i want to know the correct etiquette here in the u.s. in dressing a boat. positioning of flags, ensigns, etc. different ensigns with stars and stripes that can be used, etc. distress flags, etc. are well covered from material from the coast guard and are same as in british waters, estuary and offshore at least. i have noticed that generally here in the u.s., 'formal etiquette' is not nearly as prevalent as in/around britain and europe. nice if it was!
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RonD
See Chapman's
Ted You're correct -- we're generally not too rigid about these things. However, there are still traditionalists around. The US ensign (stars & bars) is appropriate for US registered boats in both US and international waters. The yachtsman ensign (star circle with anchor, & bars) is appropriate only for US waters. Either may be flown from sunup to sunset, generally from the stern or the backstay, while the boat is occupied. In foreign ports, the host country flag is typically flown from the starboard halyard (after customs & immigration clearance -- prior to that, fly the "Q" signal flag). Foreign flagged vessels cleared into the US waters would fly their national ensign at the stern or backstay, and a courtesy US ensign (stars & bars) on the spreader halyard. Club & personal burgees are typically flown from a halyard attached to the starboard spreader. If flown with a courtesy ensign, they are lower. Some run these up to the mast head, but that isn't too practical for smaller boats anymore -- too many gadgets up there to get in the way! "Dressing" (e.g., stringing flags & pennants along the fore and back stays for festive events) just involves use of signal flags in any asthetic order (but not spelling out anything). The Chapman's book has a chapter dealing with this topic in detail. Have a happy Christmas & new year! --Ron
Ted You're correct -- we're generally not too rigid about these things. However, there are still traditionalists around. The US ensign (stars & bars) is appropriate for US registered boats in both US and international waters. The yachtsman ensign (star circle with anchor, & bars) is appropriate only for US waters. Either may be flown from sunup to sunset, generally from the stern or the backstay, while the boat is occupied. In foreign ports, the host country flag is typically flown from the starboard halyard (after customs & immigration clearance -- prior to that, fly the "Q" signal flag). Foreign flagged vessels cleared into the US waters would fly their national ensign at the stern or backstay, and a courtesy US ensign (stars & bars) on the spreader halyard. Club & personal burgees are typically flown from a halyard attached to the starboard spreader. If flown with a courtesy ensign, they are lower. Some run these up to the mast head, but that isn't too practical for smaller boats anymore -- too many gadgets up there to get in the way! "Dressing" (e.g., stringing flags & pennants along the fore and back stays for festive events) just involves use of signal flags in any asthetic order (but not spelling out anything). The Chapman's book has a chapter dealing with this topic in detail. Have a happy Christmas & new year! --Ron
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ed
ensigns
thanks for reply. easy to be on too much ceremony but good to see when ensigns, etc., are flown and correctly. somehow indicates standard of seamanship, etc. obviously your knowledge is considerable. briefly re the u.k. much the same re club and personal ensigns,etc. but the national ensigns are more interesting than here - there are three - 1. the white ensign. this is a white background with a red horizontal/vertical cross over the whole. this is flown by the ships of the royal navy. the only civilian boats allowed to fly this is the elite royal yaght squadron of which there are about fifty, mainly sailboats. the royalty are the patrons, etc. of this and to be a member sailing ability is essential, needless to say!, and obviously, etiquette of civilian sailing standards, etc. are essential. you cannot buy your way into this! who you know, not what you know and then family ties, etc., come into this. no not everyone by any means is a retired admiral, air marshall or field marshall, duke or earl! anyone to be offered membership does not happen very often, as you might guess. 2. the blue ensign. dark blue flag with full union jack in the top left quarter - right if looking from behind the flag! this is granted, in simple terms, to owners who have been member officers of the royal navy. naval sailing associations/clubs often have the blue ensign with a motif sewn in the blue away from the union jack. 3. the red ensign. red flag with the union jack in the same position as the blue ensign. this is the most common as any ship, boat/sailboat registered/owned in britain can fly this. occasionally you see a motif on the red. this can only be used by such as army sailing associations, etc and such an addition has to be granted after lengthy applications to admiralty house. --------------------- the royal national lifeboat institution, purely charity run and man by highly professional volunteers flies the red ensign. incidently, the rnli is the seafaring organization that goes out in any weather to save life and limb, to recreational boats and commercial of every type sailing in british waters. people donate considerable amounts of money for the running of these vessels and building them which, to explain are similar to those of the coast guard here. the traditional life boat on the coast is skippered by a coxswain who has unsurpassed local knowlegde and experience and. usually these boats have a full time engineer who looks after the maintenance. the other crew mwmbers are locally born and bred, postmen, council workers, fishermen, shop owners, etc., etc. no, a phd from havard will not help you to be a member of the crew!! these are not payed although there may be a small stipend if their call out is a long one and normal wages, etc. have suffered. the coxswain is not payed. the lifeboat station, it organization etc. is traditionally done by a retired royal naval officer. bluntly, you cannot tell these remarkable people very much about the sea! if anyone is interested, the royal national lifeboat institution has its own very informative website which can be found easily with yahoo. ------------------------- guest, club burgees, etc. are much as you described. incidently, the royal air force has its own ensign. this is sky blue with the union jack in the same postion as the blue and red ensigns. noticing these various ensigns and seeing the various burgees is interesting as one sails the waters. it seems a shame that the tradition here of boats having their home port on their sterns is dwindling. seems as the sailboat is not the beloved possession that it used to be!!
