Blue ensign dick'ed

[Serin]

Well, these threads haven’t changed, I find. I am amused every time by the extraordinary contortions involved when simultaneously claiming not to care what flags people fly and obviously caring strongly enough to seize any opportunity to sneer at whole groups of others because of the symbolism they project onto one particular flag.

The strange thing is that I have never encountered these attitudes “for real” in a pretty long sailing career – neither the snobbery projected onto blue ensign sailors (of which I am not one) nor the inverted snobbery displayed by those who disparage them. The only place I have ever encountered it is on this forum. And even then it comes only from one side.

I’m glad it hasn’t escaped from cyberspace (at least, not into my world) I hope it never will. Oh, and by the way, Jumbleduck, Lakesailor and others – I hope those nasty colds clear up soon.

 

[JumbleDuck]

However, I do choose to fly my defaced Blue and club burgee. I think it looks bloody spiffing!

I can't think of a better reason for choosing any flag.

 

[bitbaltic]

Most yacht clubs whether they have warrants for special ensigns or not will interview prospective new members with a view to seeing if they are interested in membership for reasons of a common interest rather than, for example, just as a means of getting a cheapo mooring or a cheap winter layup deal coupled with cheaper beer in the bar.

My club doesn't have any moorings, and they know that everyone joins for cheap beer. As far as I know, cheap beer is almost everyone's common interest, so that sort of makes an interview redundant.

They don't interview prospective members, just post a list of names and, if no objections are raised, approve two weeks later.

Another local club (with moorings) interviews prospective members, during which (apparently) they may go so far as to evaluate your sailing ability and recommend you take some of (their) RYA courses. That, to me, seems going a bit further than establishing common interest.

I don't think I'd like the taste of their beer, so I couldn't comment on its price.

Neither club has a warrant.

 

[doug748]

I can't get worked up about it but, given a choice, I would probably rather share a berth with a blue flagger then someone with a skull and crossbones defaced with the Aldi logo.

There was one funny thing last year.
Arriving from a ragged arse race to a French marina we were welcomed with an inordinate sense of occasion and ushered onto luxury 40 foot long individual pontoons. This is the life everybody said. Heigh ho we all had to vacate later in the day when the proper RYS rally came in. I must say they were all charming and did make the point that everyone thought they were multi millionaires and that flying the "White" meant constant scrutiny when underway.

Last time I was in St Helier Yacht Club I read that the club was awarded the Blue Flag (sounds like a beach) for it's club member's actions in saving troops trapped in St Malo in 1940. I felt rather proud for them, and for the island and for a country that would think to dish out such an arcane honour.

 

[Resolution]

Aw, and you were doing so well up to there. The idea that anyone who isn't a member of a yacht club must be a saddo class warrior who lacks self-confidence is as misguided as the idea that anyone who is a yacht club member is a bumptious old buffer with grey trousers, dodgy boat handling skills and a gin-soaked wife. Couldn't we live and let live on club membership as well as ensigns?

Aaah, you've really done it now. If my wife catches sight of that reference to her being gin-soaked there will be all hell to pay on board Resolution. Not sure I have any grey flannels on board either, surely they should be reserved for the Bowls Club?

 

[Colvic Watson]

I can't get worked up about it but, given a choice, I would probably rather share a berth with a blue flagger then someone with a skull and crossbones defaced with the Aldi logo.

I've got both of those on board - if I flew them simultaneously would it help?

 

[JumbleDuck]

Aaah, you've really done it now. If my wife catches sight of that reference to her being gin-soaked there will be all hell to pay on board Resolution.

If I didn't keep a supply if premixed G&Ts in the ice box I would never get my other half on board.

Not sure I have any grey flannels on board either, surely they should be reserved for the Bowls Club?

I saw a social calendar for a Thames motorboat club which categorised everything as "blazer and whites" or "blazer and greys". This did nothing to change my preconceptions about Thames motorboat clubs.

The oddest yacht club issue I heard of concerned two women neighbours of mine who joined a club near Edinburgh as a couple, which they were. The club was perfectly happy to have lesbian members, but the regalia secretary either wasn't or had a near obsessive devotion to the rules. Male members, he said, get a tie. Female members get a headscarf. And couples get one tie and one headscarf. No exceptions, ever. They argued for over a year about it, but in the end conceded defeat and took the tie and the headscarf. Perhaps they could have done a swap with a male couple, who would presumably have had the opposite problem.

 

[doug748]

By the way, I trump all previous correspondents because I saw the incident up close, was monitoring things on VHF and the offending boat passed close by me on it's passage down river.

I don't think he made an outrageous error but error it was. I have found the best thing in these situations is to make a melodramatic change of course so that it is patently obvious to the escorts that you have seen what is occurring and you intend to do nothing unconventional.

Also of note; the Ocean was sprouting with fixed machine gun positions, it would be rash to approach it in a fast rib.

 

[RUSSH]

It wasn't current members of the blue ensign clubs what did their derring-do either, unless they are jolly old.

Steady on I'm not that old! I served in the RN and learnt the colour of adrenalin during the Falklands War. Many others have done so in conflicts since. I reached the dizzy heights of Leading Seaman before I left the service. I joined the RNSA as well as other Yacht Clubs to avail myself of some of the benefits they provide. I'm proud of my service and to wear a blue ensign on my yacht.

The reasons why individuals choose to wear different ensigns are as varied as the colours and defacements. Why those reasons would matter to others I am at a loss to understand. Never ceases to amaze me how perceptive some can be by just seeing colour? Presumably a black person driving a nice car has either stolen it or is a drug dealer? Have a word with yourselves.

