Ensign question

[moomba]

Not got there yet, but my natural scepticism wonders if these South American or Caribbean countries would know that it's not ("yet", according to the crew) a national ensign. I'll keep flying it and this forum will be first to hear if I am imprisoned. I will also ask you to be generous on the crowdfunding page I'll set up to get me out of jail.

I will donate but I think that the USA are quite strict on it as is Australia and NZ

 

[moomba]

From the RYA
the Ensign shows the country of registry of the vessel and indicates its nationality. A UK flagged vessel must wear her ensign as required by the Merchant Shipping Act, which includes when entering or leaving a foreign port and on demand. It is recommended that the ensign is worn at all times in daylight, especially when near to or in sight of land or another vessel.

 

[moomba]

Hope you all do this when you see a Royal Navy Warship pass you by
Nautical etiquette requires that merchant vessels dip their ensigns in salute to passing warships, which acknowledge the salute by dipping their ensigns in return.

 

[dgadee]

From the RYA
the Ensign shows the country of registry of the vessel and indicates its nationality. A UK flagged vessel must wear her ensign as required by the Merchant Shipping Act, which includes when entering or leaving a foreign port and on demand. It is recommended that the ensign is worn at all times in daylight, especially when near to or in sight of land or another vessel.

What happens if you don't?

 

[moomba]

What happens if you don't?

Interesting Question , one of those ancient rules form way back that has not be changed , I do know that certain countries fine you if you have no courtesy flag up when entering port. I suppose if a British warship was to intercept a yacht smuggling drugs out in the open sea and the boat was registered to the UK and was not flying its Ensign they could probably charge then for that too.

 

[dgadee]

Interesting Question , one of those ancient rules form way back that has not be changed , I do know that certain countries fine you if you have no courtesy flag up when entering port. I suppose if a British warship was to intercept a yacht smuggling drugs out in the open sea and the boat was registered to the UK and was not flying its Ensign they could probably charge then for that too.

Which would have the most punitive sentence? Drugs or not flying an ensign?

 

[moomba]

Which would have the most punitive sentence? Drugs or not flying an ensign?

Ah you are forgetting how they captured AL Capone , not on his dastardly evil empire of Death , but on Tax evasion.
So you observe the yacht throwing overboard its drugs that sink to the sea , no evidence no crime , but you can get them on other mister meaner like were is your Ensign
Sailing in US waters the US coastguard can board you at any time with M16s on their shoulder and fine you for not having flares in places , not enough life jackets ,incorrect register, etc

 

[JumbleDuck]

I'd like to see some evidence of that. I've never seen an old version of this flag in any museum and I lived in Scotland for over 20 years. Plenty of Red, White and Blue UK ensigns in maritime museums though.

You probably didn't see one because the Scottish Merchant flag fell out of use in 1707, around 150 years before any red, white or blue UK ensign you will have seen was made. Its use is well documented in, for example, paintings.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Why not a Sainsbury or Morrison's flag?
It's just as relevant to boating and has as much to do with an "ensign" as the diagram you posted.
Indeed, why not just use a dirty pillowcase if that's all the respect you have for your country?

You don't know much about the history of the Scottish Merchant Flag, do you?

 

[Blue Sunray]

You don't know much about the history of the Scottish Merchant Flag, do you?

I doubt many people do it is somewhat, shall we say, niche. Given the shambles that was the Scots state was in those days (sort of like a colder version of late C20 Zimbabwe but with more tribal violence) not something many sane people would want to be associated with (IMO of course).

 

[awol]

I feel I owe Pikor, the OP, an apology. It was his first post on this forum with a perfectly sensible question and I, for one, diverted the thread into the well worn groove of the superiority of all things Scottish cf the nàbaidhean deas. If Pikor was to tell us to which foreign state he/she owes allegiance we could head off in another direction entirely.
Perhaps this ensign would be appropriate :-

 

[JumbleDuck]

I doubt many people do it is somewhat, shall we say, niche. Given the shambles that was the Scots state was in those days (sort of like a colder version of late C20 Zimbabwe but with more tribal violence) not something many sane people would want to be associated with (IMO of course).

It's true that for much of our independent history, the job description of the Scottish king was more or less "wait to be murdered by your cousin, brother or son" but we weren't that much worse than England and by the seventeenth century things had settled down a lot. Nevertheless, it's just silly to spout off criticism of a flag when you (not "you") don't know anything about it.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Perhaps this ensign would be appropriate :-
View attachment 73905

A friend of mine in the Royal Ulster YC regularly flies a red ensign with a tricolour in the union flag's place. Guaranteed to offend everyone.

But thanks - you have reminded me to get a nice big EU flag to fly in the lead up to National Suicide Day.

 

[Old Bumbulum]

Hope you all do this when you see a Royal Navy Warship pass you by
Nautical etiquette requires that merchant vessels dip their ensigns in salute to passing warships, which acknowledge the salute by dipping their ensigns in return.

Now't to do with waships I'm afraid.
You're saluting the ensign, not the vessel or service which in theorey at least means you should salute a RYS yacht if she is wearing the white! I'm sure there are some RYS members would love that but I doubt it ever happens.
Personally I'd consider it the height of rudeness not to salute a passing warship, after all, isn't it right to acknowlege the historical sacrifices made in order to guarantee our safe passage on the world's oceans?
And before anyone slags me off for silly old-fashioned affectations consider whether you're wearing a poppy just now... it's much the same ethos.

 

[JumbleDuck]

And before anyone slags me off for silly old-fashioned affectations consider whether you're wearing a poppy just now... it's much the same ethos.

Good point. I must nip into town and get my white one. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[moomba]

Now't to do with waships I'm afraid.
You're saluting the ensign, not the vessel or service which in theorey at least means you should salute a RYS yacht if she is wearing the white! I'm sure there are some RYS members would love that but I doubt it ever happens.
Personally I'd consider it the height of rudeness not to salute a passing warship, after all, isn't it right to acknowlege the historical sacrifices made in order to guarantee our safe passage on the world's oceans?
And before anyone slags me off for silly old-fashioned affectations consider whether you're wearing a poppy just now... it's much the same ethos.

Can I ask out of curiosity have you dipped you flag and been acknowledged , as this would indeed be a lovely tradition , my Father was in the RN for 20 years and I was born on a Navel base in Singapore , so have some affection for those that sail the high seas protecting our rights

 

[Heckler]

Can I ask out of curiosity have you dipped you flag and been acknowledged , as this would indeed be a lovely tradition , my Father was in the RN for 20 years and I was born on a Navel base in Singapore , so have some affection for those that sail the high seas protecting our rights

Didnt know that Singapore had one?
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/navel

 

[moomba]

Didnt know that Singapore had one?
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/navel

As you were an avid reader on the stud land Bay thread you would have seen my post that I have a serious neurological condition that affects all parts of my brain synapse this stops me, for some reason from writing coherently and no matter how much I proof read I cant see the mistakes , spell check some times by passes this and it is frustrating for me , but for you to comment on it again after been informed before, makes it rather sad , may you find peace eventually,

But I still would like to kow the answer to the question

 

[Pump-Out]

Can I ask out of curiosity have you dipped you flag and been acknowledged , as this would indeed be a lovely tradition

Yes, many times.

 

[moomba]

Yes, many times.

Cool ty for the answer