thanks for reply. easy to be on too much ceremony but good to see when ensigns, etc., are flown and correctly. somehow indicates standard of seamanship, etc. obviously your knowledge is considerable. briefly re the u.k. much the same re club and personal ensigns,etc. but the national ensigns are more interesting than here - there are three - 1. the white ensign. this is a white background with a red horizontal/vertical cross over the whole. this is flown by the ships of the royal navy. the only civilian boats allowed to fly this is the elite royal yaght squadron of which there are about fifty, mainly sailboats. the royalty are the patrons, etc. of this and to be a member sailing ability is essential, needless to say!, and obviously, etiquette of civilian sailing standards, etc. are essential. you cannot buy your way into this! who you know, not what you know and then family ties, etc., come into this. no not everyone by any means is a retired admiral, air marshall or field marshall, duke or earl! anyone to be offered membership does not happen very often, as you might guess. 2. the blue ensign. dark blue flag with full union jack in the top left quarter - right if looking from behind the flag! this is granted, in simple terms, to owners who have been member officers of the royal navy. naval sailing associations/clubs often have the blue ensign with a motif sewn in the blue away from the union jack. 3. the red ensign. red flag with the union jack in the same position as the blue ensign. this is the most common as any ship, boat/sailboat registered/owned in britain can fly this. occasionally you see a motif on the red. this can only be used by such as army sailing associations, etc and such an addition has to be granted after lengthy applications to admiralty house. --------------------- the royal national lifeboat institution, purely charity run and man by highly professional volunteers flies the red ensign. incidently, the rnli is the seafaring organization that goes out in any weather to save life and limb, to recreational boats and commercial of every type sailing in british waters. people donate considerable amounts of money for the running of these vessels and building them which, to explain are similar to those of the coast guard here. the traditional life boat on the coast is skippered by a coxswain who has unsurpassed local knowlegde and experience and. usually these boats have a full time engineer who looks after the maintenance. the other crew mwmbers are locally born and bred, postmen, council workers, fishermen, shop owners, etc., etc. no, a phd from havard will not help you to be a member of the crew!! these are not payed although there may be a small stipend if their call out is a long one and normal wages, etc. have suffered. the coxswain is not payed. the lifeboat station, it organization etc. is traditionally done by a retired royal naval officer. bluntly, you cannot tell these remarkable people very much about the sea! if anyone is interested, the royal national lifeboat institution has its own very informative website which can be found easily with yahoo. ------------------------- guest, club burgees, etc. are much as you described. incidently, the royal air force has its own ensign. this is sky blue with the union jack in the same postion as the blue and red ensigns. noticing these various ensigns and seeing the various burgees is interesting as one sails the waters. it seems a shame that the tradition here of boats having their home port on their sterns is dwindling. seems as the sailboat is not the beloved possession that it used to be!!
R
RonD
Tnx, Ed
For the description of customs observed in the UK. I think many boaters, once they get into the spirit, traditions, lore, etc. begin to observe these traditional courtesies more carefully. --Ron
For the description of customs observed in the UK. I think many boaters, once they get into the spirit, traditions, lore, etc. begin to observe these traditional courtesies more carefully. --Ron
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