At anchor signal?

[Dsanduril]

Wouldn’t the truly appropriate flag be the Oscar flag - “man overboard”?

Of course that implies a need for assistance, but...

Is going swimming enough to qualify for the “exceptional circumstances” required for NUC?

[requiem]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

Is going swimming enough to qualify for the “exceptional circumstances” required for NUC?

Doubt it. Suggest RAM, per Rule 27:

(e) Whenever the size of a vessel engaged in diving operations makes it impracticable to exhibit all lights and shapes prescribed in Rule 27(d), the following shall be exhibited:

(i) Three all-round lights in a vertical line where they can best be seen. The highest and lowest of these lights shall be red and the middle light shall be white;
(ii) a rigid replica of the International Code flag "A" not less than 1 meter in height. Measures shall be taken to ensure its all-round visibility.

[Montanan]

A diver down flag, or scuba flag, is a flag used on the water to indicate that there is a diver below. Two styles of flag are in use. Internationally, the code flag alfa/alpha, which is white and blue, is used to signal that the vessel has a diver down and other vessels should keep well clear at slow speed. In North America it is conventionally red with a white stripe from the upper left corner to the lower right corner.

The use of the red and white flag, which was created in 1956 by Navy veteran Denzel James Dockery and popularised by Ted Nixon of US Divers, is required by law or regulation in many US states, Canada, and some other countries (e.g. Italy). Usually the regulations require divers to display the flag while diving and to stay within a specified distance of it when they are near the surface. There may also be a larger zone around the flag where no boats are allowed to pass. Some states also prohibit the display of this flag when there is no diver in water. It can be placed on a boat and / or on a surface marker buoy. For example one that is tied to a diver / snorkeler so as to remain in closer proximity to the diver who may wonder from the area where the boat is anchored or drifting. Although I have seen boaters drive their boats over to pick up a floating diver down marker because they were inquisitive and ignorant of what the marker meant. Ya can't fix stupid.

You should research the laws of the State of the waters in which you are swimming for specific guidance so as to assure you are legally compliant.

Personally, I would opt to display both flags because some people will recognize one or the other, or both. And of course there are those yahoos who won't recognize either or won't give regard to such even if they do know what the signal implies.

As a code signal the International maritime signal flag Alpha (or "Alfa", signifying the letter "A") has the meaning of "I have a diver down; keep well clear at slow speed", used to indicate the presence of a diver in the water and is used in all countries other than the United States of America, Canada, sometimes Italy, and countries within the US's diving culture sphere of influence such as certain countries within the Caribbean.

A rigid replica of the 'Alpha' flag not less than one meter is size is required to be displayed by any vessel engaged in diving operations, when restricted in her ability to maneuver, if the size of the vessel makes it impractical to display the shapes and lights required by the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (IRPCS) Rule 27. The bigger the better. Rigid displays are much better than soft flags which go limp when there isn't significant windage. The use of multiple ridgid signals at right angles to each other enhances the ability to be seen from all directions of oncoming boat traffic, a single ridgid display signal may not be seen from its thin side. Front, rear and both side views should be established, higher the better and uncluttered from obstruction.

Although the presence of the 'A' flag may afford some protection for divers in the vicinity of the vessel displaying the flag, the intention of the rigid replica required by IRPCS Rule 27 (e) is to warn other vessels of the danger of collision. This marks a distinction between the 'Alpha' flag and the red and white diver down flag.

A drift anchor is not a mooring similar to a dropped temporary anchor or tying to a fixed anchor. It is a simple matter to discharge a drift anchor and thus get underway, it is much more difficult to drop or raise your chain anchor rode. A vessel that is of RAM status is not a boat in Not Under Command status.

Link to guidance regarding Rule 27: Specifically as to a vessel being of Restricted in Ability to Maneuver [RAM] status which having a diver down and a drift anchor deployed derives such restricted ability to maneuver. Reference link here:
Rule 27

Below is a copy of the pertinent specific guidance of the portion of Rule 27 (e) linked above applicable for small boats with divers down. Click on the thumbnail picture to expand and clarify the print. Paragraph (e) provides for vessels too small to comply with the requirements of paragraph (d) for vessels engaged in diving operations. Paragraph (e) is clearly aimed at the small vessel conducting diving operations, regardless of whether an obstruction on one side of the vessel exists. The paragraph (b) requirements for sidelights and sternlight when making way cannot be disregarded for small vessels engaged in diving operations, nor can the Rule 30 requirement to display an anchor light when anchored. Paragraph (g) of Rule 27 makes clear the intent.
Paragraph (e) excuses the display of obstruction lights and shapes and excuses the display of the ball-diamond-ball day shape array if the proper-size International Code flag "A" is displayed instead. Flags smaller than one meter are not permitted for small vessels, even though shapes of reduced size are permitted on vessels less than twenty meters long. Although a flag that big will seem large to people on a relatively small dive boat, a smaller flag would probably go unnoticed by a larger vessel approaching the area.Also copied below is Rule 27 (d) which is referenced by Rule 27 (e).

