Dipping Ensigns?

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MarkG

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Reading through the Flag Etiquette section in the REEDs OKI almanac I notice I am required to dip my ensign when passing a Naval Vessel ....

As I'm moored in Portsmouth there is the odd chance of this opportunity occurring...

Anybody else do this and do they get a response?
 
My son LOVES dipping our ensign to Naval vessels. One of his proudest moments was when an Aircraft Carrier returned our salute.

When its just me I can't be bothered most of the time. Partly because I know what a nause it is for the ship (see my Bio) and partly because I am too lazy.
 
I dipped mine while motorsailing (cone up of course) and the ensign got caught round the prop; the response of the sailors was to laugh at me. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I did this once last time I was out with the kids and we crossed a whacking big grey ship. There I was explaining the etiquette to the children and expecting no response, just then my son saw the sailors clambering to the stern to dip their flag (which was probably bigger than our main!!!) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.
I suppose they must have been bored... but it was fun for us as well.
I'll make a point of doing this in future.
 
The instructor on our first family Comp Crew course was the wife of a Navy Captain. As we passed Ark Royal tied up in Portsmouth, she insisted on dipping the ensign. The Ark Royal responded, but the effect was rather spoilt as the rating working by the ensign hit it with his broom to dip it!

I think you are only supposed to do it in international or foriegn waters to show "respec" - an early surrender signal to indicate no hostile intent - and to dip to any warship of any nationality.
 
Best one, but admittedly rare, is to dip to a surfaced submarine. someone then has to run along the deck to acknowledge. Did this myself in the Solent some 15 yrs ago... great fun...
 
Fully agree, keeps the Officer of the Watch on the ball!!

And if they don't dip back give them a call VHF - that'll get the CO involved too and really give them the sh**s! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
It's a sign of respect - you should dip to any naval vessel, anywhere.

As to Pompey - cut it out!
We'd rather you didn't. There are just to many yots about.

In these days of cutbacks, the RN can not afford to have some-one stand by all the time just to dip the ensign.
When I was on "small ships" (mine warfare vessels) I had to dispatch my RO(T) numerous times just for this - I really needed him on the bridge.

All of you who do it for kicks - (whole phrase removed!!!!)
 
As I understand it, the OOW issues the order and some poor matelot who'd rather be doing something else has to leg it down aft. I can imagine what he thinks of the prat in the yacht who started it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
It's a sign of respect

As to Pompey - cut it out!

All of you who do it for kicks - (whole phrase removed!!!!)

[/ QUOTE ]

I would never have done it before, but now I will always make a point of it.
 
Now that I'm grey and cynical I no longer bother - we are paying for the grey funnel line so why salute them? They should salute us. However, I enjoyed the moment many years back when I dipped ensign for a surfaced submarine in the western Solent and got a vigorous cap-wave from the watchkeeper.
 
With an attitude like that it is no wonder the nation is loosing (mutual) respect ....
"I'm paying for this with my Taxes" ... yer - but your not the one ready and willing to risk YOUR LIFE in defence of this country ... (don't go on about middle east and all that lot -that is just political crap).

I've heard quite a bit about how easy the forces get it - off on jaunts and paid to persue leisure activities ... small price to pay for someone willing to go and potentially get their arse kicked!
 
The Flag ettiquette of the RN is not all it's cracked up to be.

When I first went to HMS President I asked which 'ship' was the senior vessel in respect of evening colours (out of Pres' and Belfast) and was told it had never occurred to them to look out for Belfast, despite it only being four hundred yards away.

Dip in open water, but not in Pompey Harbouror on the Tamar. Fair enough?
 
There was a piece in PBO about this a few years ago.

The writer told how he had dipped his ensign to a US Carrier and got the full response, ensigns dipped, sailers lined up on deck, the works. They obviously decided to turn it into an exercise.

He then dipped to a French warship and all that happend was a sailer mooned at him out of a porthole!
 
I did it to Royal Yacht Britannia in Cowes once and the flag officer duly responded, this is undoubtedly the highlight of my sailing achievements!

Did is to a training ship which was leaving Dartmouth and watched , presumably a trainee, having to run all the way from front of ship to respond.
 
Yup - open water, but not in PH - fair enough ... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Never done it myself - never got close enough to a warship to worry about it - except for Fleet Review - when we steamed up the Eastern Solent with them (ok - they were going over twice our speed ... ) ... and I thought they probably had other things to worry about....

Anyway - our staff isn't long enough to dip the ensign - and it nearly drags in the water as it is ... how do you dip it then?
 
I wonder if the Customs boats are obliged to return a salute in the same way? It could be great fun getting a customs officer running to the mast, dipping his ensign, going back........then you salute again.......he runs to the mast once more......it could go on forever!
 
Des Sleightholme used to recount the story of when he encountered three French minesweepers in line astern. It was a foul day with heavy rain. He dipped to the first and the wheelhouse door opened and a poor matelot rushed to the stern to reciprocate. The same happened with the second. With the third, as it drew abeam, an arm appeared through the wheelhouse door giving a V-sign.
 
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