Flying the Scottish red ensign

Vegable said:
All this still does not get away from the fact that if flying a flag with a blue background with a white soltaire means "I am not under way and I am not in control" i.e. I am drifting without direction. Code flag M.
If you are not in that situation you should not be flying it. Full stop!
Mike
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originally it meant doctor on board.
 
claymore said:
Feck aff Webster - its exactly the outcome you were after
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I see the subject interferes with your ageing digestive processes as well for some bizarre reason.

All I said was that I had seen more boats wearing it this year.

(For the last three seasons I have been flying - at Kathy's request - the Saltire in place of the red duster after ours was consigned honourably to the deep after many thousands of miles. No-one, yourself included, has made any comment. The wee saltire is now somewhat tatty, so I shall be replacing it with a Scottish red ensign. The thought that it might raise a few blimpish relics' cardiovascular pressures is, after reading the more moronic responses to this thread from some, an added attraction)

- W
 
JumbleDuck said:
Well yes, it's all a bit technical and I doubt if anyone really cares.
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Then you are wrong. The majority care. Only beginners, anarchists, sociopaths, and people with a juvenile sense of humour fly pirate flags, Union flags, and "Scottish merchant flags", in the place of an ensign. The rest of us dislike the way you trample on our traditions and assume you are either ignorant or incompetent.
 
AuntyRinum said:
Then you are wrong. The majority care. Only beginners, anarchists, sociopaths, and people with a juvenile sense of humour fly pirate flags, Union flags, and "Scottish merchant flags", in the place of an ensign. The rest of us dislike the way you trample on our traditions and assume you are either ignorant or incompetent.
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I meant that nobody cares, legally. I thought that was clear from the context; my apologies if it wasn't.

I am delighted to hear that you have, and enjoy, your traditions. Happy sailing.
 
AuntyRinum said:
Then you are wrong. The majority care. Only beginners, anarchists, sociopaths, and people with a juvenile sense of humour fly pirate flags, Union flags, and "Scottish merchant flags", in the place of an ensign. The rest of us dislike the way you trample on our traditions and assume you are either ignorant or incompetent.
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We love you too :D

I can assure you that I am not a beginner, anarchist or sociopath.

In it's day the Scottish red ensign was traditional. If the current petition to the Scots parliament is successful it may become the new tradition for Scottish boats. You fly what you want, and I will do the same. What flag I fly is none of your concern, and I find the fact that it apparently raises your blood pressure rather strange. Perhaps you need to go sailing and chill out a bit.

- W
 
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webcraft said:
We love you too :D

I can assure you that I am not a beginner, anarchist or sociopath.

In it's day the Scottish red ensign was traditional. If the current petition to the Scots parliament is successful it may become the new tradition for Scottish boats. You fly what you want, and I will do the same. What flag I fly is none of your concern, and I find the fact that it apparently raises your blood pressure rather strange. Perhaps you need to go sailing and chill out a bit.

- W
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I have been living and travelling on the water for years and if I get any more chilled I will begin to freeze. It's not flags that annoy, it's ignorant peoples' use of them.
 
webcraft said:
I see the subject interferes with your ageing digestive processes as well for some bizarre reason.

All I said was that I had seen more boats wearing it this year.

(For the last three seasons I have been flying - at Kathy's request - the Saltire in place of the red duster after ours was consigned honourably to the deep after many thousands of miles. No-one, yourself included, has made any comment. The wee saltire is now somewhat tatty, so I shall be replacing it with a Scottish red ensign. The thought that it might raise a few blimpish relics' cardiovascular pressures is, after reading the more moronic responses to this thread from some, an added attraction)

- W
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Webster, my ageing barfly,
A few truths.
My Digestive processes are fine - thank you.
I have never commented on whatever ensign you or anyone else flies. Unlike yourself - it really is of no interest to me, Red, White, Blue, Dragon, Saltire, Tricolour or lacy knickers. Admittedly, were it the latter, I might enquire as to their acquisition.

As to your powers of observation, in claiming that you have seen more this season, Perhaps the referendum has promoted an increased sense of Nationalism which has led to more Saltires or Royal Scots being purchased, perhaps not. I have to say that I have not found this to be the case. Perhaps you could substantiate your original statement by leafing through your old logbooks and producing more reliable data?
 
AuntyRinum said:
I have been living and travelling on the water for years and if I get any more chilled I will begin to freeze. It's not flags that annoy, it's ignorant peoples' use of them.
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There you go again.

I am not ignorant, in any sense of the word, on this matter.

I fly a different flag to you. Get over it, or look the other way when I sail past you.

- W
 
claymore said:
As to your powers of observation, in claiming that you have seen more this season, Perhaps the referendum has promoted an increased sense of Nationalism which has led to more Saltires or Royal Scots being purchased, perhaps not. I have to say that I have not found this to be the case. Perhaps you could substantiate your original statement by leafing through your old logbooks and producing more reliable data?
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'Reliable data'?

This is Scuttlebutt, is it not?

I was passing an observation, not presenting a statistical case.

- W
 
The Color's, flags or Banners were originally for identification so friend and foe would know who you are.
When you hoist your Color's you are displaying a symbol to declare who you are and where your loyalties lie. For any observer to see. Some may be friends who will greet you warmly. Some may be foes who will not. Some might be confused or just not care.

If a chap hoists Scottish color's he is just saying who he is and where his loyalty lies. How you react is up to you.
 
I really enjoy these flag threads. It reminds me of all the time I spent sailing in UK waters and how no one really cares if you want to be regarded as frivolous, bonkers or just a bit irritating. Long may it continue!

The last 16 odd years of floating around quite a large number of places has shown me just how much a Brit thing it is. The vast majority of others seem to have far more national pride and wear their nations flag without complaint. Foreigners, eh?

Interestingly, a lot of officials I have seen in action in all manner of places are without humour too.

So carry on chaps, you bring joy to at least this reader, but use my experiences to arm yourselves before you venture far flung.

:encouragement:
 
capnsensible said:
. . . use my experiences to arm yourselves before you venture far flung.

:encouragement:
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Indeed.

I would, for example, not venture into Portuguese territory without wearing a red duster and correctly displayed Portuguese courtesy flag.

Perhaps some of our more irate correspondents on this thread have Portuguese ancestry :D

- W
 
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