The Red and White flag and the blue and white alpha flags are depicted in the pictures below.

The third image below is from the USCG Navigation Rules book, and applies to small vessels with divers down, linked here: https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/navRules/navrules.pdf

Note you are required to maintain at ALL times at least one competent lookout on board your vessel who can take all necessary actions to avoid collision as required under the various Colregs both Inland and International. At ALL times includes when at anchor and when someone is diving / swimming. And no it can not be a kid or a drunken partier, it has to be someone actually looking out and capable of responding appropriately to the situation at hand. Your responsibilities go far beyond just displaying the requisite signals.

Wishing you safe diving.

[Idylles15.5]

Don't over complicate things. I would imagine unless you were an old WASP Commodore of some ancient yacht club like Seawanhaka Corinthian, most yachtsman have no idea what all the flags mean unless they looked them up in a book. I've been on boats my entire life and I don't know what they all mean. Everyone knows what a diver down flag is. Even if they don't dive, all you had to be was a Van Halen fan and you know it means lol. Diver down and no ones is going to run you over.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Tmacmi

When the weather is appropriate, we often put out a sea anchor and go swimming.

This seems to confuse people who are motoring in the general area. (They actually get angry)

Is there some flag or other signal I can fly to tell people I'm not moving.

I googled a little and someone said from Calder you are supposed to hang a black ball.

Alternately I could hang a diving flag and buoy, though I'm technically not diving.

What do you think?

I'm still wondering why you'd choose to swim in a spot that's likely to have other boat traffic.

We swim a lot off of our boat, but it's usually decently close to shore and off the 'beaten path' of other boaters, and we're at anchor, with sails down. Given how some drive their runabouts or jetskis, I wouldn't want to be swimming anywhere close to other boat traffic.

We've taken to using swim noodles in the water - as added floatation, or for walloping or squirting each other. But it is increased visibility.

If anything, I'd suppose I'd try a floating drink & snack buoy with a diver down flag. Have a mask and snorkel handy.

[Montanan]

I just noted that the original poster is from Michigan,

Tmacmi
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Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: South Haven Michigan
Boat: Spirit 28

Reference link, snipet therefrom: Boating in the Third Dimension

"Michigan was the first state to officially recognize the new flag for what it was, and soon after, it became recognized far and wide as the “diver down” flag. That being the red and white flag.

In the first few years following the introduction of the diver down flag, there was widespread confusion by boaters as to the meaning of the flag. Only a savvy few recognized its meaning as it waved at them from the spreader of a larger vessel, or from the antenna of a smaller vessel, or from a float on the surface of the water. When flown from vessels, most recreational boaters, who considered them just more yacht decorations, ignored them. And when displayed on floats, diver down flags often were the target of boaters who interpreted them as mid-channel markers. (Have you noticed that whenever a boater doesn’t understand the meaning of a navigational aid, they consider it to be a mid-channel marker?) Some boats pulling water skiers used them as slalom markers. In the early years, even dive clubs and dive enthusiasts misinterpreted the meaning of the diver down flag. Some divers would fly the flag from their boats even when no divers were in the water, believing that the flag was simply to show support for the sport.

It’s interesting to note that the red with white diagonal striped diver down flag is recognized by statute in most states, where restrictions are placed on how close you may come to the flag (usually 100 or 150 feet), but no mention is made of the diver down flag in the Inland or International Navigation Rules. The Navigation Rules do specify a flag to be used on vessels conducting underwater operations, including diving. The flag, which must be rigid, often is referred to as a dive flag. But the flag (the Alpha, or “A” flag) is more broadly required in cases where a vessel is restricted in its ability to maneuver. So even though when diving operations are being conducted it is appropriate to fly the Alpha flag, it would not be entirely correct to refer to the Alpha flag as a “diver down” flag, since it is flown in other situations as well.

But the message is the same. Whether it’s a swallow-tailed Alpha flag, or the more familiar red rectangle with diagonally striped “diver down” flag, stay clear.

