Will shooting off a DSMB help protect you from oncoming boats or is this wrong?

[Peter69_56]

Just as a note, in OZ the Alpha flag is the recognised dive flag too.

From Western Australian Department of Transport;

All vessels are required to display a flag of size 6 of the International Flag Code or not less than 750 mm in length and not less than 600 mm in width.
[h=3]Diving from a boat[/h]Any boat with divers operating from it must always display signals by day or night to inform other boat users.
The daytime signal for divers is an International Code Flag A. The flag must be at least 750mm long and 600mm wide.

[h=3]Diving without a vessel[/h]Divers operating without a vessel must also display the International code flag A.
The flag may be displayed from a jetty (for example) and must be at least 750mm long and 600mm wide.
Exception to size: If displayed from a buoy, the flag must not be less than 300 mm in length and 200 mm in width.
The flag must be clearly visible to all vessels operating in the vicinity.

 

[Edward3c]

1 - on some charters you will be required to carry and deploy an SMB. If you don't own one the boat will supply you with one. SMBs are generally either orange or yellow. There used to be some significance to the color difference, and still may be in some parts of the world (one color indicates an emergency, while the other is simply used for ascending). In the rare cases where I've been on a boat that recognizes this difference, it will be covered in the pre-dive briefing.

...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Again, in the UK the charter is just a water taxis and takes no responsibility for diving operations. That responsibility rests with the trip organiser. It's all about liability if something goes pear shaped with the diving.

 

[Don Quixote]

I also don't believe a DSMB is useful in protecting against oncoming boats. I have experienced DSMB deployed by different professional DMs in nearly half of my dives, that will be over 60 at least. Nearly two-thirds of these deployments end with the signal tube lying horizontal on the surface. The dive boats did not see us until our heads were out of the water. In fact, I am beginning to suspect that the DMs deploy it only to cox at least one of the divers to stick his head out to serve as the real marker. Believe that the concept and equipment for deploying DSMB still leaves a lot to be developed.

 

[archer1960]

I think it con't hurt, and may help a bit, since an alert boater may see it before you come up. But it's not guaranteed, and many boaters don't fall into the "alert" category.

 

[Rich Keller]

It is useless for deterring oncoming boaters. Most boaters have no idea what it means. It will in fact do the exact opposite since they have no idea what it is they are FAR more likely to go to the marker just to see what it is.

---------- Post added December 3rd, 2015 at 10:23 AM ----------

All vessels are required to display a flag of size 6 of the International Flag Code or not less than 750 mm in length and not less than 600 mm in width.
Diving from a boat

Any boat with divers operating from it must always display signals by day or night to inform other boat users.
The daytime signal for divers is an International Code Flag A. The flag must be at least 750mm long and 600mm wide.

The A flag has been used as the diver down flag long before scuba was invented. Since all diving was surface supplied at the time it also signaled that the vessel could not maneuver.