Flying the flag

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timb

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I would like to know if I am allowed to fly the Red Ensign from my Sadler 26. I have no idea where the boat is registered - if at all.
I am confused as to whether I have to register it to be able to fly the Red Ensign or not.
I purchased it in October 2004. I am based out of the West coast of Scotland and would just like to fly the Flag and obey the required etiquette.
 
This may help:-

Any British citizen can use the Red Ensign in any vessel which is either owned or hired. Ensigns should be 'worn' whenever the boat or ship is afloat, be it day or night and are usually worn at the stern. When at anchor or alongside , the Ensign should be worn during daylight hours only.
 
Having sailed last year up around Ft William and Mull it was amazing (and, to be honest, pleasing) to see so many boats flying the Scottish flag.

I sail in Cornwall and I might 'start' a fashion of flying the Cornish flag in similar fashion....however, I'm not sure I can stand the onslaught of abuse from the flag etiquette police. Hurrrumph....

I gather flying a blue ensign without the right to do so is a shooting offence.
 
Ship registration is not required. If you are a UK citizen you should always fly the Red Ensign when at sea between dawn and dusk.
 
Whenever west of the Tamar I fly a St Pirrins Cross (Cornish Flag) as a courtesy flag from s'board spreaders.

A couple of years ago during one of the regular fishing disputes, most Cornish fishing boats seemed to be flying Canadian flags. I believe that this was after the Canadian fisheries had taken into port under arrest some of our continental 'partners' who were fishing in Canadian waters!
 
As I think has been observed before, the Scottish saltaire has a meaning both in the International Code of Signals and the Racing Rules of Sailing. It has caused confusion in a racing situation but generally only a pedant would argue with its being worn, either as a National ensign or a courtesy flag, in Scotland.
The problem comes with finding a suitable alternative. I have always flown the Scottish Lion Rampant as a courtesy flag when in Scotland; but people point out, usually kindly, that its use is properly confined to native born Scots.
Since I am based in Cornwall I too fly St.Piran's Cross from the port spreader, the aasociation / club burgee being flown from the starboard; but I wear the British ensign, either red or blue, and confess to being prejudiced against the so-called Cornish Ensign or even the Scottish saltire with a Union Flag in the quadrant because I don't believe either has any legal validity.
 
More than few boats in Cardiff Bay fly the welsh flag instead of the red ensign, or no ensign at all. I know it's not correct, but in reality what authority is going to make an issue of it?? Does anyone know? Do the "Flag Police" actually exist in the guise of Port Authorities or Harbour Masters?
 
If, like me, you believe that the EU puts a spanner in the works more often than not, you might like to consider the Star Bangled Spanner ...

StarBangledSpanner.jpg


(With thanks to ShipsWoofy for the instructions for posting pictures /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif)
 
Silver, the only place for a yewrow "flag" afloat or ashore is torn into squares and hanging on a hook in the heads.

And don't try to flush 'em. Any self respecting bog will reject them immediately.

Thistle, surely you meant "Star Bungled Spanner"...
 
Where does this quote come from? I didn't think that it was possible to wear the Red Ensign juct 'cos a boat is hired by a Brit.

eg. if a British Part 1 registered boat is hired for the day by a Frenchman, surely it has to wear the Red Ensign, can't just put up the French flag for the day, surely? You don't see ships registered in Panama or wherever wearing the national ensign of whichever company has hired them for the trip.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Flying the Soltaire "Scottish flag" is excellent although it should only be flown when your boat is not moving - it has a nautical meaning.

[/ QUOTE ] I think steamboat_willy might have been referring to the Scottish Ensign

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The Scottish Red Ensign is shown in a number of flag charts of the 17th and early 18th centuries. It was actually flown by the Scots merchant marine and by the tiny Scots navy. It is shown on the flag charts of William Downham 1685-6, Allard 1695 & 1705 and of B Lens c1700.
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MrFlag.com had some Scottish Reds for sale a while ago and very pretty they look when worn.

The flag is obsolete and as such should not cause an confusion. As to an offence under the Merchant Shipping Acts, only serving RN and C&E officers can board your ship and remove the flag. The Acts are silent about how a prosecution can be initiated and by whom.

I have not heard of any such prosecution in recent years, and I suspect it's not worth anyone's while going that far if it is obvious that the flag is being worn for "fun" (i.e. in UK coastal waters) rather than a deliberate attempt to deceive.

Does anyone know different?

I find it amusing to wear something different - other than a worn out red - usually generates interesting comments from "G'Day" to salutes...
 
[ QUOTE ]
Where does this quote come from? I didn't think that it was possible to wear the Red Ensign juct 'cos a boat is hired by a Brit.

eg. if a British Part 1 registered boat is hired for the day by a Frenchman, surely it has to wear the Red Ensign, can't just put up the French flag for the day, surely? You don't see ships registered in Panama or wherever wearing the national ensign of whichever company has hired them for the trip.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've got dual Ozzie / Brit nationality and sail our UK registered yacht but with the Australian civil (red) ensign. No issues ever raised so far by officials in UK, French, CI, Portuguese or Spanish waters - but more than a few silly questions as to meaning of the 'defaced' ensign by fellow sailors both home and abroad.

Cheers
JOHN
 
I'm afraid that by flying the Ossie flag on a British registered vessel you are comitting a criminal offence under S3(4) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995:

"If the master or owner of a British ship does anything, or permits anything to be done, for the purpose of concealing the nationality of the ship, the ship shall be liable to forfeiture and the master, the owner and any charterer of the ship shall each be guilty of an offence".

Apart from forfeiture of your boat, you are liable to a fine not exceeding 50,000 pounds under S3(6), and could also be imprisoned for up to two years...

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
p.s.

the definition of a British ship includes any ship registered in Britain. There are also provisions preventing any vessel registered in a foreign country flying the British flag.

Assuming that Australia has similar provisions, you would also be committing a criminal offence under Australian law by allowing a British registered vessel fly the Australian flag!
 
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