DPV Towing A Dive FLag

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Most states have laws / regulations / customs that require a diver to tow a "diver's flag" to mark the submerged position. Typically, boaters are required avoid the flag / float in an circular area 100 - 200 feet from the flag and most often divers must stay within 100 feet of this diver's flag. For most waters requiring the dive flag, I tow the flag supported on a 6' high mast (to enhance visibility). The truck inner tube also acts as a support structure for hanging carabineers (for found "goodies"), spare mask and snorkel, extra cutting edge, universal tool, my car key, and tire repair tools (below, center).

The inner tube is towed via a 100 foot 1/8" line wrapped around a spool mounted on my wrist (below, left). When descending, the line automatically unwinds from the reel. During the dive, the line is held in my hand (but hands are free) to keep a constant distance (below, right).

100 ' 1/8" line ending with snap shackle attachment

The neoprene sleeve protects the wet suit

Flag on inner tube

Flag is 6' above water surface

Reel mounted on neoprene sleeve on the wrist

Sleeve helps secure the wrist reel to the wrist

However, when using a DPV, this arrangement becomes quite cumbersome, if not problematic. Descent and swimming at depth are easily accomplished using the above reel system as I have done for more than 40 years. But, ascent with a DPV is a problem because of the need to control both the DPV and line ... without consistent winding, the line can become a significant entanglement hazard.

I also noticed that when towing a float, the DPV has a tendency (line drag) to veer to the right. However, the compass on the navigation nose (Directions for adding a compass at Experiences With The SeeDoo DPV) allows the user to stay on course.

The first change I made was to go to a streamlined tow float (below. center) to minimize drag while moving through the water. The commercial product (below, left) has a bright reflective strip. I added a 2.2 pound (1 kg) weight in a furnished weight pocket on the bottom of the float (to enhance vertical stability) and a permanent attachment point (below, right). The attachment point uses 2 small locking carabineers, a six inch 1/4" polypropylene line (eye-spiced at each end) with a figure-8 attachment point. Also, the first time I used this torpedo float, the flag fell out of the attachment mount as I was removing the float from the water. So I added a Velcro strip that acts as an additional secure point.


The float with added attachment point and Velcro strip	The deployed float	The added attachment point

As furnished, the dive flag tended to curl around its support wire. This compromised visibility of the dive flag. So, I added 1/8" clear acrylic rods (with red plastic end caps) secured with tie wraps across the top and bottom of he flag. Another clear rod rod was added across the white diagonal stripe. This required creating additional grommets. I used red electrical tape to better secure the top and bottom rods, Finally, I added a Velcro strip at the bottom of the mast to act as an additional attachment point for the flag. The result was a rigid flag shape. See below, left.

In order to facilitate line deployment, a small cave reel (with handle and thumb stop, above right) was added to the right handle of the DPV. The thumb stopper kept the line at a fixed deployment length and the handle facilitated controlling the 1/8" line during ascent. The line attachment to the float figure-8 uses a snap-shackle. To attach the cave reel, I added a small carabineer to the bottom of the right DPV handle. The bottom of the cave reel was then secured using a tie-wrap. Three additional tie wraps firmly secured the reel to the handle so that the reel did not interfere with the on-off switch.


The Cave Reel with handle and thumb stopper	DPV with attached cave reel	DPV with Reel: Front View

While I specifically use the SeeDoo (model now sold under a variety of names) recreational DPV, I suspect this technique is applicable to other DPV configurations.

The cave reel attachment allows diver control of the tow float without compromising control of the DPV.

Larry "Harris" Taylor, Ph.D. is a biochemist and Diving Safety Coordinator at the University of Michigan. He has authored more than 200 scuba related articles. His personal dive library (See Alert Diver, Mar/Apr, 1997, p. 54) is considered one of the best recreational sources of information In North America.

Use of these articles for personal or organizational profit is specifically denied.