Towing a dive flag

[Skittl1321]

In my state it is illegal to tow a dive flag, it must be fixed to the bottom.

So is everywhere in your state a hard bottom at a pretty shallow depth?

And what exactly do you fix it to? The dive I did this weekend, I would have only been able to tie it to weeds...

It does seem like fixing it would be easier, as long as you are swimming quite close to it, otherwise, would you have to keep moving it? I mean in an hours time- you can swim rather far... I haven't tried towing a flag yet (we've only done one dive with it) but husband said it was a pain in the butt.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

There really is no way to deal with the dive flag without being attentive to it. Changes in depth lead to slack line and it is an entanglement issue, regardless of the type of line used. Risk of entanglement is minimized with a taught line and with the flag bearer following the other divers, not leading them. A reel is also much easier to handle than the big yellow "paddle." As in all things, as we are taught in kindergarten, everyone should take their turn. Dive flag handling is a skill for all divers to learn and practice.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Skittl1321]

Has 100ft of line, line spool and a swivel hook that you can clip to a belt, etc.. Snorkler's clip the hook onto their belt and tow behind.

I'll admit I'm new, but everything I've seen (and I think even a warning label on the line we purchased) has said to NEVER attach the tow line to yourself, as it creates a hazard. It is surprising to see a product marketed to be attached to the diver.

 

[corvettejoe]

I just use one of my cave spools and wind/unwind as needed. I'll lock it off with a double ender if I'm at depth and not going to change for a while.

When surfacing you can easily take the spool off and clip it back to yourself, or just clip it to the bottom of the flag pole.

Handling the flag is just one part of leading a dive you just have to get used to and deal with. It's not a pleasant task, but if it helps your buddies enjoy the dive, so be it. If your buddies are competent divers (assuming you're with friends and not leading an unknown group) then just switch with him. My buddy and I often do this. We take turns carrying it since it sucks.

Often we are photographing too, so it helps to have a friend take over for a while. Nothing is worse than about to get "that shot" and a wave jerks your flag and arm up and there goes your shot.

I always keep the line at arms length, as far away from tank, fins, etc. as possible.
I always keep the line taut, less of a chance of loose line tangling. If I can't immediately reel in because my left hand is busy with the hose or gauge, I'll move my arm up or down, or myself up or down slightly to compensate.

Plus all this ^^^

 

[oldflounder]

The flag has a mind of it's own and is somehow magnetically [sp?] attracted to divers.

One trick is too attach a small weight on the line near your hand - such as a very large nut or heavy fishing weight. Let it slide freely along the line and keep it off to your side. It will tend to sink the line toward the bottom and takes out any slack in the line/keeps it taut so that it is more straight up and down and not just floating in the water when it starts to get shallower.

 

[AlwaysBeachin]

Good to know I'm not the only one who recently experienced this (my first time towing a flag), and what a royal PITA it is.....as if there's not enough other stuff to keep track of and deal with underwater. FL law requires a dive flag as I'm sure most states do. Boat diving is not as bad as they handle that aspect. Shore diving a couple of weeks ago was my fist time having to deal with it, and it wasn't pleasant.

 

[btw2459]

What I use is a length of line with clips at either end. One clip is attached to my BC the other is attached to my reel which is attached to the flag. Here is the clever bit. I use a small float close to the reel clip. The float is enough to keep the reel and hence the reel line away from me.

 

[georoc01]

I just recently returned from diving out of Boynton Beach where we had some fairly strong currents at the surface so rather than towing the flag, the flag was towing us. The diver with the flag was pulling pulled so fast that the rest of the group were challenged to keep up.

Our solution was adding a reef hook to the end of the line and used that to anchor in at different spots long the dive to keep the group together. Worked quite well.

 

[kduffy]

40' of 1/4" polypropylene, thick enough to feel with gloves on, and a loop with a shortener around my right wrist (not tight, so it's easy to shed), speargun tethered to my left. It is a pain, and I only use it if I am going far from my boat, or solo. Thermocline in area lakes is 25 or so feet and they get dark below that so not much reason to be deep, closer lakes aren't much deeper than 40' anyhow. I use a 6# window weight to anchor it if I am using that flag from another boat or staying close on a shore dive, the one on my boats is much larger and presents a lower likely-hood of being used as a slalom course by jet skis. In KS, we always have enough wind to keep the rope out of the way which helps. I found that in AR I didn't have quite that advantage. People took fans to the lake camping! Never need that here.

 

[ScubaBing]

I do not like using reels. I have a custom made aluminum holder (kind of like you would use for a kite) that I hold onto and wind manually. It is about the size of a magazine and never gets tangled. I have no problems towing it, but with the reel it was a nightmare.