Flag Etiquette

[johnalison]

Do you have evidence for such a claim? When you say probably is that speculation or have you the scars? I'm not trying to have a fight or be annoying, I'm genuinely interested. I care passionately for good seamanship but I find the whole flag culture a bit strange. Like my neighbour Fascadale I like flags but don't take them too seriously.

Sorry to resurrect this old thread but it's lovely to see the pigeons scattering when my moggy gets loose. Do I need to provide evidence for a personal impression? However, I would say that as we cruise for about 3 months each year in about seven countries SWMBO & I have developed a sixth sense about which boats might be a problem and yes, our poor craft has plenty of scars to show where we failed to protect her from third parties.

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

our poor craft has plenty of scars to show where we failed to protect her from third parties.

Funnily enough, I view "plenty of scars" as a far better indicator of incompetence than poor adherance to flag ettiquette.

 

[johnalison]

Agreed, but I have exaggerated a little, and the only scar left visible is a small one one the wooden strake on the quarter, left by a Polish yacht while we were asleep, which I have sort of left for sentimental reasons. There are a lot of ways of assessing boats' abilities and certainly all forms of tidiness and attention to detail come into play.

 

[puddock]

The point about flags is that it gives a clue as to the skipper's qualities. Just as I would avoid parking adjacent to a dirty car with missing wheel trim, I can use a boat's flags to tell me whether it is likely to cause me trouble. For example a club-less Bavaria with a tiny ensign is probably on charter, and a boat that doesn't care what it puts up probably doesn't care about its seamanship, or even marina-manners either.

Splendid my dear chap........

 

[awol]

Agreed, but I have exaggerated a little, and the only scar left visible is a small one one the wooden strake on the quarter, left by a Polish yacht while we were asleep, which I have sort of left for sentimental reasons. There are a lot of ways of assessing boats' abilities and certainly all forms of tidiness and attention to detail come into play.

And what, pray, was the size and form of the ensign being worn by the Polish yacht at the time?

 

[Fire99]

This doesn't 'arf sound like a right load of faff.

Now I go as far as me being a commoner I have a red flag which I respectfully have waving around during daylight and gets taken down when I go. That's complicated enough for me.

I remember from some course or another that the Blue one has some relevence to chaps or chapesses with some formal links with the Navy and their associated clubs.. Or something like that.

Sadly the biggest jobsworth pillock i've met sailing so far had a blue one and the only dangerous, snobby, ungrateful git i've encountered had a very shiny boat with a few nice flags so I go along with the not judging a book by its cover and judging a man/woman by their actions rather than appearance.

 

[Lakesailor]

Agreed, but I have exaggerated a little,

Eeeh. Ah told thee tha was sailing int' dangerous watter.

 

[Ubergeekian]

Oy! You, I wear a blue ensign, but mines from an association not a snobby yacht club!! Mind you dont use it all the time, especially not in the winter, they are bloody expensive, just wear my printed red one then!!

I only said "normally"!

 

[Searush]

I only said "normally"!

You seem to have a strange concept of the "Normal". Have you any supporting statistical data as there is an accepted definition of normal. The odd anecdotal experience or two does not meet that definition.

 

[Ludd]

normal?

You seem to have a strange concept of the "Normal". Have you any supporting statistical data as there is an accepted definition of normal. The odd anecdotal experience or two does not meet that definition.

You're talking people with boats ------where should normal come into it?

 

[johnalison]

And what, pray, was the size and form of the ensign being worn by the Polish yacht at the time?

As I said in my post, I was asleep at the time, or at least until I was rudely awakened. BTW the skipper was Canadian. I have nothing against Polish sailors, who are often quite intrepid and sailing on a shoestring.

How can a flag be snobbish? It's only a bit of cloth.

 

[Ubergeekian]

You seem to have a strange concept of the "Normal". Have you any supporting statistical data as there is an accepted definition of normal. The odd anecdotal experience or two does not meet that definition.

'Course I don't have evidence. What do you think this is, real life?

Mind you, "it looked nicer in the chandlers" is precisely the reason for a blue ensign I was given by the owner of a motorboat which moored next to me in the Crinan Canal in 1989.