flags always up while towing?

[scott_fx]

are there any laws (specifically in cali) that prohibit you from having a flag propped up while towing, regardless if the rider is down or riding?

reason im asking is that im looking to get a tower or Bimini mounted holder and im trying to avoid getting a ticket

something like:

http://www.flagzup.com/

http://www.flagbuddy.com/tower.php

[Pistol Pete]

I believe you will get stopped if you constantly fly your flag.

It's very annoying to other boaters, what it tells me is that you're not paying attention.

[winddawg]

I believe you will get stopped if you constantly fly your flag.

It's very annoying to other boaters, what it tells me is that you're not paying attention.

I am with Pete it shows laziness on the part of the boat operator.

-Dave

[NorCaliBu]

are there any laws (specifically in cali) that prohibit you from having a flag propped up while towing, regardless if the rider is down or riding?

Yes. I don't know that you'd get ticketed (the 1st time anyway) but you'd get pulled over and get a talking to.

[Chia]

That is a good question. If someone is surfing, are they in the water or being towed?

[NorCaliBu]

That is a good question. If someone is surfing, are they in the water or being towed?

When the vessel is "under way", the flag is to be down.

[jkendallmsce]

That is a good question. If someone is surfing, are they in the water or being towed?

I had an interesting conversation while out on the water with one of the sheriffs last year, and he told me the surfing was the same as teaking since there is no rope and due to the closeness to the back of the boat. We never got a ticket while surfing though.

Was also told that the tower lights are a no no...cause it blinds oncoming boats. (you can't see the the nav light).

CA law states that a flag needs to displayed only when there is a skier and or rope or ski in the water. But there is always some felxibilty/interpretation on law enforcement's part. Same as out on the highway...there is always something they can pull you over for.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Flagbuddy isn't going to stay up while under way, unless you tie the flag upright.

I think it depends on where you live & what your local laws are.

"Washington law states that vessels towing person(s) on water skis, a wakeboard, an inner tube, or any other similar devices carry and use a bright red or brilliant orange skier-down flag, at least 12 x 12 inches in size and mounted on a pole at least 24 inches long, whenever the towed person(s) is preparing to ski or has fallen into the water."

Interesting side note: "Remote-operated personal watercraft (PWCs designed to be operated by a towed person) must have a skier-down flag attached to the PWC."

Yeeaa, Solo is legal in WA now.

[scott_fx]

ive never heard of a remote pwc... BUT I WANT ONE

[martinarcher]

I had an interesting conversation while out on the water with one of the sheriffs last year, and he told me the surfing was the same as teaking since there is no rope and due to the closeness to the back of the boat. We never got a ticket while surfing though.

Was also told that the tower lights are a no no...cause it blinds oncoming boats. (you can't see the the nav light).

CA law states that a flag needs to displayed only when there is a skier and or rope or ski in the water. But there is always some felxibilty/interpretation on law enforcement's part. Same as out on the highway...there is always something they can pull you over for.

Isn't that the truth. I hate driving against someone with tower or forward facing lights - it's impossible to know where other boats are and the shoreline until the genius with the big lights goes by. Our water cops will nail you for it too. Use them for docking, not driving around the lake at night.

[CumminsBu]

Yeeaa, Solo is legal in WA now.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No more spotter?

[Bill_AirJunky]

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No more spotter?

I know. Is that smart, or what.

The Solo was a remote tow device that has failed several times since the 1980s.

.

I suppose it has something to do with Robin being from Bellevue & probably lobbied it pretty heavily here.

Frankly I think anyone who skis behind one should sign a waiver that they are paying all their own bills on their own.

Edited April 14, 2011 by Bill_AirJunky

[Pistol Pete]

Scott,

Bottom line, I'd really advise you against flying the "skier down" flag all the time. It's going to turn into "The boy that cried wolf".

When I run over your tow line and you yell at me I'm gonna say "your flag has been up all day so, how am I supposed to know when you actually have a rope in the water?"