There is one more little known but related flag that is used in diving operations, and that is the “P” flag. The flag is blue and rectangular, with a smaller white rectangle in the center. Although the use of the “P” flag is not exclusive to diving situations, vessels conducting diving operations very often will fly the flag to signal a recall of all personnel back to the ship. So if you see a “P” flag flying from a vessel, slow down and be cautious. There may be people in the water.

[NYSail]

We drop sails and drift and swim all the time. Some quick swims other times for hours. Never hand anyone “get annoyed”. Although we are always at least a mile out...... I assume your not doing this in a channel as that would be annoying.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

I'm still wondering why you'd choose to swim in a spot that's likely to have other boat traffic.

We swim a lot off of our boat, but it's usually decently close to shore and off the 'beaten path' of other boaters, and we're at anchor, with sails down. Given how some drive their runabouts or jetskis, I wouldn't want to be swimming anywhere close to other boat traffic.

Kirsty McColl springs to mind. We also swim off the boat but away from traffic. However, we are normally anchored so the anchor ball meets our needs.

Pete

[Benz]

In south Florida, swimming next to an anchored boat WITHOUT a diver-down can get you a ticket. If there's a person in the water, the authorities can insist you show a diver-down.

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

Failing to fly appropriate signal flags on the basis that "people don't know what they mean" is a bewildering response to me.
?

The goal is to communicate effectively you must speak clearly using words that are understood by your audience, not obscure words they have to look up in a dictionary. You may use your pdf files to investigate what every flag means but the reality is that most boaters are more concerned with other boating tasks or with socializing than they are with digging into their iPad and once they pass the boat by, details of an unrecognized flag they saw are quickly forgotten. So, with our goal of communicating a message that’s likely to be understood by our audience in mind, it’s wise to use a word or symbol that they are likely to immediately understand the meaning of, such as the widely recognized diver down flag.

[Pete7]

This is in the US right? surely you have a suitable gun sign?

Sorry, I'll get my coat

Pete

[svHyLyte]

I wonder whether a sizable "Oscar" flag--commonly referred to as a Man Overboard flag--coupled with a "Mike" flag--indicating one is not making way--might not be a better combination of signals. Moreover I suspect the majority of folks on the water would recognize the Oscar flag, No?

FWIW...

[Tmacmi]

This has turned into an interesting conversation. Thank you.

In response to a couple of comments:

Yes, a sober adult is on board at all times keeping look out.
No, not in a channel. South Haven's pier (jetty) dumps you out 700' into Lake Michigan.

We swim about 1 mile north and then 3/4 mile out. This is our first season sailing out of South Haven. I don't know....maybe that spot just happens to be on the most direct route between South Haven and some fishing spot.

[Dennis.G]

My vote is the diver's flag (red with white stripe). One of the few flags people know the meaning of. Putting up some obscure code flag might be technically correct, but the goal is to communicate your situation so use something that will be understood.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

I wonder whether a sizable "Oscar" flag--commonly referred to as a Man Overboard flag--coupled with a "Mike" flag--indicating one is not making way--might not be a better combination of signals. Moreover I suspect the majority of folks on the water would recognize the Oscar flag, No?

FWIW...

The Mike signal is debatable as to applicability for when a drift with a drift anchor deployed. Not making way is distinct from underway. And the signals for such are different. A drift anchor is not an anchor per say for Colreg purposes as it not made fast to shore or to ground. A drift anchor does not truly restrict one from maneuvering as it can be quickly released, just disconnect from the rope rode and you are free to go. If the boat on a drift anchor and is drifting through the water then it is making way and is underway. And one can pull a drift anchor under power or simply power towards the drift anchor to avoid collision. At best it slows a boat. The Mike signal being blue and white [St. Andrews cross] is not as bold or as highly visible in coloring as the Yankee signals bright yellow and red. Just as the Alpha/Alfa blue and white diver down signal is not as highly visible as the red and white divers down signal.

Underway, or under way, is a nautical term describing the state of a vessel. A vessel is said to be underway if it meets the following criteria:
It is not aground
It is not at anchor
It has not been made fast to a dock, the shore, or other stationary object.
If a vessel is adrift with the current and not being propelled by any instrument or device, it is said to be underway, not making way. The concept of whether a vessel is, or is not, underway has important legal ramifications. For example, in many jurisdictions a child must be wearing a personal flotation device at the time the vessel is underway
A vessel that is "underway" need not be moving through the water but may simply be not anchored, aground, or made fast to the shore. If a vessel is making no way through the water, it is stopped (dead on the water) and drifting, unless it is not underway. If it is moving relative to the water, it is making way. A wind blown boat adrift is making way relative to the water.

