Questions about diver down flag

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

But is that like fishing? Commercial boats are considered to be fishing boat per the col regs. JimBob trolling on the weekend is just a power boat.

So does the official interpretation refer to commercial dive operations and would charter dive trips be considered commercial?

Reality in the USA, the red/white flag is more likely to be recognized and respected. Even in the carribean, I usually see this flag on the dive boats.

No reference to "commercial" in either case in the COLREGS. The COLREGS apply regardless of the financial nature of the operations.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by gamayun

I don't recall ever seeing anyone with a 1-m tall flag.

This might help answer the issue of flag size: You are being redirected... (OR Google www.scubaboard.com Alpha "dive" flag)

....though it takes some reading to get through and I certainly didn't read it all!

I did read it all and found my answer in post 67 where the poster quoted a special notice tomariners from 1999. The coast guard says that the alpha flag is only required for vessels tending attached divers and not for free swimming scuba divers or snorkelers. Now if i could just figure out where to access notices to mainers that old I might actually believe it. It looked like the quote was cut and pasted from somewhere else, but I would like to see the original source. It's not that I don't believe everything I read on the internet, but...........

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

I did read it all and found my answer in post 67 where the poster quoted a special notice tomariners from 1999. The coast guard says that the alpha flag is only required for vessels tending attached divers and not for free swimming scuba divers or snorkelers. Now if i could just figure out where to access notices to mainers that old I might actually believe it. It looked like the quote was cut and pasted from somewhere else, but I would like to see the original source. It's not that I don't believe everything I read on the internet, but...........

Come'on now. This is really easy stuff. Give me something hard to do

Maritime Safety Information

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by gamayun

Come'on now. This is really easy stuff. Give me something hard to do

Maritime Safety Information

I had found these on thevuscg site already. These are standard notices to mariners. Special notices to mariners are published annually. While i have been able to find links to specific years as far back as 2008 I have not been able to find a link to 1999. Have you had better luck?

The specific volume quoted in the post was distrct 1 special notice to mariners 1999.

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

I had found these on thevuscg site already. These are standard notices to mariners. Special notices to mariners are published annually. While i have been able to find links to specific years as far back as 2008 I have not been able to find a link to 1999. Have you had better luck?

The specific volume quoted in the post was distrct 1 special notice to mariners 1999.

This is the document you are looking for (see page 9) http://www.uscg.mil/d1/prevention/Na...ing_Safety.PDF

It's the 2001 edition, but likely the info is still valid because it's on the D1 homepage (http://www.uscg.mil/d1/prevention/Na...o/specials.htm). These special notices are not law. They're guidance. You'd need to read the Colregs for the legal language, but as we all know from these forums, the law is open to different interpretations. That's what the courts are for, so best just to do your due diligence, keep your boat ship shape, and always have an eye out for anything that might go sideways on ya. Good luck!

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by gamayun

This is the document you are looking for (see page 9) http://www.uscg.mil/d1/prevention/Na...ing_Safety.PDF

It's the 2001 edition, but likely the info is still valid because it's on the D1 homepage (Special Notice to Mariners). These special notices are not law. They're guidance. You'd need to read the Colregs for the legal language, but as we all know from these forums, the law is open to different interpretations. That's what the courts are for, so best just to do your due diligence, keep your boat ship shape, and always have an eye out for anything that might go sideways on ya. Good luck!

Thanks. I guess that gives us the USCG view on the alpha flag. My guess is that other countries have a different interpretation. To address the OP's question, in the Bahamas I have seen only the red divers flag on small boats. Even the Bahamian lobster divers use it and they are attached to the boat via hookah lines, but most of the time they don't have any flag at all.

[estarzinger]

^^ As an added twist . . . . most of our cruising boats are big enough that the Flag A is not appropriate . . . the 'proper' rule 27 day shapes should be used. Alpha is only properly used on vessels too small to fly these day shapes.

I would guess the % of boaters who would know what the day shapes meant was quite small.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

^^ As an added twist . . . . most of our cruising boats are big enough that the Flag A is not appropriate . . . the 'proper' rule 27 day shapes should be used. Alpha is only properly used on vessels too small to fly these day shapes.

I would guess the % of boaters who would know what the day shapes meant was quite small.

I wonder how many local leo's would know. My guess would be none, but one or two might surprise me.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

^^ As an added twist . . . . most of our cruising boats are big enough that the Flag A is not appropriate . . . the 'proper' rule 27 day shapes should be used. Alpha is only properly used on vessels too small to fly these day shapes.

I would guess the % of boaters who would know what the day shapes meant was quite small.

Ball/diamond/Ball indicating "-restricting in my ability to maneuver" and the Dive Flag. I suppose you are right - not many boaters would recognize it and if they don't see the dive flag they would not know that the boat had divers down.




I'll be cruising the US east coast in about 1 1/2 years time. Every time I read about all the special regulations (especially in florida) I starting hoping that the local gendarms will show mercy on a poor foreigner for accidentally breaking the rules.

[TeddyDiver]

In the Colregs there's nothing about "commercial" or "tethered" diving. The good old US of A has it's own "rules" which aren't internationally compliant.. Just for everyone to remember when visiting foreign waters

[lonesoldier0408]

Truth is, LEO is more associated with tax collection than LAW ENFORCEMENT. The worse the economy, the more code violations (read, victimless; ie, no cause of or for action crime) they ENFORCE. "We are making the world safer, as we are padding the coffers, while providing for the comfort and safety of real criminals." Again, the real criminals get the benefits, and the sheeple eat the expense. That's why they don't say, "You broke the law!" You only violated the code, which is legalese for, "We are taxing you for exercising your freedom of choice, and harming no-one." "You can't take the keys from someone under the influence, as that hinders tax revenue generation!" Doubt it, ask one of those fine LEO's. My name was also on that title, but I had no right to protect my half of that asset or the Banks investment. You do the math.