Forum and other burgees, where to fly.

[tinkicker0]

Some confusion about flag etiquette, I copied my location from the members of a local yacht club, but in case I was wrong and therefore to be seen to be a git, I double checked.


According to the RYA:

What to put where

The most senior position for a flag on a vessel is reserved for the Ensign - this is worn as close to the stern of the vessel as possible and denotes the nationality of the vessel. A UK registered vessel should wear the national maritime flag, the Red Ensign, unless entitled to wear a special or privileged Ensign.

The burgee takes the next most senior position on the vessel which is the main masthead. Only one burgee may be flown on the vessel. A special or privileged Ensign must be worn in accordance with the warrant and permit governing its use and if required by the warrant and permit should never be worn without its corresponding burgee.

I only have one mast, jackstaff or whatever at the stern therefore the burgee flies below the ensign; thus denoting a lesser priority.

Is this correct?

 

[tinkicker0]

Then again. Looks like I might have to make up yet another staff and clamp it to the bow rail.

Courtesy and National Flags

As a gesture of courtesy, cruisers should fly a foreign nation’s flag when they enter and operate in its waters.

1. Rule No. 1—There are no real rules. Customs observed in various foreign waters differ from each other. We’ve seen cases where not flying or flying a courtesy flag improperly causes some awkward moments; you may be regarded as impolite, but nothing more. In others, it’s local law to fly the flag. Officials can—and do—impound passports or assess fines until the proper flag—which, of course, can only be purchased locally at great expense—is flying on board. If in doubt, inquire of other cruisers and observe other craft from your country for guidance.
2. Do not fly a courtesy flag until your vessel is properly cleared by customs and immigration. Until clearance is complete, fly the yellow Q (quarantine) flag.
3. On a mastless powerboat, the courtesy flag replaces any flag that is normally flown at the bow.
4. If a powerboat has a mast with spreaders, the courtesy flag is flown at the starboard spreader.
5. On a two-masted powerboat, the courtesy flag displaces any flag normally flown at the forward spreader.
6. On a sailboat, the courtesy flag is flown at the starboard spreader. If the sailboat has more than one mast, the courtesy flag is flown from the starboard spreader of the forward mast.
7. Courtesy flags are usually Civil Ensigns—not the national flag of the country. Not every country has a civil ensign. However, most former British colonies do; it is usually the red variant of the flag. It’s considered a horrible breach of etiquette to fly the blue national flag. So, if the flag that we catalog doesn’t look exactly like the national flag that you remember, it’s probably a civil ensign.
8. Don’t fly a foreign courtesy flag after you return to U. S. waters. It may show that you’ve
’been there,’ but it’s not proper etiquette.
9. Generally, the vessel’s national flag is flown from the stern (or leach) when a courtesy flag displaces it.
10. It’s better form for U. S. vessels to fly the U. S. flag (the “stars and stripes” with a full complement of 50 stars) at the stern or gaff or leech, rather than a Yacht Ensign. If you want to fly a Yacht or USPS Ensign, do so from the port spreader on a sailboat. If there are multiple flag halyards available on the starboard spreader, the Yacht or USPS Ensign is flown there, inboard from the courtesy ensign.
11. Any citizen of any state may fly the flag of that state unless doing so is specifically prohibited. It should be flown at the main masthead in place of any private, yacht club, or officer’s flag. On a mastless boat, a state flag flies from either the bow or radio antenna.
12. No flag—state, heritage, Confederate, pirate, gag, or otherwise—except for the vessel’s national flag, should EVER fly from the stern of your vessel. This is considered a place of honor, for the vessel’s national flag and no other.

 

[benjenbav]

I fly:

Red Ensign on jackstaff near stern.

Club burgee/Q/Courtesy flag from starboard spreader

YBW flag from port spreader.

To counter suggestions of impropriety, I would aver that the conventional etiquette needs to evolve to incorporate the world of cyberspace.

 

[Searush]

Port spreader is the appropriate location for house flags etc, which might typically include burgee shaped pennants denoting membership of minor clubs, associations and other affiliated groups. It's where I put my RNLI, plus several internet group flags & boat makers' pennant.

But I also fly Y Ddraig Goch (below) as a courtesy flag, which is strictly illegal - but it is flown anyway as a thank you to mine hosts.