I've been wondering this for a while now. I lived in California my whole life and grew up boating on Havasu, Perris, Long Beach Harbor, Mead, Mojave and the river. Whenever we skied or tubed or wakeboarded we always used the orange flag to indicate a down skier in the water. A couple years ago I moved east and have since boated and skied in GA, OK, MN, and NC. NOBODY in these areas use the orange flag. When I use it out here (and I'm the only one), people think it's a distress flag. Is this just a west coast rule?
Do you guys use the orange flag? Where are you boating?
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Ted
1985 Chris Craft Scorpion 17'
3.8 GM - OMC 800
Lake Lanier, Ga
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KS just added that law recently, I believe NB has it as well.
Seems to be getting more and more common.
I have no issues abiding by it, but I have a feeling it won't deter "stupid", as few laws do.
I have never heard of such a thing as using a flag. Typically, around here, a downed skier holds a ski up in the air a bit, or a wakeboarder lifts the board out of water.
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ya i live in california and if you are towing someone you have to have an orange flag. the lake i usually go to is so crowded at times you could easily get ran over if you werent using one.
I can't say as that i've seen it in writing as a law but i believe it is here in Nebraska because every lake I've gone to it is done...good idea I just figured that it was that way everywhere
Along with bright colored life vests, I think it's overall a good idea. It's not required, but a general guideline here in MN. However, what are you doing driving a boat if you're not paying attention to what's going on around you? Who tows into traffic, or, who doesn't circle for pick up right after they dump their victim?
When I was in High School we watched a drunk jumping wakes in his boat with no regard to the other boaters. This continued for an hour or so. It was Memorial day weekend on a really large lake, and the lake patrol was just spread to thin for the amount of boaters present. They arrived to late.
Protest from other boaters about coming to close were ignored by him and he continued till he hit a water skier and killed her. She was a classmate and 17 at the time.
I think the flags are a great idea & may prevent, preventable accidents, but as has already been said, it won't stop “stupid”.
Never heard of it or seen it here in Arkansas. I always tell my riders to hold one hand in the air as high as they can when they fall or get thrown from a tube.
i have grown up in cali with the flag also, couldnt imagine being in the water without the someone in the boat holding a flag up, or having my kid in the water with out a flag.
KS has the law, but most don't know about it yet... I had mine high a few weeks ago, and still lost a rope and nearly a nephew to an a--hole 'doing laps'.
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Steve '87 Bayliner 1950 BR 5.0l OMC '90 Maxum 2100 Force 120 L-Drive...the red Bayliner
Here in New Jersey, the orange flag indicating someone in tow is triangular in shape, to differenciate from the distress flag. Seems we're the only state that does this.
During a typical weekend around here, the water gets too rough on the lakes from boat traffic anyway; everyone who wakeboards, skis, etc goes out in the early morning.
What happened to the orange flag?
'87 Bayliner 1950 BR 5.0l OMC
'90 Maxum 2100 Force 120 L-Drive...the red Bayliner
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