Underway: not anchored, or made fast to the shore, or aground. If you are even drifting along, you are underway. (As defined in Colregs).

Making way: being propelled through the water by wind, sail, machinery, or oar. (Albeit while the terms Making Way and Not Making Way are used in Colregs they do not seem to be defined in Colregs).

"In simple words when a vessel is afloat and in no way is touching the ground or seabed, she would be underway.

Now COLREG does not give any definition for a ship making way. It is assumed that it is easy to understand when a ship would be making way through water.

So let us see if we understand the difference with these two situations.

Situation 1: A vessel was at anchor and it just picked up its anchor.
Situation 2: A vessel is moving in open sea
These two are easy. In situation 1, the vessel is underway while in situation 2 vessel is making way.

Now let is see 3 more situations.

Situation 3: A vessel is moving while approaching a port and it stopped its engine but it is still moving with a speed of 8 knots.
Situation 4: A vessel is moving up river with 5 knots speed and with 5 knots against current. So in this situation even though vessel’s engine is running but the GPS speed would be showing zero.
Situation 5: A vessel is heading downriver with 5 knots following current. The vessel has its engines stopped but would be moving with 5 knots GPS speed because of following current.

Now what do you think the vessel is doing in these three situations.

A vessel is “making way through water” or not is not defined by whether or not she is using a propulsive force, e.g., sails or engines. It is defined by whether or not ship has any speed through water. There is another factor that we need to take into consideration while deciding if the vessel is underway, or making way, or not making way. We need to know if the vessel is controllable by helm or not.

So in situation 3, vessel still has speed through water. Till the time vessel can alter her course with the rudder, the vessel is making way. But when the vessel’s speed is reduced below which the rudder is not effective and ship cannot alter her course, she would be underway.

In situation 4, vessel’s speed over ground is zero but she is still moving with respect to water. So in this case the vessel is making way through water.

In situation 5, even though vessel is moving with respect to ground, she is stopped with respect to water. Hence vessel is underway but not making way.

Some may consider the display of a Yankee signal "I am dragging my anchor." could be appropriate because that is exactly what a drift anchor accomplishes albeit just dragging through the water. But of debate is whether dragging means the anchor is in contact with the ground and not just hanging in the water above the ground. When a boat's anchor is dragging it is no longer made fast to the land or ground and becomes underway and may be making way. Yankee flag signal is depicted below.

But again it all this safety communication is predicated on the observing being observant and knowledgeable regarding such. In the real world of casual boaters, I would predict that a signal even being observed would be less than 50% and the observer having knowledge of what the fancy flag means being less than 5%. One just should not rely on others regarding the safety of your passengers or crew being deployed in the water.

Personally, I have yet to see an Oscar Flag / MOB flag deployed when boating in the USA. [Thankfully, the situation has yet to arise for me, but I have seen persons being MOB / WOB but the boat not having such a signal to deploy]. Once I came upon a person that was MOB and I asked them where did you come from as there was no boat nearby. They had fallen off but no one noticed his absence. Fortunately he was good at floating and was not encumbered by clothing just wearing a swimsuit, actually enjoying himself. He figured his friends would notice his absence in the not too distant timeframe and retrace their passage to recover him. I gathered him up and after a short while his boat came about looking for him, they had travelled around a point of a nearby island in the lake thence being out of sight of the MOB. They were pretty concerned because they did not recall when they last knew he was on the boat. I suspect few common boaters would recognize the signal as indicating a MOB or WOB. Certainly a fair percentage of experienced cruisers should, but one should anticipate that your typical party boater, fisherperson or recreational tow boater would not recognize or be knowledgeable of such. Ignorance of the Oscar signal not being a valid excuse, just a fact of life.

The standard for recreational boating in the USA when towing a skier, wakeboard, floaty tube, is to immediately hoist a high visibility, yet small orange or red flag [generally hand held on a short pole] when the person that is to be towed first enters the water and is preparing to be towed, or for when there are just persons swimming, or in the water having fallen from being towed or is in the water preparing to be recovered by the boat. An orange / red flag generally indicates a person is in the water, nearby, typically for recreational purposes. State and local laws apply to boating, the orange / red flag display is of such State / Local ordinance or practice.

