Blue ensign

[PhillM]

Hmm slight quandary.

The club I've joined will give me the Honour of blue in a year or so. That's not why I joined, but it's part of the culture of the club. I respect the club. I respect other sailors. I even like mobo owners.

My shorts are usually splattered with varnish stains. swimbo says "dubious looking" is my boating image! Personally I'd say "relaxed" but hey beauty is in the eye ....

I'm not unfriendly. I'm not rich. I don't think I'm stuck up.

But I might end up with a warrant and blue and be very happy to fly it.

Will I still be welcome here?

 

[Highland Bear]

Well you and I can have a natter from time to time on here Phill.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I could have sworn that I read somewhere that the blue ensign is not internationally recognised and as such may not be used outside of British waters and therefore (technically) has to be replaced with the red ensign when over 12 miles from shore?

2 British flag.

1. The flag which every British ship is entitled to fly is the red ensign (without any defacement or modification) and, subject to subsections (2) and (3) below, no other colours.
2. Subsection (1) above does not apply to Government ships.
3. The following are also proper national colours, that is to say—
   • any colours allowed to be worn in pursuance of a warrant from Her Majesty or from the Secretary of State;
   • in the case of British ships registered in a relevant British possession, any colours consisting of the red ensign defaced or modified whose adoption for ships registered in that possession is authorised or confirmed by Her Majesty by Order in Council.
4. Any Order under subsection (3)(b) above shall be laid before Parliament after being made.

​

Merchant Shipping Act, 1995 (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/21/section/2)

 

[jac]

Reply whichever one you are entitled to and prefer.

Anyone who gets arsey over what flag someone else wears is not really anyone worth worrying about.

 

[trapezeartist]

Why not? I am prepared to allow some respect to those wearing blue if it means that they have served their country.

Many people have served their country. Not necessarily just by killing people from another country.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Many people have served their country. Not necessarily just by killing people from another country.

Killing people from other countries hasn't always done us much of a service either.

 

[Jamesuk]

Get the white that's the fun ensign

 

[Hydrozoan]

I am amazed that pleasure vessels are permitted to fly the plain Red Ensign, given its history, but since we are I do so with immense pride.

My sentiments exactly.

Having said that, our first was a printed one and (in our ignorance) very much on the small side, even for a relatively modest boat - almost a courtesy flag. When after some years it was turning orange, our younger daughter very kindly bought a larger replacement, but regrettably did not notice it was nylon (or somesuch - not really a pleasing fabric for the job). She later redeemed herself by buying a house in which, amongst the stuff left by the previous owners, was a fine staff and a sewn red ensign of perfect size. So I suppose I'm an ensign snob of a kind, too

 

[Uricanejack]

Having spent a few of my formative years in the merchant navy under the red ensign I proudly fly,or wear,that and would not ever wish to fly anything else.

Me 2.
I'm as proud of it as any ex naval man may be of his.
My grandfather served his country and gave his life sailing with a red ensign as did a lot of others.

Fly the any one which makes you happy.

 

[prv]

Many people have served their country. Not necessarily just by killing people from another country.

And I'm not sure where the "served your country" idea in this thread came from anyway. You get a blue ensign for joining the right club, it's nothing to do with military, or any other, service.

Pete

 

[capnsensible]

And I'm not sure where the "served your country" idea in this thread came from anyway. You get a blue ensign for joining the right club, it's nothing to do with military, or any other, service.

Pete

Probably because one way of qualifying for a Blue Ensign is by being a member of a services yacht club.

For most of the 23 years I was in the RN, I was and still am, a member of the Royal Navy Sailing Association.

I will always hoist my Blue Ensign with pride.

:encouragement:

 

[JumbleDuck]

And I'm not sure where the "served your country" idea in this thread came from anyway. You get a blue ensign for joining the right club, it's nothing to do with military, or any other, service.

It's the MOD which gives clubs permission to have a blue ensign. Just why the MOD is spending time deciding which cheps are the right sort of cheps and which cheps aren't the right sort of cheps is a mystery to me. The armed services are supposed to exist to defend the country, not make social distinctions between yacht clubs.

 

[chinita]

The armed services are supposed to exist to defend the country, not make social distinctions between yacht clubs.

Great troll! Almost had me fooled!!!!

 

[chinita]

Not necessarily just by killing people from another country.

As many young men with their arms and legs blown off in the service of their country will testify.

Get some perspective.

 

[awol]

It's the MOD which gives clubs permission to have a blue ensign. Just why the MOD is spending time deciding which cheps are the right sort of cheps and which cheps aren't the right sort of cheps is a mystery to me. The armed services are supposed to exist to defend the country, not make social distinctions between yacht clubs.

My warrant is issued under the authority of the Secretary of State for Defence by my club and is ratified by the RYA. I don't think many squaddies are being side-tracked from their military endeavours into bureaucratic activities to support the process.

The distinctions between yacht clubs, those granted "Royal" status, those granted defaced red or blue, those granted undefaced blue and, of course, the Royal Yacht Squadron are part of our nations' social history. Some will cherish and maintain the traditions and others will denigrate and despise those who do. After all David Cameron has called on us all to promote "British Values" and what could be more British than maintaining class divisions and keeping the lower orders in their place? :rolleyes-new:

 

[jordanbasset]

When I have et people who wear/fly or whatever the blue ensign they have been on the whole nice (same as those who have a red ensign) but at some point in the conversation they feel a need to tell you why they have a blue ensign in an almost apologetic way, when they have no need to. I wonder if they do feel like Millwall fans.

 

[JumbleDuck]

My warrant is issued under the authority of the Secretary of State for Defence by my club and is ratified by the RYA. I don't think many squaddies are being side-tracked from their military endeavours into bureaucratic activities to support the process.

Perhaps not, but it does seem a very odd role for the MOD to take on.

After all David Cameron has called on us all to promote "British Values" and what could be more British than maintaining class divisions and keeping the lower orders in their place? :rolleyes-new:

True dat.

 

[trapezeartist]

As many young men with their arms and legs blown off in the service of their country will testify.

Get some perspective.

Fear not: I have plenty of perspective. My gripe is only with those who imply that the only way of serving our country is to be in the military. Or that everything the military does is serving our country.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Fear not: I have plenty of perspective. My gripe is only with those who imply that the only way of serving our country is to be in the military. Or that everything the military does is serving our country.

+10,000,000

 

[Tempus]

Perhaps not, but it does seem a very odd role for the MOD to take on.

the right to issue a warrant was granted a long time ago to qualifying clubs who then issue them to members. It will take up no time for the military. Abolishing it would be a distraction for them.