New Flag

Simon Sexton

Simon Sexton

.
Nov 1, 2017
635
Catalina 25 Sea Star Base Galveston, TX
Hey Everyone,
Good evening! This Saturday, I sailed Valiant on my own, and, thanks to your recommendations, performed smoothly! Everything was perfect, except for something I first noticed upon my arrival at the dock; our Yachtsman Ensign had been left up, and the storms that had blown through had torn it to rags. Thus, I retired it, and decided to go with something a little more...historical.

What are your thoughts on the Privateer flag from the War of 1812?
 
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Joe

Joe

.
Jun 1, 2004
8,007
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Uh... if you're asking for the truth..... accepted flag etiquette is to fly the national ensign (stars and stripes...or the fouled anchor within US waters....) at the place of honor on your yacht... which is the stern or 2/3 up the backstay. IMHO a privateer flag is definitely inappropriate as one's national ensign. Perhaps you could fly it beneath the stars and stripes...... But hey... you're in Texas...
 
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Will Gilmore

Will Gilmore

.
Oct 19, 2017
7,746
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Thy will be done.

You are talking about a private signal ensign, not the US Yacht Ensign

The US Yacht Ensign is flown in domestic waters in lew of the US Ensign, originally to make reentry into US waters easier.

"Owner's Private Signal
This is a personal flag, often called house flag. It is usually swallow-tailed, designed by the individual owner to depict a personal interest, hobby, family tradition, initials, or the like. A private signal should be a unique design and always in good taste. It should not include or be the ensign of a foreign country, nor duplicate a design previously adopted by someone else.

On a mastless vessel, fly your private signal from the bow staff. A single-masted vessel may wear it at the truck of the mast (replacing any other signal normally worn at that point) or from a spreader halyard."
http://www.usps.org/f_stuff/etiquett.html

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
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D

dlochner

.
Jan 11, 2014
11,428
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Read a little more about privateers. Mostly they were already pirates who took advantage of a war between nations to enrich themselves.

While pirates of old are often romanticized, in reality they were criminals who interfered with trade between nations and were pretty lawless fellows. If those are the kinds of people you want to celebrate, then fly the flag.
 
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capta

capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,773
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Will Gilmore said:
Thy will be done.

You are talking about a private signal ensign, not the US Yacht Ensign

The US Yacht Ensign is flown in domestic waters in lew of the US Ensign, originally to make reentry into US waters easier.

"Owner's Private Signal
This is a personal flag, often called house flag. It is usually swallow-tailed, designed by the individual owner to depict a personal interest, hobby, family tradition, initials, or the like. A private signal should be a unique design and always in good taste. It should not include or be the ensign of a foreign country, nor duplicate a design previously adopted by someone else.

On a mastless vessel, fly your private signal from the bow staff. A single-masted vessel may wear it at the truck of the mast (replacing any other signal normally worn at that point) or from a spreader halyard."
http://www.usps.org/f_stuff/etiquett.html

-Will (Dragonfly)
Click to expand
I don't think he was talking about a house flag. More likely, the privateers that preyed on enemy shipping, at the behest of their government in times of war, carrying a letter of marque and reprisal giving them official authorization.
Unfortunately, when their war ended, so did their letter of marque and reprisal, leaving them unemployed. Knowing no other trade, they turned to piracy for their livelihood and became outlaws. Not really the sort of folks I think one should want to promote.
 

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Justin_NSA

Justin_NSA

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Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
A couple that were members of our club always flew a pirate flag. No one made an issue of it that I know of. They said when they moved down to Grand Lake in Oklahoma people started complaining.
 
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AlastairLC

AlastairLC

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Jan 2, 2017
765
O'Day & Islander 322 & 37 Scottsdale, AZ & Owls Head, ME
Simon Sexton said:
our Yachtsman Ensign had been left up
Click to expand
Ensigns should be taken down and neatly folded before sundown. That’s not only good flag etiquette, it will prevent yours from being torn apart by storms again. :)
 
seanshine

seanshine

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May 10, 2004
180
Catalina 30 Puget Sound
Simon,thanks for sharing this flag. I have not heard of it before. Ordered one to fly below my American flag 2/3's up the backstay. Fly it large, fly it high, and fly it with pride.
 
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Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Honestly, whenever I see a pirate or martini or whatever flag flying on a sailboat, I immediately think BOZO.

Maybe with a YC burgee, but there is nothing classier than a sailboat simply and correctly displaying colors.
 
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Kermit

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
Rick Webb said:
Or this one
Click to expand
The Gonzalez flag is one of my favorite flags of all times. Sort of a kiss-my-ass-if-you-don’t-like-it flag. It would pair perfectly with Simon’s flag. But the Gonzalez flag goes with just about anything. I saw a hot chick near Austin with it tatooed on her arm. I swear it’s the only tatoo I’ve ever seen that I actually liked.
 
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