Burgee on port spreader when flying a courtesy flag

[FlyingGoose]

Not true. Merchant Shipping Act 1995 Part I Section 2

2 British flag.


But the Act does not, of course, attempt to interfere with the freedom of clubs holding a warrant to issue permits that require the club's burgee to be flown with the colours, nor does it discuss where to show courtesy flags.

Absolutely right , but the word courtesy means that , it is not a rule of the high seas but a courtesy to the nation you are visiting , and if in any country courtesy should always be a priority.
I would rather be a courtesy fellow , and get on with everyone than piss off a HB and the other local boaters by being unpolite
Each person is different and has their own morale and courtesy barometer , but if you sail a boat and have no respect for the sea and other nations then the Kracken might pay you a visit :ambivalence:

 

[JohnGC]

Not true. Merchant Shipping Act 1995 Part I Section 2

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—

(a)any colours allowed to be worn in pursuance of a warrant from Her Majesty or from the Secretary of State;

(b)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.

But the Act does not, of course, attempt to interfere with the freedom of clubs holding a warrant to issue permits that require the club's burgee to be flown with the colours, nor does it discuss where to show courtesy flags.

Still declaring myself as not an expert. You may be right; the section you have quoted seems to say that you are. Certainly the author of the article doesn't claim his interpretation is without controversy.

 

[JohnGC]

Absolutely right , but the word courtesy means that , it is not a rule of the high seas but a courtesy to the nation you are visiting , and if in any country courtesy should always be a priority.
I would rather be a courtesy fellow , and get on with everyone than piss off a HB and the other local boaters by being unpolite
Each person is different and has their own morale and courtesy barometer , but if you sail a boat and have no respect for the sea and other nations then the Kracken might pay you a visit :ambivalence:

We also have our own aesthetic barometer. Mine says that the un-defaced red is prettiest.

 

[FlyingGoose]

We also have our own aesthetic barometer. Mine says that the un-defaced red is prettiest.

 

[Boo2]

So why not just ignore the (without legal standing) "requirement" to fly the burgee on the stbd flag halyard ?

Boo2

 

[andygc]

Absolutely right , but the word courtesy means that , it is not a rule of the high seas but a courtesy to the nation you are visiting

Of course, so the courteous visitor has a choice. Wear the red ensign and don't worry about a burgee, or wear a defaced ensign and hoist the required burgee where it won't cause offence - at the masthead, on a second starboard spreader halyard or on the port spreader halyard. The RYA article referred to earlier talks of "etiquette". That suggests that the aim is to be polite, and hoisting a burgee above or below a courtesy flag is, quite simply, rude. I can't see what the problem is.