A divers down flag is for when there are persons expected to be UNDERWATER, albeit they may of course be at the surface. There being some debate as to whether snorkelers are considered a diver down since they don't stay down for extended periods or depths, mostly just bobbing along at the surface.
Michigan laws for divers down: DISTANCE FROM SCUBA DIVER’S FLAG
A vessel shall not be operated within 200 feet of a buoyed diver’s flag unless it is involved in tendering the diving operation. A person diving shall stay within a surface area of 100 feet of a diver’s flag. Note: 100 feet is a very short distance.

Michigan State law regarding towing someone:

DISTANCE BETWEEN PERSONS BEING TOWED AND OTHER OBJECTS

Vessels and persons being towed on water skis, water sleds, etc. shall maintain a distance of 100 foot from any dock, raft, buoyed or occupied bathing areas, or vessels moored or at anchor, except when the vessel is proceeding at a slow-no wake speed or when water skiers are being picked-up or dropped off.

This is an interesting rule of Michigan:

IV. COUNTER-CLOCKWISE OPERATIONS

Persons operating vessels shall operate in a counter-clockwise fashion when it reasonably possible. Must be following NASCAR rules of the roadway in Michigan waters.


An example of a State laws is copied below from the official Missouri boating handbook.

" A rectangular red or bright orange flag, at least 12 inches x 12 inches
A flag indicating a “skier down/person in the water” is required equipment for a motorboat (other than a PWC) towing a person behind on water skis, inner tubes, sleds, or similar devices. This flag is to be displayed when the person is in the water before or after being towed on water skis or similar devices or when a swimmer leaves the confines of the vessel. Displaying the flag is required from 11:00 a.m. to sunset and is in effect only on the Mississippi River, Missouri River, and the lakes of this state.

I don't understand the logic of the law requiring a flag being displayed after 11:00 AM and not before 11:00 AM, the best water skiing is often just after sunrise before the wind picks up and other boaters cause waves and wakes.

The color of the flag must be either red or bright orange.

The flag must be square in design and measure at least 12 inches on each side.

When displayed, the flag must be visible for 360 degrees.

All vessel operators in the vicinity of a displayed skier-down flag are required to operate at idle speed if closer than 50 yards to the vessel displaying the flag. It is suggested, when operating in the vicinity of a displayed skier-down flag, that operators immediately start scanning the water for the downed skier.

All vessel operators are encouraged to maneuver away from the area in which a skier-down flag is being displayed.

This flag is to be displayed only when the skier (or person being towed on inner tubes, sleds, etc.) is in the water before or after being towed. Once the skier is up and being towed, the flag must be lowered. The flag must be raised again when the skier falls or stops skiing and enters the water in order to return to the motorboat."

A MOB / WOB flag seemingly indicates a person is in the water unintentionally and by corollary indication that the MOB / WOB location may not be known by or observed by the persons on the boat that is displaying the signal or on the marker that is floating in the water. Also indicated by the MOB signal is that the location of the person that went overboard may not be known or even proximately known to the boat displaying the signal. It means someone has gone overboard, but may not be where the person went overboard.

Whereas, with an orange flag displayed, the expectation is that the recreational boat is to return quickly and keep the position of the vessel in close proximity of the person in the water and that other boats are to instantly slow / stop, and / or change course so as to remain far from the boat displaying the orange flag and that all other boats are to not actively participate in finding or recovering the person in the water. A boat displaying an orange flag is expected to not maneuver to avoid collision with another boat [but also to not maneuver to have a collision with another boat], it is the boat that other boats are to stay away from. Whereas with a MOB flag being displayed there is an expectation that other boats would aid in locating and recovering the person that has gone overboard, and yes, other boats should slow and be extra diligent as to avoiding running over the overboard person, wherever that person may be, near or far. And that a boat displaying a MOB flag may well be manoeuvring about in an attempt to locate and recover a person in the water.

Also one should recognize that as an observer of a Alpha/alfa signal, a MOB signal, a diver down signal or an orange / red flag, that such signal of someone being in the water does not provide guidance as to how many persons are in the water or where they might be located. Expect that there may be many persons in the water and that you have no ability to know if you are insight of any or all of them. Make way carefully, very carefully. I have seen boaters make an assumption that there is only one or two persons in the water which persons in the water they have observed but have failed to see the additional person(s) that are also in the water and things got rather dicey and dangerous as a result. It is the unobserved person in the water or under the water that is the greatest hazard. Accordingly assume you don't know how many persons are in the water or where they are. One can never be too diligent when either being the look out and / or operating a helm.

"Rule, Rule, Rule your Boat"