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Chris · 03-22-2002, 09:26 AM,

Does anyone have one of these, and if you do what kind? I'm ordering the inflatable 'Diver Below' model from Leisure Pro.

LKunze · 03-22-2002, 10:24 AM,

I've got the el'cheapo styrophoam one with the lead weight. It works fine but you gotta make sure you let out enough line or it's real easy to pull underwater. The inflatable one you are getting would be the best way to go IMO.

***jasondbaker*** · 03-22-2002, 01:09 PM,

Chris, I've the the inflatable one you are looking at. It does a nice job. Make sure you pick up a 3lb weight to attach to it. A little extra weight helps to prevent the flag from flipping over in higher winds. The only thing I'm not wild about is the "spool". It is just a cheap plastic thing. I've been wondering if there is a better solution. Not a big deal.

MNLakeDiver · 03-22-2002, 05:17 PM,

I'm leaning twords the inflatable one that glows at night with a light in it I think Isaw it at leisur pro also

lrmoll · 04-25-2002, 05:06 AM,

I have an inflatable yellow buoy. Price was right. It works fine But it doesn't have any place to really put things. There is a small center opening but it can't hold much I think I would like the type that is a cover that goes over an ordinary innertube because if you find things you have a place to put them.

ccuda · 04-25-2002, 05:28 AM,

I like the ones big enough to rest you and/or your buddies fins on them with your gloves and hood under the fins. Whenever I go to the local spots, I like to wade in to about waist deep water, then put my fins and gloves on. I can just reach for one fin at a time while my other is resting upon the float. And I bring along a few extra weights to help keep the buoy down in the wind, or if me or my buddy needs them without hauling all the way back to the car. I just think the larger, the better. Yeah, those pole styles can go under easy, you also need to set the foam float up higher so that flag will be more upright. Hey, keep using them, I saw two guys last summer in Square Lake were busted by the DNR for not using them...$175.00 fine EACH! OUCH! :o

Chris · 04-25-2002, 05:49 AM,

That's a hefty fine considering its about double what a flag would cost! On top of that, it's just plain dangerous not to use one. I got a gift certificate to Leisure Pro from ScubaClicks, so I figure a dive flag would be a good thing to have.

Derrick · 04-25-2002, 06:45 AM,

My AOW instructor made a dive buoy by using a car inner tube and tied a plastic milk crate to it. For our deep dive, he put a 80cf tank in the crate while we surface swam. Once we got to the deep part of the mine, he tied the tank to the line, lowered the it to 15' where we breathed off of it during our safety stop. It worked great and very inexpensive. I have one of the yellow inflatable ones. They work great, but can be a pain to swim around with during windy days with surface chop. What I have been doing lately is leaving the dive flag either tied to something under water or anchored to the bottom with extra weights during the beginning part of the dive and retrieving it at the end of the dive. The nice thing about using weights is if you can't find the dive flag line while under water, you can just pull the weights up rather than having to swim back down to retrieve it. Derrick

ccuda · 04-25-2002, 07:47 AM,

Yeah, that's a good idea. And then you can use the line as an ascent/descent line as well. You can use colored tape (like electrial) as markers on the line for different foot incriments, or even put little tags on them. And then it's so cool when you pull the weights up and there's a streaming cloud of silt falling off the weights when it ascends, like a rocket zooming at lift-off... or maybe I've been down too long. ;D

jmsdiver · 05-01-2002, 10:34 PM,

I use that inflatable one that people are referring to: made by Innovative Scuba. Works very well, and very easy to pack (fits in pocket, unlike a big inner tube), making it easier to hike down to the Madiera. I recommend the weight thing due to high winds / waves may knock it over without it. In regards to the reel thing: try a jump reel. It's small, can clip it to something, easy to reel out and in, and can lock off at a particular depth.