Flag Laws

One of our pet peeves around here is when divers, especially Instructors and Divemasters, don't know, understand, and follow the dive flag laws contained in the Oklahoma Statutes. Most of you know a bit of the rules, but we've learned that most of you aren't terribly well informed where your flags are concerned.
So, because we care about you guys, we're posting a sometimes (condensed), [annotated] version of the regs. If you want to see the full version, go to Oklahoma Public Legal Research System and read sections 63-4201 and 63-4211.

63-4201 (Definitions)
2. "Buoy" means an anchored [you can't tow your flag] marker for marking a position on the water, or a hazard, shoal, or mooring, or any other prohibitive activity area;
8. "Diver's Flag" means a red flag not less than twenty (20) inches by twenty-four (24) inches [most of the flags in use out there are WAY too small] with a four-inch white stripe running from one upper corner to a diagonal lower corner, and such flag is used to indicate a submerged diver;

63-4211
A. (All divers must display a flag at or near their point of submergence, either from a buoy in the water, or from their boat)

1. Either the nationally recognized diver's flag or the Alpha flag [in the wisdom of our Legislators, which won't be regonized by 99.995% of the boaters out there] may be flown;

2. (When flown from your boat, it must extend at least a meter above the highest point of the boat and be visible from every direction);

3. The buoy, flag, or flags shall be in place only while actual diving operations are in progress [means you need to take it down or out of the water if you're taking a break];

4. [effective Nov. 1, 1999](You can't put a flag closer than 300 yards to another dive flag, a dock, boat ramp, or designated swimming area) (you can't put a flag closer than 150 yards to a boat ramp);

6. (it's illegal for a boat [and wave runners/jetskis/wetbikes ARE boats] to come closer than 150 feet to a dive flag)

These regulations are really pretty simple, and they exist for the safety of everyone in the water. If you don't know and follow the flag laws yourself, it's a little difficult justifying getting mad at some dopey boater who comes too close.

In the Boaters Handbook published by the Dept of Public Safety, there is a slightly different interpretation of these regulations, but I don't think that they supercede the actual statutes. For instance, in the Handbook is says that snorkelers and skin divers are also required to display a flag. That's not in the statutes. The handbook also says that the Alpha flag is only to be used in Coast Guard controlled waters, also not in the statutes.

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