Flag etiquette

Bunting Tossers, eh?

Still I cant see how it does any harm, a bit eccentric but hardly deadly. The only time in my experiences that you have to be very careful is with your ensign and courtesy flags in far flung places. Not all foreign officials view first world inverted snobbery with a cheery smile......
 
capnsensible said:
Bunting Tossers, eh?

Still I cant see how it does any harm, a bit eccentric but hardly deadly. The only time in my experiences that you have to be very careful is with your ensign and courtesy flags in far flung places. Not all foreign officials view first world inverted snobbery with a cheery smile......
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Fair points, though I'm not sure anyone claimed it does any harm.
 
ANDY_W said:
I am moored in a harbour in The Netherlands where, in a day or two, the Dutch King and Queen will pass through the
harbour in a local boat. I will be still moored in the harbour in plain sight.

My boat is UK registered and flies the Red Ensign. Should I dip the Ensign as the royal party goes by?

Any advice will be much appreciated

Andy
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No. That would be to pledge allegiance to a foreign crown. British flagged, you salute British Royal yachts.

When it comes to warships, it IS customary to salute foreign ones. But only out of respect for the size of their guns!

Of course, you can salute whom you want; you can even float mid-ocean and yank your ensign staff up and down all day like a frustrated monk; but there’s no more reason to salute another country's royal yacht than to salute any other yacht.
 
If I happened to know it was a Royal Yacht or Naval Vessel.
I would dip my ensign.
It's supposed to be a salute. I have always viewed it as a bit of a gag. Leaving it to the last minute.
Sort of gag, enlisted guys like, wait in a line and salute officers.

Today. I find the RCN. Often don't respond. I usually assume its because they don't keep an effective look out.
Visiting USN respond.
The RN almost always responded. The Britannia responded. The French Navy Responded
I got a response from The Iowa, The Nimitz, Coral Sea.

I would dip the Dutch.

The tradition applies underway. Not sure about at anchor. Not along side.

A salute is not a pledge of allegiance. The origins of a salute. Its a signal of peaceful intent. and mutual respect. Its very rude to not return a salute.
 
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mainsail1 said:
"When it comes to warships, it IS customary to salute foreign ones. But only out of respect for the size of their guns!"
Read more at http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?502863-Flag-etiquette/page3#t1Hdie60g0oMojcF.99

I don't think so... or are you having a laugh.? Only lower your red ensign to passing British warships underway and as there are very few left that is not likely to arise.
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Well about the guns, I was 'avin' a larf, yes. But 'authorities' tend to say it is customary to salute warships both British and foreign.
 
BelleSerene said:
No. That would be to pledge allegiance to a foreign crown. British flagged, you salute British Royal yachts.

When it comes to warships, it IS customary to salute foreign ones. But only out of respect for the size of their guns!
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What a remarkably ignorant post. I've saluted the heads of state of Russia, Brazil, Poland and numerous others in my time, (and, I suspect unlike you, pledged allegiance to Brenda, her heirs and successors) a salute has about as much relevance to pledging allegiance as a banana.
 
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Elecglitch said:
What a remarkably ignorant post. I've saluted the heads of state of Russia, Brazil, Poland and numerous others in my time, (and, I suspect unlike you, pledged allegiance to Breanda, her heirs and successors) a salute has about as much relevance to pledging allegiance as a banana.
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I apologise most profoundly for my ignorance - it keeps getting the better of me.

I wonder if when you saluted those foreign heads of state you were on HM's service? If so, that was your job and hardly evidence that private yachts are supposed to salute foreign heads of state.

Either way, and bananas aside, I wonder if you can point me to a reference that proposes a yachts should salute foreign royal vessels? (There are plenty suggesting you should salute foreign warships.)
 
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As a kid in the late 50s I was often sent to dip to RN ships,( who in those days acknowledged ), but always at the very last minute so we could see Jack rushing aft to respond.

On the general point: curtesy wins friends although I would have a sneaky look at what the neibours were doing
 
Odyssey said:
On the general point: curtesy wins friends although I would have a sneaky look at what the neibours were doing
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Indeed .... although I think I would have a quick word with my neighbour first as ask him/her "What are you going to do, if anything, when the Royal Boat comes past?"

They will speak English and they will probably say "Wave politely" ... so I would do the same. ;)

Richard
 
I always understood that one of the more basic parts of flag etiquette was that only vessels under way and on the open sea salute, ie not when underway in harbour and especially never when at anchor. And for very good practical reasons too.

Still, if you wish to salute a Royal party out of politeness I'm dead certain no one will object, indeed you would almost certainly be viewed with favour by any cloggie who notices. So go ahead - it costs nothing to be respectful and polite so why not?

A salute always requires a response so if any vessel that fails to dip her ensign back in acknowlrdgement it is bloody rude. That's one of the most fundamental rule of (flag) etiquette too, just as you wouldn't just ignore a person who bid you "Good morning" or a military person fail to salute a junior back.
 
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Elecglitch said:
(The absence of) Which, of course, is the reason that mainsail claims that he would do nothing. Though I suspect, in fact, the Netherlands custom may indeed be not to do anything, bar possibly a polite wave, hence the suggestion of following the neighbour's example.
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Politeness costs nothing, you are after all not in home waters.

A chat with the harbourmaster or one of your local yacht neighbours if you have not already done so ?
 
Quite a bit on RYA website. Maybe should have said when we dipped years we were a commercial vessel,( a small salvage/fishing boat ). Wouldn’t dream of it now as don’t think RN play anymore and they have plenty of other things to do. Anyway enough and off for a swim at W Wittering then over to Bembridge with the tide tomorrow
 
BelleSerene said:
I apologise most profoundly for my ignorance - it keeps getting the better of me.

I wonder if when you saluted those foreign heads of state you were on HM's service? If so, that was your job and hardly evidence that private yachts are supposed to salute foreign heads of state.

Either way, and bananas aside, I wonder if you can point me to a reference that proposes a yachts should salute foreign royal vessels? (There are plenty suggesting you should salute foreign warships.)
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This is the sort of discussion which gets flag etiquetters laughed at. The idea that lowering a flag a bit is swearing eternal fealty to a Foreign Power is ... well, quite wonderful, really.

The correct response by a British yacht to the imminent arrival of Dutch royalty is, of course, to run away and hide, because silly wee red ensigns are completely outclassed by huge Dutch flags very nearly brushing the water. And anyway, dipping your ensign to Dutch people gives you the cooties. Fact.
 
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