FLAG HOLDING INCONVENIENCE SURVEY!!!!

getsome15101 10-20-2004, 9:58 AM

Hi, my name is Bret and I am a senior in the Engineering Program at Martin Luther King High School. I am working on a senior project and would appreciate it if you would take the time to fill out this short survey. Thanks for your time.
1. Have you ever participated in a water sport where a person is towed behind a boat? Which Ones?

2. Have you ever had to be the spotter (person that holds the flag when the towed individual has fallen or is floating in the water)?

3. Is the act of being a spotter inconvenient? Please explain

4. Is being the spotter something that you and/or your companions try to avoid?

5. When being the spotter, have you ever forgotten to hold up the flag?

6. Have you ever witnessed an incident in which improper use of the flag resulted in a dangerous situation for anyone in the water? If “Yes” Please Explain

Thanks again for posting your answers!

(pittsy) · (pittsy) **Join Date: Apr 2004** 10-20-2004, 10:27 AM

1. Yes, wakeboarding
2.Yes
3.No, because I ride on a private lake in Orlando and I don't use a flag.
4. No
5. No, I don't use a flag
6.No

swass 10-20-2004, 10:29 AM

The title of your survey and the wording of your questions suggest that you've designed your poll to support a pre-conceived conclusion.

That's junk science.

(hyperlitenrd) · (hyperlitenrd) **Join Date: Jan 2003** 10-20-2004, 10:32 AM

1. Yes, Wakeboarding
2. Yes
3. Only as inconvenient as finding it
4. No
5. No, but others have
6. No

sebastian 10-20-2004, 10:40 AM

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. No
5. Yes
6. No

(peter_c) · (peter_c) **Join Date: Sep 2001** 10-20-2004, 11:37 AM

7. Do you feel the flag alerts other boaters to the downed rider...YES!

8. Have you ever seen a flag up and then looked for a rider you could not see at first...YES!

(whit) · (whit) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 10-20-2004, 12:25 PM

Hate it for you guys... Only flag I have ever seen was in a catalog. Thankfully our lakes are empty enough that most the time there is not another boat around to see a flag if you did have one.

(p_e_ski) · (p_e_ski) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 10-20-2004, 12:40 PM

1 wakeboarding
2 yes
3 no, just part of being on the boat
4 no
5 don't have a flag
6 no

(hiking42) · (hiking42) **Join Date: Oct 2002** 10-20-2004, 7:11 PM

1.yes, wakeboarding, wakeskating
2.Been spotter but flag is not required in Alabama
3.-6. wouldnt know

(tcluv85) · (tcluv85) **Join Date: Jan 2004** 10-20-2004, 9:30 PM

1. Yes, Wakeboarding and Wakesurfing
2. Yes
3. No, when it is the law it is just one of those things you do, although when we get lazy, we use the suction cup and put it on the window (or when we are being illegal and there is only two of us out)
4. No
5. Yes
6. No, but if the law wasn't there, I can see on the crowded days how accidents can occur.

7. Yes
8. Yes

(Message edited by tcluv85 on October 20, 2004)

(talltigeguy) · (talltigeguy) **Join Date: Sep 2003** 10-21-2004, 8:31 AM

I'm moving to where whit lives

(lakeaustinrider)

No flag law in Texas, only a certified mirror. Doesn't seem to be any higher amount of injury or death to skiers or wakeboarders. I find that flag distracts your vision away from where it should be - on the water in front of you. The best method is a keyhole turn at idle speed to keep the boat in the same path as the boat that is approaching from the rear. This keeps the rider between both boats. The approaching boat will turn away because they see a boat in their path. A high speed turn is the worst because the approaching boat will turn toward the skier to avoid the large turn of the skiers boat. Keep in mind that this is on a narrow river type lake.

ag4ever 10-25-2004, 6:12 PM

Lake Conroe does require flags, so texas does require a flag depending on the waters you are in.

(thane_dogg) · (thane_dogg) **Join Date: Jun 2002** 10-25-2004, 7:27 PM

I'd rather flag than drive.

(zigzagsd) · (zigzagsd) **Join Date: Dec 2002** 10-25-2004, 9:50 PM

lazy ass... when you going out with us?

getsome15101 11-29-2004, 10:18 AM

so i have been thinking and i believe it would be best to have a flag that is deployed by the simple press of a button on a wireless remote. The remote would be perfect, because it could be used anywhere in the baot and also is no more inconvenient than opening your garage door with the opener.

(bigdad) · (bigdad) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 11-29-2004, 11:09 AM

You mean like this:
http://www.hotbuddyproducts.com/old_site/powerflag.htm

Boss Towers used to make one too. They are quite expensive. I think the problem is they aren't legal.

chaoswake 11-29-2004, 10:36 PM

1/Y 2/Y 3/Y 4/NA 5/N 6/N
I'm from Australia , we dont have laws that require a flag to be used. Most people raise a hand out of courtesy. Our waterways are pretty busy and incidents are rare. I cannot recall any times a fallen skier/boarder has been run over (other than in racing situations).

And in ski racing flags must be raised when a skier falls , try raising a flag when the boat is going 100mph.

chaoswake 11-29-2004, 10:42 PM

In Australia we don't have a rule that requires a flag , but most people raise a hand out of courtesy. Our waterways are pretty busy in the most part and I can't recall an incident where a boarder/skier has been run over.(other than in ski racing, but even that is rare)
And in racing you have to raise a flag , so go figure. Try raising a flag when you a doing 100mph.

(rock_n_boardin)

Yes
Yes
No: If holding beer it can be inconvenient, but only if driving at same time! JK
No
No: But I have friends that forget all the time
No