blue ensign

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just signed up with RNSA, as im still a serving member in the RFA i dont have to pay a joining fee so its just the £33 a year i had to pay, like you say very reasonable! a good site to with some uesfull information!

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Who then can fly a white ensign?

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Also, the Royal Yacht Squadron.

Sadly, the Royal Yacht Britannia (a beautiful ship) is no more (or, not, at least, as a Royal Yacht) When she was in service as such she was a unit of the Royal Navy.

Incidentally, there are some restrictions of the wearing of the blue. The vessel must be registered, I believe, and be of a certain minimum size. That's not very big, but I don't think a Mirror dinghy would qualify........(I suspect, neither would a Corribee, doughty little yacht though she be)
 
Just to complete your exposition, many clubs (other than the "Royals"can grant permits to members to wear a defaced Blue ensign. Same rules, members has to be aboard and club burgee flown.

Ironic in the case of my club, Poole Yacht Club because it was founded to provide sailing for the working men of Poole!
 
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7m is the minimum length

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I hope your boat meets the criteria and that the undefaced blue will soon fly proudly at her stern. The RNSA is a great club with a long and distinguished history. Fair winds to you, sir! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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due to my current service in the royal fleet auxillary i belive im entiteld to fly the blue ensign. trouble is i also belive i have to fill out some kind of form in order to legally do it. any body know anything about this?

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This was recently posted :-
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From wikipedia
Plain blue ensign

Prior to the reorganisation of the Royal Navy in 1864, the plain blue ensign had been the ensign of one of three squadrons of the Royal Navy, the "Blue Squadron." This changed in 1864, when an order in council provided that the Red Ensign was allocated to merchantmen, the Blue Ensign was to be flag of ships in public service or commanded by an officer in the Royal Naval Reserve, and the White Ensign was allocated to the Navy.

Thus, after 1864, the plain blue ensign is permitted to be worn, instead of the Red Ensign, by two categories of civilian vessel:-

* British merchant vessels whose officers and crew include a certain number of retired Royal Navy personnel or Royal Navy reservists, or are commanded by an officer of the Royal Navy Reserve in possession of a Government warrant. The number and rank of such crew members required has varied over the years, as have the additional conditions required, since the system was first introduced in 1864.
* Yachts belonging to members of certain long-established British yacht clubs, for example the Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club. Permission for yachts to wear the blue ensign (and other special yachting ensigns) was suspended during both World War I and World War II.

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It seems to me that anyone can fly a Blue Ensign providing you join a club that has been awarded that privilege.

You do not personally have to achieved anything or be awarded anything. You do not even have to be in, or retired from the services.

It is a fact however, that many yachtsmen feel that flying one is outdated and should not be a part of a modern Britain. In other words, we all fly the same flag and are united as such. But by all means fly your club's burgee with pride if you want to.

I suspect that this will offend a number of Blue Ensign flyers on this forum but many people feel this way and this chap should I feel be made aware of this before he makes his decision.

I do hope that I will be respected for my own views, as I respect the views of others made on this thread.
 
No difference between any of them as they came from the same RN background.

There is no complusion to fly any particular one, you fly what you are entitled to and are happy with.

Noboby in my club complains that I continue to fly the Red because I am proud of my 14 years in the MN, when the Club has a warrant and I could fly the Blue.

Brian
 
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does a moody 38 meet your requirments sir!

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By Jove, sir, I do believe it does! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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The following clubs can fly an undefaced Blue Ensign (but you should/must fly the clubs Burgee as well)....
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Royal Melbourne Yacht Club, Australia
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Just to continue with the pedantry, there is no such club!
 
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It is a fact however, that many yachtsmen feel that flying one is outdated and should not be a part of a modern Britain. In other words, we all fly the same flag and are united as such. But by all means fly your club's burgee with pride if you want to.


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Why these "many yachtsmen" should give a damn one way or another is beyond my comprehension. It is they and not the wearers of blue ensigns that choose to make a divisive issue of the colour of a flag. I'm afraid that's not really something for which I (with my red ensign) feel much respect.
 
