Ensign etiquette

If you are using it as a ensign you could fly it any place you would otherwise fly your Red Ensign....
 
photodog said:
Well I have learnt something from the above!



I have NEVER seen this flown.... I propose a campaign to revive the use of the Pilot Jack as a ensign..... seems to me there is a nice bit of history there.... and it would be a shame to lose this tradition through non-use!
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Here it is:

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But surely can't be REVIVED as an ensign when as far as I am aware it has only ever been used as a jack supplementing a red ensign or as a signal flag.
 
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snowleopard said:
Are you implying Cornish isn't a nationality? Shame on you ;)
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Not at all, simply that the legislation wouldn't consider the splendid St Piran's Cross as national colours.

In view of the fact the intention of the regulations is clearly to prevent vessels masquerading as one of another country or a naval or state vessel I would think it highly unlikely any action would be considered against vessels wearing the Red Dragon or the Saltire.

Of course the rules are quite clear for vessels REQUIRED to wear colours.
 
Ok... well maybe we cant revive it... but how about starting a new tradition??

I mean... how do traditions get started?


We could start a campaign to encourage it as a ensign of choice for small boats.












Saying that... from your picture it kinda looks a bit weird.
 
downthecreek said:
No, we do not agree. I don't decry other people's interest in different customs and traditions and see no reason why they should not maintain them if they wish. Neither do I decry your decision to use your Scottish ensign.

I repeat - your ensign is no concern of mine. It is none of my business.
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But that was precisely my point - people should be able to fly whatever ensign they want without it being anybody else's business. Red, blue, defaced, scottish, welsh, cornish - it really doesn't matter to me what anyone else chooses.
 
orbister said:
But that was precisely my point - people should be able to fly whatever ensign they want without it being anybody else's business. Red, blue, defaced, scottish, welsh, cornish - it really doesn't matter to me what anyone else chooses.
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Well that is just bonkers. Surely you cant be espousing anarchy on the high seas??


There are good reasons for the system of ships registrations involving taxation, health and safety, working practices, and even national security and protection from international terrorism.

If all yachts simply flew whatever ensign they fancied... then how would we be able to have any control on for instance immigration or cross chanel trafficing of drugs??
 
Lakesailor said:
Next thing there'll be Pirates and highjacking of ships. That'll take up too much of the authorities' time and leave very little capacity for the policing of Ensign Regulations.:(
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Exactly... and everyone knows that zero tolerance is the way forward in policing.... hell, it was probably a total disregard to ensign regulations that started the whole Somalia thing.... once the realisation got out that you could wear any colours on your vessel, then the whole notion of the states power and right to impose regulation , which you must realise is by consent, was destroyed. The emperor had no clothes as it were.

No, control and regulation is a absolute nessecity in martime matters, and this starts with ensigns... or in the end anarchy will run amock.

It was only a few generations ago that the Cornish thrived on Piracy... and frankly i do not wish to be "Taxed" by yet more people every time I go west of the Tamar...

I think that a substantive and high profile effort should be put in by the navy to stamp down on these rogue ensigns....

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I mean look at that for gawds sake.... were will it end?????


I think the answer lies in a judicious application of Naval gunfire. These pasty eating and bagpipe blowing Celts need to be put in their place... for the safety of all of us and the greater good of the State.
 
I'm with photodog on this matter. There was a time when flying the wrong ensign could result in a broadside from another vessel, but nowadays rather few of us are equipped with guns so it has become largely a matter of courtesy. I happen to think that the sight of a yacht from another land flying a nice clean ensign from the appropriate part of the vessel indicates that the owner is proud of both his yacht and his country, and I get pleasure from seeing it. If people want to give the impression that they care little about either their boat or their country then it is up to them, but I will continue to draw my own conclusions.
 
Seafort said:
Is it true that the Royal Navy still has dispensation to fire on any vessel wearing pirate colours?
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The standing order to engage a vessel flying skull & crossbones has never been oficialy repealed.
But I think it's now one of those things more honoured in the breach than in the observance.
Modern pirates don't wear colours.

As an aside (even more Fred Drift): funny how yotties flying skull & crossbones seem to consider it a jolly good wheeze. They're often the same yotties who tend to get a bit anal about ensigns (blue, red, defaced, warrants, ...) and argue the point 'that people died for these colours...'.
Next time they hoist their pirate flag they may want to consider how many sailors died at the hands of pirates.
 
"The standing order to engage a vessel flying skull & crossbones has never been oficialy repealed.

As an aside (even more Fred Drift): funny how yotties flying skull & crossbones seem to consider it a jolly good wheeze."


Excellent. So they could soon be feeling a whiff of grapeshot as well....



there are a couple of smug buggers in big dufours going around our place with "Pirate Flags" that need showing some manners... Especially that big 455 that ended up impaled across two boats on Wednesday with the kids that decided it would be a good laugh to lock all the doors in the marina shower block FROM THE OUTSIDE...... which caused not a inconsiderable amount of consternation I can tell you.
 
bilbobaggins said:
Photos! Photos!

:D
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I was trying to do the decent thing and hiding below... to spare his blushes.... but the shouts and crunches grew too loud and I, like most of us on the pontoon emerged to witness the carnage.

It was like a bad car wreck.... and I didnt feel it appropriate at the time to whip out my 1d and start papping away like a muppet lest I be on the recieving end of such treatment next I fall foul of excess wind and bravado.
 
Whipping it out and excess wind! you are going to have to be more carefull with you metaphores at least I hope they are only metaphores.
 
Speaking of Naval hunting of pirates, and of the Law on ensigns generally, has anyone actually been stopped, "talked to", remonstrated at, harrassed or even fined for flying "regional" ensigns? That would be worth knowing.

I remember a tale of a man who was harangued by a Harbour master (perhaps on this forum) for having a jolly roger on his boat. Was it flown from the ensign staff or from spreaders? I'd always assumed that a Pirate flag off the spreaders was fine as long as it wasn't over the local national courtesy flag? What does the panel think?
 
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