Ensign?

[Fr J Hackett]

And if I were Scottish I’d probably think the same. Legal or not. And as if anyone cares enough to stop you.

Oh I am sure there are a few customs and marine police officers between France and Greece that on the right or wrong day would enjoy the sport.

 

[dgadee]

Indeed. Thanks for that, I did not know that the BBC selected our standard bearers.

Here is Ms Muller in action:

I don't think I will be placing a bet. She already seems to be singing with one eye cocked for people throwing things.

.

Is that Pan's People?

 

[dgadee]

Oh I am sure there are a few customs and marine police officers between France and Greece that on the right or wrong day would enjoy the sport.

Have you the most recent statistics of flag crime?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Is that Pan's People?

I think you are a few decades out thinking it might be Pans People.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Have you the most recent statistics of flag crime?

No idea what the penalty might be. Probably worse than paying off a porn star to win an election though

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Have you the most recent statistics of flag crime?

Nope but I have had French and Portuguese customs officers on board looking for an excuse to relieve me of beer tokens, the best advice is don't give them the opportunity.

 

[dgadee]

Nope but I have had French and Portuguese customs officers on board looking for an excuse to relieve me of beer tokens, the best advice is don't give them the opportunity.

They have seen my papers a good few times and inspected the ensign. No problem. You may be rubbing them up the wrong way? Have you tried being nice?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

They have seen my papers a good few times and inspected the ensign. No problem. You may be rubbing them up the wrong way? Have you tried being nice?

I’ve never had a negative interaction with les Douanes, though I have heard otherwise reasonable people say they have. You just don’t know if they’re having a bad day. It’d be a nice touch for you north of the border types if it were made official. You have a parliament, if it’s not a devolved issue it should be.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

They have seen my papers a good few times and inspected the ensign. No problem. You may be rubbing them up the wrong way? Have you tried being nice?

Never had a problem with them but there are awkward ones that delight in finding something to make as the reason for a fine and an illegal ensign would fit the bill.
As an example about 40 years ago crossing into France from Luxembourg in my Lotus 7 with a young French girl in the passenger seat a French customs officer finding nothing else to harangue me about noticed the absence of a GB sticker and wouldn't let me back into France, it entailed a 30 for 40 Km detour to the next crossing point. Had I encountered the same officer in the same mood in France then I would likely as not faced a fine.
Still enjoy flying your illegal ensign and hope or not that you don't find a belligerent customs or marine police officer that knows what the British ensign is.
It was simple advice whether you take it or not and continue to fly your teacloth when outside of British waters is entirely up to you.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I’ve never had a negative interaction with les Douanes, though I have heard otherwise reasonable people say they have. You just don’t know if they’re having a bad day. It’d be a nice touch for you north of the border types if it were made official. You have a parliament, if it’s not a devolved issue it should be.

It would entail a lot more than Scottish vessels displaying a different flag of state.

 

[dgadee]

It may be that demonstrating you are not English helps with foreign johnnies. My late wife always travelled with an Irish passport - she said it made life easier.

Only when she moved back to NI and we lived in a mainly protestant area did she use a UK one. On the other hand she had a puffa jacket with a UK flag logo. She blacked out the flag bit. Wouldn't be seen flaunting a loyalist sign.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

It may be that demonstrating you are not English helps with foreign johnnies. My late wife always travelled with an Irish passport - she said it made life easier.

Only when she moved back to NI and we lived in a mainly protestant area did she use a UK one. On the other hand she had a puffa jacket with a UK flag logo. She blacked out the flag bit. Wouldn't be seen flaunting a loyalist sign.

It's not an English ensign. Nor does it imply that you are English. As for declaring nationality or religion in NI, certainly 20 years ago and probably now you would have to be very sure of where you were and who you were talking about. What you are describing is very much part of the problems of NI.

 

[dgadee]

No, it's not. But a Scots ensign is definitely Scottish, not English.

Yes, NI has luckily moved on. Though when my current wife gets angry with me her favourite insult is, "You've lived too long in NI".

 

[Fr J Hackett]

No, it's not. But a Scots ensign is definitely Scottish, not English.

Yes, NI has luckily moved on. Though when my current wife gets angry with me her favourite insult is, "You've lived too long in NI".

There is no such thing as a Scottish ensign or for that matter an English one, there are pieces of decorated cloth, tea towels etc that purport to be. There is however a British ensign which both Scottish and English owned vessels are obliged to fly when outside of British waters. You seem to have your Saltire knickers in a twist.
I can see what your current wife is thinking.

 

[doug748]

I understood there was no Scottish Ensign and no Scottish registry?

I was never a fan of comedy ensigns myself, I think it invites derision.

 

[dgadee]

I understood there was no Scottish Ensign and no Scottish registry?

I was never a fan of comedy ensigns myself, I think it invites derision.

No, the continentals like it. Especially when the crew says, "Not English!" That always gets a smile and a positive welcome.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

No, the continentals like it. Especially when the crew says, "Not English!" That always gets a smile and a positive welcome.

You never know they may be smiling at you and not with you, sectarian differences by and large are very much a thing of the past in Europe and whilst many think of the UK or GB as English they are not in the slightest bit interested in differentiating between the various bits that make up the UK.

 

[Daydream believer]

Oh I am sure there are a few customs and marine police officers between France and Greece that on the right or wrong day would enjoy the sport.

I have had French customs make a note, when checking my boat, for presence of the ensign on several visits.
They have also stopped some boats in our cruising group when returning from Le Havre & heading to Eastbourne & obviously seen the ensigns whilst out in the French side of the Channel. If not flown correctly comments could be expected.

 

[Lightwave395]

I've been boarded twice by Douanes, never noticed so much as a passing glance at the blue thing dangling off the stern...

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I have had French customs make a note, when checking my boat, for presence of the ensign on several visits.
They have also stopped some boats in our cruising group when returning from Le Havre & heading to Eastbourne & obviously seen the ensigns whilst out in the French side of the Channel. If not flown correctly comments could be expected.

I’ve had my permit for the blue one checked. Judging by the rest of our conversation, I could have handed them a certificate for growing the largest cucumbers and they wouldn’t have known. But they do so love a bit of paper.