Dipping the ensign

Same as a big ship only in a smaller scale
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
There was a wonderful Peyton Cartoon....

...in YM a good few years ago.

It showed a small cruiser owner sheepishly dipping it's ensign to a large British warship with rails manned coming into port by simply grabbing the ensign staff out of it's taffrail socket, angling it slowly downwards and then dropping it back into place. All done with one hand whilst he continued to steer with the other.

On the warship, a great kerfuffle as proceedings are halted and a rating is despatched at great speed to the poopdeck to dutifully haul down their ensign, at great effort, in reply.

Steve Cronin
 
Remove hands from pockets. Grab ensign staff with both hands, remove from socket lower flag to a suitable level without getting it wet. Enjoy sight of wee men in blue running towards stern of HMS, undoing halyard, lowering ensign, etc etc etc.

After suitable amount of time, raise flag, identify socket and replace flag staff in socket. Replace hands in pockets. Jobs done.

Of course you can always play 'GOTCHA'. You do the above once, making sure that HMS will recognise you in the future....

...any time that you come across same HMS you can feint towards your ensign and watch them run.....

Donald

Donald
 
Slightly better recall...

...Peyton shows the half-way stage only with the rating running at 20 to the dozen to get to the poopdeck to answer.

Steve Cronin
 
Re: Slightly better recall...

When I were a lad we used to play a game with the RN ships ratings that were facing to port to salute HMS Dolphin then, when bosun call sounded, turn to stbd to salute HMS Vernon.

Two or three of us would wait till they got past the Round Tower and then sound our own calls from out of sight in the sailing club boatyard, It could lead to absolute chaos on deck!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Detail, detail.....

[/ QUOTE ] No etiquette, etiquette...... For detail see the RYA booklet C4
 
Vic with that one post you could have halved the size of these forums.

An authoritative reference takes all the fun out of it.

As a matter of interest does anybody disagree with any of the customs and procedures outlined in C4?
 
How not to dip the ensign

Running a naval training vessel, was departing a small marina one morning running out the bay at about 5 kn, when this stupid git comes charging out from the finger piers and crosses under my bow (from my port) close enough that I had to put both engines astern to avoid chumming the waters with the idiot. As flustered student gets back into his pilotage we're overtaking the same idiot, when he runs his hand down the ensign staff, pulling his ensign close to the staff - he then has the temerity to yell up "Doesn't the navy return salutes anymore?"

They've never found his body.
 
Re: How not to dip the ensign

I was under the impression that it was originally a way to signal allegiance to the sovereign power of the warship in question. Now it is a quaint tradition - is that what you mean by "an entertainment" or did you have something else in mind?
 
Re: How not to dip the ensign

From PBO or YM some years ago:-
English yachtsman sailing down English Channel sees three French naval vessels approacing from ahead. Do you dip the Ensign to a foreign naval ship? Decides it is courteous, so as first one gets near he dips his ensign. On French ship, small figure comes out of bridge, runs to stern and dips French tricolour. As next ship approaches he wonders if once was enough for all three or does he show respect to each one. Chooses the latter and again dips his ensign to the second French ship. Small figure runs down steps from bridge, back to stern and dips tricolour.
As third ship approaches, he makes the final signal and dips his ensign once more.
There is a pause for a coule of minutes, then the window on the bridge of the French ship slowly opens. An arm is extended and two fingers held up!
 
There was a wonderful Peyton Cartoon....

...in YM a good few years ago.

It showed a small cruiser owner sheepishly dipping it's ensign to a large British warship with rails manned coming into port by simply grabbing the ensign staff out of it's taffrail socket, angling it slowly downwards and then dropping it back into place. All done with one hand whilst he continued to steer with the other.

On the warship, a great kerfuffle as proceedings are halted and a rating is despatched at great speed to the poopdeck to dutifully haul down their ensign, at great effort, in reply.

Steve Cronin
I was trying to explain this cartoon to my younger son, at sea for the first time with the RN. Does anyone know where I can find a copy?
 
We once dipped to the Royal Yacht with the Queen on board as she approached Avonmouth.
Our vessel was 22 feet overall and near the entrance to Portishead.
Sure enough, a rating took off down the deck and dipped in return.
Very impressed.
 

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