Why the red and white "Diver down" flag?

[dead dog]

Are you suggesting he is not at fault because the victim didn't have an air horn?

No, I'm NOT saying that. Just making a suggestion about using an air horn might help..

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

No, I'm NOT saying that. Just making a suggestion about using an air horn might help..

A stinger missile would work better

 

[Firebar]

It is sort of amazing to me that there is no single flag indicating that a vessel is at anchor. The Yankee flag indicates you are dragging anchor. Here is a current list of anyone is interested: International maritime signal flags

There is a signal for at anchor, but it’s a Day Shape not a flag. It’s a single black ball flown from the “mast”.

There a whole series of them, the biggies being the cylinder = restricted by draught and ball-diamond-ball = restricted in ability to manoeuvre.

 

[Akimbo]

There is a signal for at anchor, but it’s a Day Shape not a flag. It’s a single black ball flown from the “mast”.

True, and there are light signals for at night. The trouble with shape signals is they are rarely onboard vessels smaller than about 100M due to the space they take up. Come to think of it, I can't recall seeing shapes displayed outside of military vessels and commercial pipe-laying barges.

 

[Firebar]

Come to think of it, I can't recall seeing shapes displayed outside of military vessels and commercial pipe-laying barges.

There is a semi-joke amongst sailors that around the UK, you can tell when people are undergoing boating exams when they’re using day-shapes. There have been prosecutions in Europe for not using them though (France from memory).

 

[Akimbo]

A little off-topic: How often do you see a full set of signal flags on vessels smaller than 60-80' (let alone actually using them)?

 

[Rred]

In the US, day shapes are virtually unheard of for recreational users and for small craft in general. Expect to see them on fuel barges, sure, because they're really trying to avert an explosion. But on small craft? The unicorns eat them, it is hard to keep the day shapes in stock.

And then again, COLREGS make it clear that one set of requirements apply OUTSIDE of US waters, and another set apply in "INLAND WATERS" meaning within the 3-mile boundary. We even have channel markers backwards (red versus green) compared to most of the world.

Bottom line...there's the law, and there's what is done out there. A lot of "sailors" including captains of charter vessels, longline and trawl boats, and even cruise ships, do what they please and you're expected to just avoid hitting them at all costs. (Yes, the rules are also clear about that.)

All the rest? Just establishes liability in the courts, really.

 

[The Chairman]

And then again, COLREGS make it clear that one set of requirements apply OUTSIDE of US waters, and another set apply in "INLAND WATERS" meaning within the 3-mile boundary. We even have channel markers backwards (red versus green) compared to most of the world.

Then there's the Mississippi which has it's own set of rules.

 

[Magnus Lundstedt]

A little off-topic: How often do you see a full set of signal flags on vessels smaller than 60-80' (let alone actually using them)?

View attachment 453933​

I have had one in my 24' sailboat.

 

[Rred]

The Mississippi....Well yes, that was once an international boundary rather than a US waterway. Which is why British vessels apparently still have the right (granted as part of the treaty ending the War of 1812, and apparently left standing) to navigate up the Mississippi without clearing US customs. Which was very logical at the time but rather curious these days.