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The following clubs can fly an undefaced Blue Ensign (but you should/must fly the clubs Burgee as well)....
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Royal Melbourne Yacht Club, Australia
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Just to continue with the pedantry, there is no such club!

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I stand corrected. The list I put up was a straight download off the internet after typing "blue ensign yacht clubs" into google - and no it didn't come from Wikipedia!!

All the best and happy boating
C38
 
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It is a fact however, that many yachtsmen feel that flying one is outdated and should not be a part of a modern Britain. In other words, we all fly the same flag and are united as such. But by all means fly your club's burgee with pride if you want to.


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Why these "many yachtsmen" should give a damn one way or another is beyond my comprehension. It is they and not the wearers of blue ensigns that choose to make a divisive issue of the colour of a flag. I'm afraid that's not really something for which I (with my red ensign) feel much respect.

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Well said, Sir. Couldn't agree more.

Regards
C38
 
"Why these "many yachtsmen" should give a damn one way or another is beyond my comprehension. It is they and not the wearers of blue ensigns that choose to make a divisive issue of the colour of a flag. I'm afraid that's not really something for which I (with my red ensign) feel much respect."

Could it be a feeling that the wearers of blue ensigns wish to set themselves above, or apart from others?
 
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I suspect that this will offend a number of Blue Ensign flyers on this forum but many people feel this way and this chap should I feel be made aware of this before he makes his decision.

I do hope that I will be respected for my own views, as I respect the views of others made on this thread.

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We fly a defaced blue, ours with crossed swords, because it shows the association we belong to.

Pete
 
"Could it be a feeling that the wearers of blue ensigns wish to set themselves above, or apart from others? "

Don't confuse matters. I am entitled to wear a Blue Ensign by Warrant - I have done something in my life that enables me to do this. I used to be in the Merchant Navy and was prouud of the Red Ensign then and I am proud of my Blue Ensign now.

Ensign History all goes back to the RN anyway with the Admirals of the White (senior Admiral), Blue and Red (most Junior). Warships (and the Royal Yacht Squadron) kept the White Ensign, Governement vessels (RFA, Customs etc) adopted the Blue Ensign and the Merchnat Navy adopted the Red Ensign. Following your argument, "pleasure craft" are NOT commercial vessels and should not therefore fly a Red Ensign, but have something else entirely.

I am not trying to set myself apart from others. I am proud of my ensign and would be equally proud to wear the Red Ensign again. The fact is, I am entitled to wear a Blue Ensign - so I do. I don't think it matters and it is not snobbery. If anything, those that object are suffering (I would humbly suggest) from a form of inverted snobbery! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Let's all just live and let live - please.

Happy boating
C38
 
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Ensign History all goes back to the RN anyway with the Admirals of the White (senior Admiral), Blue and Red (most Junior). Warships (and the Royal Yacht Squadron) kept the White Ensign, Governement vessels (RFA, Customs etc) adopted the Blue Ensign and the Merchnat Navy adopted the Red Ensign.

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Not quite. Originally (well, from 1617 onwards) the navy was divided into three squadrons. The admiral's squadron wore red ensigns, the vice admiral's squadron wore white ensigns and the rear admiral's squadron wore blue ensigns. As the fleet (and its squadrons) got bigger, each squadron needed more than one admiral; so in each squadron they had admiral, vice admiral and rear admiral. When a captain was first made an admiral he became rear admiral of the blue, then gradually climbed to rear admiral of the white, rear admiral of the red, vice admiral of the blue, vice admiral of the white, and so on. But as the admiral of the red squadron was also the admiral of the fleet, he was always given that title; the title "Admiral of the Red" was not used before 1805. "Admiral of the Fleet" was a life-time appointment, and there was only one; as a compliment to the Royal Navy the title "Admiral of the Red" was brought in after 1805 (Trafalgar) as a reward for successful admirals.

All this changed with the introduction of steam warships and the consequent reorganisation of the navy in 1864. That's when the present usage of red, white and blue ensigns was intrduced.
 
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