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How to MOUNT your flag

C

cntry141iq

Silent Prop
R. I. P.
Well since we gotta all MOUNT our 10"x 12" INTERNATIONAL ORANGE FLAG so it is dislplayed 10' above the bottom of the hull while in operation I figured some input on proper MOUNTING was in order.

1.) I don't think a CB ant. with 18" cut off of it will display the flag at the proper 10' height while the boat is in operation, it will allow too much flex and the flag will in reality only be being displayed about 8' above the bottom of the hull. It would be fine when the boat is parked but not at speed of normal operation.

2.) The short stiff springloaded ant. will work but it must be accessible for flag removal for those who trailer their boats because it will snag things going down the road. I have already snagged low power lines at one marina while practicing in anticipation of this bill being railroaded on us like it has been. So you need to be able to remove it for highway travel.

3.) Am I having some fun with this ... yes of course I am. I will obey the law and have been way ahead on the muffler law already. It is important to PROPerly mount your flag in a way that the FWC officers will approve of it or else you will be paying 50.00 fines and going to safe boating school. it is also important to have at least one spare flag on the boat as they sometimes get ripped off or torn and if they are not at least 10x12 you will face a possible ticket. I doubt the " I had one when I started" defense will work.

4.) please post any innovative techniques for PROPer MOUNTING on here as there will be those of us who need assistance in interretation of the FWC enforcement policies on this issue. so if anyone can get input from the FWC that would be great or maybe the AUTHOR/ SPONSOR of the FLAG LAW would want to chime in on this matter. Would it be possible to get his opinion/intent in writing ? that would be handy in court because the intent of the LAW is always taken into account if not at the trail it always is at the appellate level. I assume the FAA will appeal any and all citations issued to an airboater who is trying to PROPerly display the required 10x12 INTERNATIONAL ORANGE FLAG that they are responsible for us now having to have on the boat, right??
 
Well I guess now would be a good time to install that falg since I'm still waiting for my motor.

Now that's 10 feet from the bottom of the boat ,,,right?
 
cntry, a1,

The way I read it says "10 feet from the deck",(not the bottom of the boat, is my interpretation of it). So I've re-mounted mine 3 different times :cry:

Just think though cntry, If ya forget to lower the thing your frustration can be taken out while trailering at that height by taking out all the traffic lights.

Yeah, on the trailer mines now over 14 feet from the ground :smilebox:

Basketcase
 
where's a good place to get a good durable flag?
Is the 10' to the top or bottom of the flag?
When does the law go into effect / has Jeb signed it yet?
 
middle bar on the cage right behind rear seat we weld a washer mid way big enough for your flag pole below that about 18 inches we weld a piece of pipe 2inches long bigger than flag pole diameter drill a hole in it and tap it out 1/4-20 or smaller depending on pipe size weld a tee handle on a bolt so you can loosen and take flag up or down.
 
well the next way i'm going to mount my flag is to put a coupler for a air hose so it will be able to come down easy. the flags they sell around here has a fiber glass poll and they will fit in a air fitting with a little jb weld.I will mount mine to the top of the cage, or the front.
 
Mudpuppy, 10' from the bottom of the boat .... more is OK, less is not.
Keep in mind that if you use a stainless whip instead of fiberglass, it will act like a lightning rod in a storm, so you'll want to insulate the mount from the rigging.

CC, that airhose fitting sounds like a great idea 8) .

BF
 
AIR HOSE COUPLER !! thats a great idea. Thats what this post was for innovation and clarification. I love it when a plan comes together. LOL
 
Hey Rick his name Jay and he is a good friend of mine. He is in the middle of moving so I will P.M. you with his cell number.
 
I made a couple of flags out of an orange hunting vest. I don't know how long it will last or how durable it will be, but I can get 2, maybe 3 flags form each vest.
 
Paul Dixon's boats come with a flag holder. You just press a button and insert the flag shaft---if the flag is knocked loose its just a fiberglass shaft and no metal hardware to get into the prop. Mine has never come loose and I don't take it down to go under bridges---just when trailering.

Rick---Man that's some white honkies in the picture you posted of us. Wish you could photo-shop a tan or something on them white legs. :lol:
 
BF,

You are so right, (guess I'll get out the extension ladder and lower my flag a little)!

(3) An airboat may not operate on the waters of the
state unless it is equipped with a mast or flagpole bearing a flag at a height of at least 10 feet above the lowest portion of the vessel. The flag must be square or rectangular, at least 10 inches by 12 inches in size, international orange in color, and displayed so that the visibility of the flag is not obscured in any direction.

Basketcase
 
cowboys dad use the air fitting thing. I saw it on the Okee. run last summer. That is what I was thankin of doin. For my flag I used a safty flag from a heavy equitment transport. Got off the side of the road. AND NO IT WASN'T ON THE TRUCK. :angel4:
 
Down here in the Glades, we have run flags for 15 years. Many guys run the air hose coupler which is awesome. I run a big fiberglass shakesphere antenna and tie wrap the flag to it. Its 16 feet above the waterline. the lowest portion of your boat is the bottom of the hull..i.e. the water. But if you must run a flag, run it as high as you can--the higher the safer. I buy my flags from heavy equipment trailer places---they are the webbed flag mans flags and they last forever as long as you cover them up from the sun when you dont have your boat in the water. Our airboat club here in broward county has sold flags for 20 years. Seems like southern airboat.com should too.... Charles
 
A buddy of mine runs one of these quick release mounts for his flagpole, sounds like the same thing Dixon uses.

holdit_mounted.jpg

holdit_motley_sand.jpg
 
This is what I am using on my new boat for a flagpole, it's a 5' long 3/4" polycarbonate tube with LED's on a flexible power strip in the middle. It has a quick release stainless steel mount so you leave the base wired to a switch and is supposed to be able to be bent in half without breaking. I have it mounted 2 ft behind my seat on top of the cage so I can reach back and disconnect it if I am going into some low trees and is just above the 10ft mark. I figure this will also pull double duty at night getting noticed as I like to run around with no driving lights when there is a nice moon out, also anyone around will know who it is. They have all different colors, even a cool red, white, and blue.

Green.jpg

Picture_051.jpg


Larry
 
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