb weight 2 8oz sinker bonded together clipped to the bottom. I keep it rolled up with a finger spool in a pouch on my harness belt. If I need to ascend where I didn't intend, I deploy it and come up under it. The flag float I use with my cheapo dpv that I leave clipped off to the float while I dive. Sometimes I use a 3lb grappling anchor to keep it in one spot while I dive and nav back to it. Keeps my nav skills sharp