[WakingMeHappy]

Scott,

Bottom line, I'd really advise you against flying the "skier down" flag all the time. It's going to turn into "The boy that cried wolf".

When I run over your tow line and you yell at me I'm gonna say "your flag has been up all day so, how am I supposed to know when you actually have a rope in the water?"

[GrahamM]

I know. Is that smart, or what.

The Solo was a remote tow device that has failed several times since the 1980s.

.

I suppose it has something to do with Robin being from Bellevue & probably lobbied it pretty heavily here.

Frankly I think anyone who skis behind one should sign a waiver that they are paying all their own bills on their own.

Is that for sure that its legal? I never heard anything about that (I'm on Sammamish)... Do you know where I can to verify that? I've been ticketed for it before.

Thanks,

Graham

[sabre]

ive never heard of a remote pwc... BUT I WANT ONE

I've never seen one up close but I guess this is for the anti-social skier!

http://www.solowatersports.com/

[jkendallmsce]

Isn't that the truth. I hate driving against someone with tower or forward facing lights - it's impossible to know where other boats are and the shoreline until the genius with the big lights goes by. Our water cops will nail you for it too. Use them for docking, not driving around the lake at night.

Ya, but the dealer/installer should tell ya!! The sheriff was nice about it, so no ticket

ANd you are right. The lights are worthless out on the water at night. You'd be able to see what you're going to hit as you are hitting it, is about all they do.

The lights are great when surfing late at night though!!! SO I have been told.

[jkendallmsce]

Isn't that the truth. I hate driving against someone with tower or forward facing lights - it's impossible to know where other boats are and the shoreline until the genius with the big lights goes by. Our water cops will nail you for it too. Use them for docking, not driving around the lake at night.

Ya, but the dealer/installer should tell ya!! The sheriff was nice about it, so no ticket

ANd you are right. The lights are worthless out on the water at night. You'd be able to see what you're going to hit as you are hitting it, is about all they do.

The lights are great when surfing late at night though!!! SO I have been told.

[Jimmypooh]

Scott,

Bottom line, I'd really advise you against flying the "skier down" flag all the time. It's going to turn into "The boy that cried wolf".

When I run over your tow line and you yell at me I'm gonna say "your flag has been up all day so, how am I supposed to know when you actually have a rope in the water?"

Do you really drive by a stopped boat that close regardless of a flag? For us in Illinois, we don't use skiier down flags. We just stay away from everyone.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Is that for sure that its legal? I never heard anything about that (I'm on Sammamish)... Do you know where I can to verify that? I've been ticketed for it before.

Thanks,

Graham

Looks like it's legal, it's written into the WA state code now.

The guys lives in Bellevue the last I heard (I left 6 yrs ago). And many of the investors he stiffed live in the area. I've seen the the thing on Sammamish for years, including a demo with several of the big boat dealers in the area. Doug of the old MC dealership, Doug's Inboards in Woodinville, crashed the thing on the ramp in Issaquah.

He's made at least 2 tries at getting the company off the ground. Once he called it the SkiFree. The next time it was the Solo. And someone told me that he's trying to do it again now.

[Malibudude]

According to CA ABC's of Boating....

A Wa t e r - s k i FLAG It is mandatory for the operator of a vessel involved in towing a skier to display,

or cause to be displayed, a red or orange water-ski flag, to indicate:

■ A downed skier

■ A skier in the water preparing to ski

■ A ski line extended for the vessel

■ A ski in the water in the vicinity of the vessel

The flag must be no less than 12 inches on each side and be in the shape of a

square or rectangle. The display of the ski flag does not in itself restrict the use

of the water, but when operating in the area, boaters should exercise caution.

Based upon the above information it would be a citable offense because your displaying a flag when none of the above are true. We've all forgot about the flag being up in boot or something at one time or another, but I don't think you'll be stopped for it alone unless the popo sees you hours later cruising along w/ it up.

