How to attach a Windex or racing flag?

[Greenheart]

On the boats I had as a kid, a bit of no-fuss design meant the racing flag stuck into a spring-loaded masthead housing, securely and exactly vertical.

On the Osprey's mast though, there's nothing designed to receive the flag...unless I'm just not seeing it?

View attachment 32909

What's the best secure way to attach a flag? I'd like a system that allowed it to be hauled up & down from the deck when required, but that sounds a tad ambitious/overweight/overcomplicated on a dinghy.

 

[prv]

If you want to just plonk the burgee in place I think you'll need to buy one of those clips you remember. Or a roll of electrical tape

A burgee halyard might be a little overcomplicated for a dinghy, but since when has that stopped you? You'll be able to salute aircraft carriers with it, which is a bonus.

What is that fitting riveted to the top of the mast, with a loop sticking off to the left? If it's not used in your rig, you could run a length of polyester cord through it, tie the ends together, and you have a burgee halyard. Tie the staff onto it with two clove hitches (one about halfway up, one right at the bottom) and hoist away keeping some tension on the downhaul end.

Pete

 

[Greenheart]

A burgee halyard might be a little overcomplicated for a dinghy, but since when has that stopped you? You'll be able to salute aircraft carriers with it, which is a bonus.

Thanks Pete, just my way of thinking. Any updates on where I can get a forum-burgee?

 

[prv]

Any updates on where I can get a forum-burgee?

Well, Haydn is the burgee-meister. He periodically announces a run of them and those who want one sign up, but I don't know if they're only available at those times or if he has a small stock available on request in between. Best to PM him.

The usual procedure is to send him a cheque and a large SAE inside another envelope.

The burgee comes with just a length of cord out of top and bottom. This is suitable for hoisting to a yacht's spreader (though better with a toggle or Inglefield clips sewn on), but you will need a proper staff. A couple of feet of sturdy bamboo will do nicely, plus some coathanger-type stiff wire for the revolving bail, and you'll need to sew the flag onto the wire. I'll try to remember to take a photo of KS's burgee before we put her on the truck for her new owner, to show you how.

Pete

 

[davidej]

This is what you want

http://www.force4.co.uk/Search/dinghy burgee/

We always rivitted the springy thingamaghig to the mainsail head board so you didn't have to leave the burgee up permanently or have to capsize the boat to take it down

 

[Greenheart]

Thanks Pete, I'll look into that.

Attaching it to the headboard seems a smart plan. May give it a go...I felt very slow and stupid without anything indicating wind direction.

All the same, I'll use my unemployed masthead hook to rig a little block for hoisting the masthead float/burgee/riding light/asymmetric kite...

...is it contemptible bad form to fly a ruddy great red ensign at the masthead? I just fancy it. Not wishing to start an etiquette debate though.

 

[emsworthy]

Without also wishing to enter an ensign debate, I think you'll find that the masthead is the preferred (ie most senior) place for your ensign. It's just that the vast majority of us take the easier option of nailing them to our behinds!

 

[prv]

Without also wishing to enter an ensign debate, I think you'll find that the masthead is the preferred (ie most senior) place for your ensign.

I don't think so. The mizzen masthead would be OK, but otherwise the peak of the gaff is senior to the main masthead.

Pete

 

[Greenheart]

I don't think so. The mizzen masthead would be OK, but otherwise the peak of the gaff is senior to the main masthead.

Easy, chaps, I detect the scent of debate. This horse has been flagged to death before...

...although I thought I read an hour ago on the RYA site, that the taffrail/transom-hung flag was the senior spot. Not so?

The masthead would suit me best...not a lot of alternative options. I just wondered if blazered seniors at the club would point, in horrified shock, at my flying a 3/4 yard red, up there.

 

[prv]

I don't think a dinghy should strictly speaking fly an ensign at all.

I do think that a big one at the masthead would look silly.

If you really want to fly an ensign from your dinghy, the best place would probably be to sew it to the leech of the mainsail, about two thirds of the way up. This simulates the peak of the gaff that you haven't got, and was quite commonly seen when bermudan rigs first appeared. You could sew on velcro or poppers if you only wanted to fly the flag some of the time

A taffrail staff would be ok too, but I assume it would interfere with the mainsheet. Cornish Shrimpers, which are dinghy-like in some ways, put the ensign staff socket on the top of the rudder stock to avoid this.

Pete

 

[Twister_Ken]

Thanks Pete, just my way of thinking. Any updates on where I can get a forum-burgee?

I wouldn't fly the forum burgee. The weight of the damn thing would a) cause a capsize and b) prevent righting. It's also so heavy it wouldn't fly in less than a F4.

Eminently practical solution is just to fix a clip-on Hawk up there.

 

[prv]

I wouldn't fly the forum burgee. The weight of the damn thing would a) cause a capsize and b) prevent righting. It's also so heavy it wouldn't fly in less than a F4.

It's a good point. The forum burgee is very heavily made, of two layers separately embroidered and then sewn together. I don't know if that's normal for motorboaters' flags (given the slipstream) or if the man Haydn uses doesn't normally make flags.

It would not be ideal for acting as a wind indicator on a dinghy.

Perhaps you could get a dark blue ready-made dinghy burgee, and hand-draw the drunken rat with a gold glitter-pen?

Pete

 

[Greenheart]

I don't think a dinghy should strictly speaking fly an ensign at all...A taffrail staff would be ok, but I assume it would interfere with the mainsheet.

Only my daftness really...although my need for some kind of masthead indicator is vital.

My mainsheet is all centrally-mounted, I'm glad to say - so I could mount a little brass staff-holder on the rear-deck...or perhaps a chromed one to match my rowlocks.

 

[Greenheart]

Perhaps you could get a dark blue ready-made dinghy burgee, and hand-draw the drunken rat with a gold glitter-pen?

Thanks for those thoughts. SWMBO's mother is quite a seamstress, so anything would be possible. Unfortunately she doesn't know we've bought a boat...there might be a certain amount of concern...irrational, of course.

 

[prv]

My mainsheet is all centrally-mounted, I'm glad to say - so I could mount a little brass staff-holder on the rear-deck...or perhaps a chromed one to match my rowlocks.

Actually, with the green paint and the rowlocks and a perky little chrome staff (perhaps something intended for the bow of a river motorboat?) I think it could work. At least for those of us who know you to be a lovable eccentric. Perhaps you need a special eccentric's hat to make this clear to uninformed onlookers? Sandy Mackinnon used a solar topee for this purpose quite effectively.

(Obviously this has progressed from yachting etiquette information to the realms of style advice. I will go dig out my frilly shirt...)

Pete

 

[Greenheart]

...you need a special eccentric's hat...

Spooky...I get the feeling you know where I live, and have seen what I like to wear...are you watching me?

The transom flagstaff-holder is growing on me as an idea, reminiscent of North American lake boats. And maybe I can use it for sculling, when I've drunkenly lost one oar?

 

[Fantasie 19]

Just tie a brightly coloured streamer to the metal loop - job done...

 

[michael_w]

One of those on a dinghy is real bragging rights - "I never capsize!"

 

[Greenheart]

One of those on a dinghy is real bragging rights - "I never capsize!"

Indeed? Are they easy prey for destruction during a knockdown, or only when turtled, dragging the masthead along the sea floor?

I'm most tempted by Pete's initial plan - to rig up a line through the masthead loop so I can hoist a regular burgee without it having to stay up and blow to shreds whilst ashore.