Ken abucs
Contributor
kirwoodd:
A professional boat captain won't aim for a dive flag, but a kid on a jetski will do it in a heartbeat.
Warning - Nubble Light Maine
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A professional boat captain won't aim for a dive flag, but a kid on a jetski will do it in a heartbeat.
yup,
there are idiots in every population. But statistically I think you are safer WITH a flag than without.
On a related note...
I was on my boat last week with the dive flag up and divers in the water about 30' off an island, two kids maybe 13 years old, come FLYING around the corner in little high speed RIBs. They didnt see the flag on the boat, but about 200' from the divers buoy they saw them and powered down to idle and turned sharply away. I was pleasantly surprised to see them being so responsible.
there are idiots in every population. But statistically I think you are safer WITH a flag than without.
On a related note...
I was on my boat last week with the dive flag up and divers in the water about 30' off an island, two kids maybe 13 years old, come FLYING around the corner in little high speed RIBs. They didnt see the flag on the boat, but about 200' from the divers buoy they saw them and powered down to idle and turned sharply away. I was pleasantly surprised to see them being so responsible.
Arduous
Contributor
I dive Nubble all the time, and see these boats drive by the dive flags all the time.
I hear them overhead on many occasions. I have also seen a pair of jet-boats circling and doing slalom type runs around dive flags at high speed.
I tend to dive the deep end (if you will), that is I go 90 degrees out hit the wall and following it out to the 70-80-fsw area. I always exit at the shore line, where everyone gears up. I never surface out in the open, though I know many do. None the less, there could always be the unexpected problem, that someday forces me to surface out there. It would be nice not to surface in the pathway of a boat. However, through no ones fault other than my own, I do not take a dive flag out there with me. I have tried years ago to do this, but the constant hang-ups on the lobster trap lines, is not conducive to having a pleasurable dive.
As always, you dive at your own risk ..
I hear them overhead on many occasions. I have also seen a pair of jet-boats circling and doing slalom type runs around dive flags at high speed.
I tend to dive the deep end (if you will), that is I go 90 degrees out hit the wall and following it out to the 70-80-fsw area. I always exit at the shore line, where everyone gears up. I never surface out in the open, though I know many do. None the less, there could always be the unexpected problem, that someday forces me to surface out there. It would be nice not to surface in the pathway of a boat. However, through no ones fault other than my own, I do not take a dive flag out there with me. I have tried years ago to do this, but the constant hang-ups on the lobster trap lines, is not conducive to having a pleasurable dive.
As always, you dive at your own risk ..
Cecil
Contributor
Well the Cruise Boats have not gotten the word yet. This picture was taken this morning.
Cecil:
Check this out:
http://www.dive-flag.com/Maine.html
If that is true, there isn't very much that can be done about it.
OP
divedivediver
Registered
I wrote a letter to the owner this morning and included the picture. Dive law or no dive law, it is wrong, stupid and reckless. I will try to appeal to the owners sensibility that in our liability conscious society, if there ever was an accident, he would lose his business - some tourist will have a full running vidoe of the whole incident.
jchaplain
Contributor
I do think that many boaters aim for the dive flags out of stupid curiosity, not knowing what they mean.
There are a world of stupid boaters out there.
Not to switch topics, but this morning I had a state police boat wake me as I was launching my boat then pull over and take up the entire dock where two boats should have fit.
The State police are sometimes the worst examples of lack of boating courtesy. And they are supposed to be the trained ones. Remember that boaters don't even need a license to drive boats, so expect them to have NO clue and to act that way.
There are a world of stupid boaters out there.
Not to switch topics, but this morning I had a state police boat wake me as I was launching my boat then pull over and take up the entire dock where two boats should have fit.
The State police are sometimes the worst examples of lack of boating courtesy. And they are supposed to be the trained ones. Remember that boaters don't even need a license to drive boats, so expect them to have NO clue and to act that way.
kirwoodd:
I was posting that because I am wondering of there is any legal grounds under state law to punish captains for approaching dangerously close to a flag. If there is no dive flag law, what would you charge them with?
There is a little blurb on this page regarding the federal regulations. Perhaps it might still be possible for the USCG to take action under those rules:
http://www.dive-flag.com/law.html
Cecil
Contributor
I checked the Maine marine rules and I did not find any reference to dive flag rules. I also the USGA rules and still nothing about navigating around dive flags. Very interesting that it was not easy to find.
We all know what the rules are, divers within 75' of the flag and no boats within 150', yet no statement of that right in the front of the USGA laws. They do talk about the Able flag and boat that can not maneuver. My thinking at this point is that this is left up to each state to regulate, yet Maine does not.
Regardless of all that it is still common courtesy, reckless and dangerous to drive a boat in that many divers.
We all know what the rules are, divers within 75' of the flag and no boats within 150', yet no statement of that right in the front of the USGA laws. They do talk about the Able flag and boat that can not maneuver. My thinking at this point is that this is left up to each state to regulate, yet Maine does not.
Regardless of all that it is still common courtesy, reckless and dangerous to drive a boat in that many divers.
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