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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>73163</law_id><section_number>29.1-734.1</section_number><catch_line>Skin and scuba divers</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="29.1">Wildlife, Inland Fisheries and Boating</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="7">Boating Laws</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Boating Safety</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> No person shall engage in skin diving or scuba diving from a boat in the waters of this Commonwealth which are open to boating, or assist in such diving, without displaying a diver&#x2019;s flag from a mast, buoy, or other structure at the place of diving; and no person shall display such flag except when diving operations are under way or in preparation or display a diver&#x2019;s flag in a location which will unreasonably obstruct <span class="dictionary">vessels</span> from making legitimate navigational use of the water. <a id="paragraph-263416" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/29.1-734.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The diver&#x2019;s flag shall be square, not less than twelve inches on a side, and shall be of red background with a diagonal white stripe, of a width equal to one fifth of the flag&#x2019;s height, running from the upper corner adjacent to the mast downward to the opposite outside corner. <a id="paragraph-263417" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/29.1-734.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> No operator of a <span class="dictionary">vessel</span> under way in the waters of this Commonwealth shall permit such <span class="dictionary">vessel</span> to approach closer than twenty-five yards to any structure from which a diver&#x2019;s flag is then being displayed. <a id="paragraph-263418" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/29.1-734.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1987, c. 488.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