[footnlongline]

Do you really drive by a stopped boat that close regardless of a flag? For us in Illinois, we don't use skiier down flags. We just stay away from everyone.

While I am not extolling the virtues of skier down flags, I have had plenty of idiots threaten my skiers in Illinois on the chain, mostly jet skiers and go fast boats. I always get my boat between my skier and any other boats and yank the rope in fast. We ski primarily on the lower river but weekend afternoons are far far too dangerous.

[scott_fx]

Scott,

Bottom line, I'd really advise you against flying the "skier down" flag all the time. It's going to turn into "The boy that cried wolf".

When I run over your tow line and you yell at me I'm gonna say "your flag has been up all day so, how am I supposed to know when you actually have a rope in the water?"

it's good to get opinions of other boaters. personally i never get close to other boats unless i know the people and we're tying up. and it wouldn't bother me one bit if i saw someone with a flag up the entire time during a session. But since it's a matter of the safety of my crew (and myself) knowing that other boaters may not be as cautious around a constantly raised flag is reason enough for me.

I've never seen one up close but I guess this is for the anti-social skier!

http://www.solowatersports.com/

the geek in me loves this.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Do you really drive by a stopped boat that close regardless of a flag? For us in Illinois, we don't use skiier down flags. We just stay away from everyone.

There are countless situations that would cause one boat to drive closer than the 100' rule specifies, eg; If you "know" someone on the other boat, if boat traffic is getting tight, if your towing into or out of the bouy line or a small bay. I'm not saying it's right, but that it does happen. And if there is a flag up, most people are a lot more careful.

the geek in me loves this.

Regarding the Solo, I agree it sounds cool at first. Besides the guy's business tactics leaving a crappy taste in my mouth, there are a few other issues that have come up.

Mike Murphy & Gerry Nunn were his big sponsored riders. Robin told Mike that he couldn't do a flip behind the Solo. So to prove him wrong, he did 42 flips. The only reason he stopped was because the wires in the handle broke.

There have been a few cases where a guy was out skiing or boarding behind the thing & for any number of possible reasons he got stranded out there & couldn't make it back in. Usually either the rider was hurt or the Solo itself wouldn't run. When your in a boat, this isn't that big a deal. But with this thing it can get really bad. Especially if your on a river with a current or in any kind of traffic.

The other thing is that boating & watersports are typically a social thing that you do with friends & family. Get a life.

As I recall the production manager for Solo later was working at Bakes. Another of his "famous" inventions is the boat blanket that many of us love so much. He's a good guy & got out of Solo when things got bad a number of years ago.

Edited April 14, 2011 by Bill_AirJunky

[scott_fx]

There are countless situations that would cause one boat to drive closer than the 100' rule specifies, eg; If you "know" someone on the other boat, if boat traffic is getting tight, if your towing into or out of the bouy line or a small bay. I'm not saying it's right, but that it does happen. And if there is a flag up, most people are a lot more careful.

Regarding the Solo, I agree it sounds cool at first. Besides the guy's business tactics leaving a crappy taste in my mouth, there are a few other issues that have come up.

Mike Murphy & Gerry Nunn were his big sponsored riders. Robin told Mike that he couldn't do a flip behind the Solo. So to prove him wrong, he did 42 flips. The only reason he stopped was because the wires in the handle broke.

There have been a few cases where a guy was out skiing or boarding behind the thing & for any number of possible reasons he got stranded out there & couldn't make it back in. Usually either the rider was hurt or the Solo itself wouldn't run. When your in a boat, this isn't that big a deal. But with this thing it can get really bad. Especially if your on a river with a current or in any kind of traffic.

The other thing is that boating & watersports are typically a social thing that you do with friends & family. Get a life.

As I recall the production manager for Solo later was working at Bakes. Another of his "famous" inventions is the boat blanket that many of us love so much. He's a good guy & got out of Solo when things got bad a number of years ago.

ha.. yeah, im not saying i'd get one. but i think it's really cool.