How tall should the ensign staff be?

[Kian]

I'm in the process of buying my first sailboat, and while dealing with registration matters the question of where to fly my ensign came up, and related to that what kind of staff to use. I know flag etiquette is a "popular" topic, and yet this particular issue doesn't seem to be discussed much.

Walking around the marina, I notice a lot of yachts with ensign staffs that are just about the size of the ensign (and many others just clipping the ensign on the backstay just above the bimini). This is good enough to hold the flag, I suppose. However, there are two situations where such a short staff is insufficient. First, when you must wear the ensign at half-mast. If the staff is only as tall as the ensign, you can't move it. The second is when saluting another ship. You can't dip the ensign if it already occupies the whole length of the staff.

In order to distinguish these two conditions the staff should be taller than the ensign, and thus, the question of how much taller arises. The minimum, if we want to be able to comply with the instructions in the RYA handbook which says to lower the ensign to 1/3 of the height of the mast to salute, would be 3 times as tall as the ensign. In that case lowering the ensign to 1/3 of the height of the mast would put the foot of the ensign at the bottom of the mast. If the mast was any smaller, the bottom edge would "slip off" the mast. This seems like a good height. Flying the ensign at half mast would then leave one third above the ensign and one third below it, which makes the ensign be the middle of the mast.

I'm inclined to use this proportion, and wanted to learn what other people think.

 

[[70521]]

Welcome to the forum.

It is a matter of personal choice.

I usually forget to do whatever you do with the ensign unless I am overseas. I sail from a military port, Plymouth, as so far nobody in the grey funnel fleet has fired any guns at me.

 

[prv]

Not many people dip or half-mast ensigns nowadays. If one does want to dip (usually to a passing warship in order to see if they'll send some unfortunate matelot running across the flight-deck to reply) the usual thing is to take the staff out of the socket and wag it downwards by hand. But in thirty years of sailing I don't think I've ever done it myself.

Pete

 

[duncan99210]

Whilst I applaud anyone getting stuck into the complex demi world of flag etiquette (it provides much harmless amusement) I’d size my staff to be big enough for the ensign I had to hand. I’ve never dipped an ensign to a passing warship nor have I flown one at half mast so the current staff is about a metre long, more or less the same size as the hoist of the ensign. Job done.

 

[LittleSister]

Walking around the marina, I notice a lot of yachts with ensign staffs that are just about the size of the ensign

That's nothing to do with the lengths of the staffs, it's because these days many people's ensigns are distastefully excessive in size. (Alternatively, you are in a marina in the USA, where such gaudiness is to be expected.)

 

[pvb]

Welcome to the forums!

Don't worry about dipping your ensign; nobody does it.

But, contrary to LittleSister, I like big ensigns - the Dutch are the leaders in that race. So I'd suggest you decide on an ensign size, then buy an ensign staff which will sensibly accommodate it. I have a 1.5yard ensign on a 37ft boat.

 

[JumbleDuck]

It would be dreadfull disrespectful to move the ensign just a few inches when Her Maj falls off her perch, so I think that common decency requires a really substantial ensign staff. I suggest looking for a Mirror dinghy mast

 

[FlyingGoose]

Welcome ,
Have to agree with all posts above , flag etiquette is a dying tradition in the UK , apart from the usual were flags need placed , and taken down and put out,
I like big flags on boats , I tried that with my boat and the flag got wrapped round the admiral as she was on the helm, as you can expect my flag was reduced to a handkerchief which upsets me greatly

 

[Jonny A]

The key thing is to wear the largest ensign you can get away with, and have the lowest corner just kissing the waves.

 

[Laser310]

The key thing is to wear the largest ensign you can get away with, and have the lowest corner just kissing the waves.

That was my understanding as well - and most ensigns I see are too small to do this - I would describe most ensigns I see as vestigial.

But I have a related question:

My boat has an open transom, and I can not easily put the ensign in the center of the transom

If i am going to put the ensign on one side of the transom, is there a correct side?

 

[Kian]

My boat has an open transom, and I can not easily put the ensign in the center of the transom

If i am going to put the ensign on one side of the transom, is there a correct side?

I wondered about this too. On my boat, the middle of the transom has a platform that can be lowered, so the pushpit is split in the middle. The builders placed the staff socket on the port side, as close to the middle as reasonable.

 

[pvb]

If i am going to put the ensign on one side of the transom, is there a correct side?

Starboard seems to be common.

 

[[70521]]

If i am going to put the ensign on one side of the transom, is there a correct side?

Down wind.

 

[RAI]

My admiral is in charge of flags and such.
She regards flying the ensign in a marina means "we are aboard, visitors welcome".
So we have quite a flagstaff.

 

[johnalison]

It is purely an aesthetic decision.The French seem to favour fairly small ensigns, while the Dutch and British larger ones hanging down. The only reason the Dutch have a reputation for large ensigns is because their ensigns are 1.5/1 as against our 2/1 in proportions, and so they can get a bigger spread for the same length. A small ensign on a long pole looks a bit mean.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I believe the tradition for size used to be an inch per foot of yacht. I do like the massive Dutch style but it doesn't look right with a British ensign.

 

[LittleSister]

But, contrary to LittleSister, I like big ensigns

You misunderstand me. I like big ensigns too. . .
on American or Dutch boats. They're too brash for traditional British understatement.

Netherlands


USA


Great Britain

 

[alahol2]

Quite tall...

 

[LONG_KEELER]

You need it big, and a reefable ensign so you can convert your yacht to a yawl when necessary.

 

[Star-Lord]

Most Ensigns are too small (mine included) imho - Tom Cunliffe knows the correct sizing.
I did hear of a chap who kept his Ensign on a bungy cord so he could dip easily when passing the RN!