An opportunity missed!

T

TheBoatman

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On Monday I went to my club and had a word with the boson who I convinced to come with me to "paint" a withy that we use for finishing/shortening races. On the way down river (Medway) we arrived just to late to see HMS Chatham leaving the dockyard after a visit.

The missed opportunity - I didn't have time to "dip" my ensign - which normally results in sailors furiously running around on the HMS deck trying to "reply".

Peter.
 
you are absolutely right. It is great to do the decent thing and dip. It is richly rewarding to do this and recieve the reply. it's hard work for the ship full of bombs and bullets, but we pay tax!! Plus we then know our professionals are the best. A silent prayer please for the guys on SM Tireless.
 
Surely "etiquette" says it all? Dictionary definition - Conventional rules of manners, unwritten code forbidding unprofessional conduct.

You are either interested in it or not. Personaly I think it is worth upholding traditional values and showing the appropriate (in my view) marks of respect to others. In the case of a British Warship this mark of respect is to HM The Queen. I would also (and have done) dip my ensign to a foreign Warship and to my YC's Commodore.

Each to his own!
 
'Rules of manners'

But Peter our first two formites tell us they dip their flags to cause 'sailors to run around furiously' and 'cause hard work for ships full of bombs and bullets'

Respect? Manners? I think not.
 
What do you expect from those up north> I have it on first hand knowledge that the navy do not mind unless they are close quarter manouvering, and some even have the ensign to dip electronicaly.
 
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What do you expect from those up north.

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I must confess to being one of those northern philistines or barbarians as you southern soft a**holes put it but pardon my ignorance and could you please enlighten us uneducated heathens as to this protocol and tell us just what is entailed in this proceedure does dipping mean completely lowering or just a slight angling down of the flag staff
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you don't get to do it every time your out sailing, i have been able to dip my ensign once in the last 8 years. a mark of respect to the Queen and country and to the forces who do a termendous job....

And being ex forces, i enjoy a bit of ceremony every now and again.....
 
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I really don't get this flag etiquette bullsh1t.

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You probably don't care about the HMS Cornwall incident either.
 
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