Dipping your ensign...

[davidbuttriss]

"I tend to dip only to naval vessels where the commander is likely to be of a rank greater than my own - and, we have so few capital ships on the surfface these days."

Not sure why you'd dip your ensign for the Executive Officer of a major warship. The head honcho is The Commanding Officer, in ships larger than destroyers The Commander is the Executive Officer and therefore 2 i/c.
I always dip my ensign to "war canoes" in hailing distance and have only rarely been ignored, taking into account time, place and task naturally. Obviously a carrier coming into Pompey has many more important tasks to worry the Old Man than some ex matelot dipping his ensign on his 26' yacht.
Whilst in a joint service Nic 55 transiting the Delaware River a few years ago an american frigate came up from astern. Naturally I dipped my ensign as she passed us, a bunting tosser was dispatched from the bridge to return the salute. The Commanding Officer came onto the bridge wing and saluted, before returning to the bridge and hailing us on VHF. After brief pleasantries he went onto thank our skipper for retaining tradition, following protocol and his courtesy.
Tradition of our great seafaring nation stands us apart, therefore I feel these traditions should be upheld.


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[TheBoatman]

I always grab the top of the ensign then slide my hand down the staff gathering in the ensign and hold it tight in at the bottom until you've been "answered" then just let go.

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[CaptainCava]

<<Courtesy has gone out of the window these days. See arguments between raggies and stinkpots for example>>

It's happening everywhere!!!!
When was the last time an AA patrol man saluted you?
What on earth is happening to the world??!!!

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[bob_tyler]

Yanita,

The sub was off Bembridge, nothing else moving in sight and I'd had a wave from the conning tower. I felt the courtesy was correct.

As far as the guardship and HMY Britannia were concerned they were both at anchor off Cowes with a sailor standing aft by the ensign for the very purpose of returning salutes.

I would not expect a response from a vessel carrying out manoevers in restricted waters or otherwise obviously very engaged. In the past I have dipped to various RN Ships and those of foreign navies and never failed to receive a correct response.

Bob

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[davidbuttriss]

Correct procedure is to;
Lower your ensign half way
Ship returning salute dips theirs to halfway then rehoists
Once their ensign is fully up then rehoist your own.
Easy really.

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[Koeketiene]

if the RN and RYS really do wish to discontinue this courtesy, then they should let it be known formally.

It's not that this practice is not appreciated, but in real life I have yet to encounter as much common sense as has been shown here. For everyone here with a good dose of common sense here I've met a boatload (pun intended) of anal retentive types who throw a temper tantrum about slipping standards, disregard of tradition, etc... whenever a RN warship fails to return a salute.
Rest assured, we're not doing it on purpose. When we encountered a yacht at sea I made it a point of honour to make sure that his salute was returned.
When sailing into (or out of) Pompey I could not spare a man to be on permanent stand-by aft to return the salute of the 16th yacht in a row.

If you must blame anyone, blame T. Blair for running our armed forces into the ground. Recruitment is terrible, retention is worse, funding....
I do realise that I won't make admiral - bring on early retirement.

<hr width=100% size=1>Experience is a good teacher, but she sends in terrific bills.

 

[Gunfleet]

What d'yer dip it in?

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[Koeketiene]

Salsa - leaves a less obvious stain if you fly a Red Ensign

<hr width=100% size=1>Experience is a good teacher, but she sends in terrific bills.

 

[petery]

In reading a Motor Yacht Club yearbook from the 1930's I found it was reommended that you dip your ensign once a day when you pass your club Commodore's vessel !!

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[gjeffery]

The RYS domestic launch was wearing a White Ensign, even with only one person on board.

Anyone know if the RYS warrant requires the warranted owner to be on board, and how their launch would retain control while returning a salute.

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[Gunfleet]

Blueberry sauce for you!

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[jonjo]

Re: Too low tech

John,

You need some more hi-tech product inovation here.

Let's extend the AIS protocol so that a dipping vessel can send out a VHF squawk that includes the rank of the skipper and GPS position. The computer mounted in your ensign dipper product can then automatically respond.

In the Royal Navy’s version, when Sybarite dips 3 times the warship would reply with a with a seadart missile.


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[Clive_Rigden]

Point taken - I was being rather flippant, I admit - but what else would you expect of a Pikeman H.A.C. (world's first marines and always volunteer)?

I totally agree with your sentiments, however.

<hr width=100% size=1>Khyber

 

[Clive_Rigden]

A tradition still maintained at the R.S.Y.C.

<hr width=100% size=1>Khyber

 

[Keen_Ed]

All Squadron boats are allowed to fly white ensigns in Cowes when the owner/warrant holder is "nearby" - he doesn't necessarily have to be onboard. That's assuming that the launch doesn't have some dispensation from the normal rules - and has a general right to fly the white ensign, as part of the right of the Castle itself to fly the white ensign. Don't know.

Anyway, why would you dip to the launch? - you might dip to the Castle. But why would you dip to the Castle if you're not a member? And on the same track, why would you dip to a Squadron boat?

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[jenku]

Oh really? I have learned to pull out the whole thing and hold it out horisontally right aft. Then put it back in when the dip is answered. Your method could be misstaken for trying to actually hide your ensign, couldn't it?

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.sail.to/alacrity

 

[beancounter]

Just curious...

...in these suspicious times, can small craft actually get close enough to warships to be seen dipping the ensign? (other than trundling in and out of one of HMG's few remaining naval ports)

<hr width=100% size=1>Fabricati Diem, punc

 

[Koeketiene]

Re: Just curious...

Used to keep well away - you never knew what they would do next.

Met most yachts sailing in/out Pompey or when we were minehunting (max hunting speed is 4 kts).

<hr width=100% size=1>Experience is a good teacher, but she sends in terrific bills.

 

[gjeffery]

I had always understood that Red and Blue dip to White, but I have to admit an uncertainty as to why this should be. To preserve an ancient courtesy certainly, but is this also enshrined in legislation, Order in Council, Admiralty Instruction, or whatever.

Is one saluting the Commander of the ship, or as I believed, does the salute acknowledge the White Ensign as an abstract representation?

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[davidbuttriss]

Re: Just curious...

At least when you are driving your own boat unlike the company one, when passing another vessel you don't have to check bridge cards for seniority and ask permission to proceed!
Never could work all that out down the hole!

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