 

[Shakemeister]

Steady on I'm not that old! I served in the RN and learnt the colour of adrenalin during the Falklands War. Many others have done so in conflicts since. I reached the dizzy heights of Leading Seaman before I left the service. I joined the RNSA as well as other Yacht Clubs to avail myself of some of the benefits they provide. I'm proud of my service and to wear a blue ensign on my yacht.

The reasons why individuals choose to wear different ensigns are as varied as the colours and defacements. Why those reasons would matter to others I am at a loss to understand. Never ceases to amaze me how perceptive some can be by just seeing colour? Presumably a black person driving a nice car has either stolen it or is a drug dealer? Have a word with yourselves.

+1 on that. Have a word with yourselves.

 

[T_C]

By the way, I trump all previous correspondents because I saw the incident up close, was monitoring things on VHF and the offending boat passed close by me on it's passage down river.

I don't think he made an outrageous error but error it was. I have found the best thing in these situations is to make a melodramatic change of course so that it is patently obvious to the escorts that you have seen what is occurring and you intend to do nothing unconventional.

Also of note; the Ocean was sprouting with fixed machine gun positions, it would be rash to approach it in a fast rib.

See post #73!

 

[doug748]

See post #73!

Yes, I did note that.

One thing is for sure, we can no longer assume: "That's ok, carry on, I don't think anyone noticed!"

 

[JumbleDuck]

Steady on I'm not that old! I served in the RN and learnt the colour of adrenalin during the Falklands War. Many others have done so in conflicts since. I reached the dizzy heights of Leading Seaman before I left the service. I joined the RNSA as well as other Yacht Clubs to avail myself of some of the benefits they provide. I'm proud of my service and to wear a blue ensign on my yacht.

There is a bit of a difference between taking pride in your own recent service and riding on the coat-tails of those who did brave and worthwhile things seventy years ago. Not that I care, mind you.

The reasons why individuals choose to wear different ensigns are as varied as the colours and defacements. Why those reasons would matter to others I am at a loss to understand. Never ceases to amaze me how perceptive some can be by just seeing colour?

Like those on this thread who say that red ensigns are for saddos with no self-confidence who wouldn't be accepted by a yacht club if they applied? Yes, rather disappointing stereotyping there.

 

[jac]

There is a bit of a difference between taking pride in your own recent service and riding on the coat-tails of those who did brave and worthwhile things seventy years ago. Not that I care, mind you.



Like those on this thread who say that red ensigns are for saddos with no self-confidence who wouldn't be accepted by a yacht club if they applied? Yes, rather disappointing stereotyping there.

So how does that attitude re red differ to the attitude that anyone with a blue is a pompous ****.

Surely people wear whichever ensign because to them it means something.

 

[Colvic Watson]

There is a bit of a difference between taking pride in your own recent service and riding on the coat-tails of those who did brave and worthwhile things seventy years ago. Not that I care, mind you.



Like those on this thread who say that red ensigns are for saddos with no self-confidence who wouldn't be accepted by a yacht club if they applied? Yes, rather disappointing stereotyping there.

Well you give a good impersonation of someone who cares, I'll give you that.

And no one here has called a red ensign the flag for saddos, except you. Sometimes people stir things just to keep a thread going.

If you want a blue ensign then buy one from ebay, I heartily recommend it.

 

[Robin]

There is a bit of a difference between taking pride in your own recent service and riding on the coat-tails of those who did brave and worthwhile things seventy years ago. Not that I care, mind you.



Like those on this thread who say that red ensigns are for saddos with no self-confidence who wouldn't be accepted by a yacht club if they applied? Yes, rather disappointing stereotyping there.

NOT WHAT I SAID, BUT quite probably YOUR interpretation based on YOUR particular prejudices not mine.

 

[rotrax]

We joined the CA 2 years ago. Now we are retired our cruising is further afield and we have gained a modicum of experience and plenty of sea miles during the last 15 years-our total sailing-but not boating experience.

We have just recieved our defaced blue from the CA.

Have I done the right thing?

Worried of Gosport.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Well you give a good impersonation of someone who cares, I'll give you that.

I take an interest, but I don't particularly care.

And no one here has called a red ensign the flag for saddos, except you.

We've had a couple of contributions about those who aren't members of non-undefaced-red-ensign yacht clubs which show a certain impatience with the lower orders:

More likely that you suspect that they belong to a club which wouldn't have you as a member.

... those saddos with huge class war leftover chips on the shoulder and insufficient self confidence to apply for membership themselves.,

If you want a blue ensign then buy one from ebay, I heartily recommend it.

There is not, as far as I know, any tradition of a Scottish blue ensign, so I'll stick to my Scottish red one, thanks. Most chandlers seem to keep undefaced blue ones in stock (motorboaters like to match their fenders, I think) and I have seen several sold with never a requst for sight of the warrant.

 

[JumbleDuck]

We have just recieved our defaced blue from the CA.

Have I done the right thing?

Worried of Gosport.

You've done a thing. I can't see any moral aspect to it, so it's neither a right thing nor a wrong thing, just a thing. If it makes you happier then i's a good thing - I am all for things which increase the sum total of human happiness.

 

[Robin]

I do wish Mr Jumbled up that you would quote me in context not just take words and put them into your own phrases This is what I said, as in the whole sentence not cherry picked words:-

The concept of 'snooty Yacht Clubs' is pretty much false in my view and largely invented by and put about by those saddos with huge class war leftover chips on the shoulder and insufficient self confidence to apply for membership themselves

Now I'm going to break out the star spangled banner and go for a sail to forget this cr4p