Courtesy flags - where do you have to wear one?
- Thread starter GTom
- Start date
EU_Cruiser
Active member
I would imagine that vessels of the Royal Yacht Squadron could cause some confusion in foreign countries. The prelude to an invasion?
Kukri
Well-known member
Years ago a Greek tramp was in port in Algeria (I’ve forgotten where) and was ordered to dress ship for Algerian Independence Day.
The deck boy wasn’t very bright. He pulled the code flags out, but there were only forty of them. He thought he might add some more... and used all of them, including the pretty white one with a blue six point star on it.
The sense of humour failure was quite something and involved fines and jail.
The deck boy wasn’t very bright. He pulled the code flags out, but there were only forty of them. He thought he might add some more... and used all of them, including the pretty white one with a blue six point star on it.
The sense of humour failure was quite something and involved fines and jail.
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steve yates
Well-known member
Never seen nor heard of such a thing, It will probably be another of these inventions for tourists, like clan tartanFlag of the Scottish Highlands.
View attachment 92224
What reaction in Cowes would this generate flown at the stern?
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JumbleDuck
Well-known member
Someone invented a Kirkcudbrightshire flag a few years ago, and it's registered with the Lord Lyon which I didn't know was a thing before. It's quite pretty, but I have never seen it in use.
I'd quite like to have one for the boat, but seventy eight quid for a small sewn one is a tad painful. Also I don't want to be arrest, fined catapulted into the sun or whatever the imaginary penalty is.
laika
Well-known member
I wonder how many people do have a full set of signal flags aboard? Perhaps we should do a poll...
on second thoughts...a "flag poll"? I think not...
(I do have a set of signal flags aboard, obvs..)
GHA
Well-known member
Same here, quite a few unused items onboard may have been purchased quite close to the Guinness bar at the boat show........
GTom
Well-known member
Several yacht clubs are antitled to wear blue IIRC if that's what you mean.
Kukri
Well-known member
RYS and the RN wear white
Kukri
Well-known member
I do make a point of flying P if the crew are dilatory in getting on board.
laika
Well-known member
quite a few unused items onboard may have been purchased quite close to the Guinness bar at the boat show........
*unused*?? You could think of it as "Buy a really expensive Q flag, get 39 others free" until you suddenly need a Lima flag as Petronella mentioned ("My vessel is overrun with Lemurs: Keep well clear"). And who here hasn't sailed into cherbourg whilst engaged in pair trawling and suspecting the frenchies will never notice...
Kukri
Well-known member
We have a winner. ???
Cariadco
Active member
Never.....
Koeketiene
Well-known member
I do.
They're a bit oversized for my boat as I 'liberated' them of a decommissioned inshore minesweeper.
One of those things you do when you're young and somewhat intoxicated.
Imagine my surprise when I found a use for them later in life.
rogerthebodger
Well-known member
I also have a complete set of signal flags on board mounted on the inside of a full height cupboard door.
Got mine on one of my visits to the UK some years ago.
andygc
Member
That's not actually true, but then neither are the claims made by Rappey, who appears not to have understood the content of the source he refers to
That section of the Act makes it clear what flags or colours you can and cannot fly, and details the penalties for breaking the law. There's an absolute prohibition on flying the Union Jack, unless it has a white border, and there's nothing whatsoever about St George's Crosses, Welsh Dragons and Saltires - which in British maritime law aren't national flags because England, Wales and Scotland are countries within the nation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. And the personal flag of an Admiral may look very much like a St George's Cross, but it's a flag, not a colour and so not prohibited by the Act (any colours usually worn by Her Majesty’s ships or resembling those of Her Majesty).
But arguments about flags always run for pages, so I don't suppose anybody will be too bothered about the law.
Refueler
Well-known member
I have one of those rolls of flags that you can open out and hang on back of a door etc. bought it many years ago - reckon I probably had a few pints before venturing into the shop !!
I have 'dressed ship' with them twice .... but TBH - the roll stays unused 99.999% of the time.
Blue Sunray
Well-known member
Indeed and as Rappy has so well illustrated even in those areas which are matters of fact rather than opinion the lazy prefer to rely on from something they overheard in the pub even when the facts are readily available.
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
I do, but more for fun than any conceivable practical use.
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
The wardroom of my Sea Scout troop had an answering pennant from HMS Ark Royal on the wall. Actually, on three walls. It was jolly big.
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