Tranona
Well-Known Member
Well, my "sticker on" was the club general manager - and he is South African!
I hate to do this, but blue ensign question
- Thread starter Babylon
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Well, my "sticker on" was the club general manager - and he is South African!
VO5
Well-Known Member
And while we are at it, the granting of a Blue Ensign is by Royal Warrant and is issued by the Admiralty and not the RYA is my understanding of the matter.
And while we are still at it, isn't this a funny old site, really ?
And while we are still at it, isn't this a funny old site, really ?
Kurrawong_Kid
Well-Known Member
Ah! That explains it. I met a chap who had found a vintage boat sunk in the River Weaver. He liked the look of her and decided to restore her. She had only been raised for a short time when, via the boat yard, he received a letter from the Admiralty stating that he had to have the chiseled "R.Y.S." on the stern filled in pronto or else! Pensioned off snoopers Eh?
Kurrawong_Kid
Well-Known Member
I am reliably informed that the correct courtesy flag for a foreign vessel in British Waters is the Union Flag, not the Red Ensign!
Major Catastrophe
Well-Known Member
Are we the only country that persists in this ensign snobbery?
You must admit it is often an exercise in arrogant willy waving - with many notable exceptions.
After one of last years' ensign thread I nearly joined the Army Cruising Association just so I could 'forget' to lower my blue at sunset to wind everybody up.
The sooner we all revert to using one flag, the better.
It is just nonsense.
You must admit it is often an exercise in arrogant willy waving - with many notable exceptions.
After one of last years' ensign thread I nearly joined the Army Cruising Association just so I could 'forget' to lower my blue at sunset to wind everybody up.
The sooner we all revert to using one flag, the better.
It is just nonsense.
Leighb
Well-Known Member
Several other countries have defaced ensigns used by certain, usually Royal, clubs. Holland and Belgium certainly have some and there may well be others.
BelleSerene
Well-Known Member
Not quite. The warrant used to be issued to each boat-owner. But now the warrant is issued to the club, which is then allowed to issue Permits to eligible members.
A distinction without a difference perhaps, but the RYA's involvement is not to issue the warrant but to justify its existence - er, sorry, to, um, ratify that the club's done what it ought to - ah, well, it deals with the club. Sort of. Can't think why actually.
HoratioHB
Well-Known Member
I sort of agree but used the Blue myself for two years in the Caribbean. It had two advantages. Firstly if I saws another blue then a look at the qualifying burgee told me if it was a fellow club member (RNSA) and when it was, without fail the next thing to happen was a hangover. So quite handy socially. However here's the odd one. The Red Ensign was only marginaly more popular than the Stars and Stripes (Irag War etc etc). But virtually no-one knew what the blue was and we were regularly accused of being NZ or Ozzies. Now that of course is not neccesarily a good thing but it did mean we were a little less conspicuous. A rather odd thing to say you might feel but it did seem to be an advantage on more than one occasion.
And no I didn't take it down at night (it was stuck in the holder thingy) and I never once waved my willy at anyone!!
Major Catastrophe
Well-Known Member
I'm glad to hear it.
I am pleased there are some normal blueys out there. It's the persistent nit picking on here over the most trivial transgression of the rules or form.
[TROLL]It's just a bit of bunting.
Nationhood is in the soul, not a salt stained and often threadbare 'rag' and it's associated burgees and pennants as qualifiers.
One day they may go the way of the RAC and AA badge and we will just have a sticker to show country of origin.
Searush
Well-Known Member
I have a Poole port of registry on the transom & it is amusing how often people ask me "Where have you come from" when I'm at the Slate Quay. I usually point at my trot in the river 30yds away and say "Over there, in the middle of the river".
It can either kill the conversation stone dead or get it going nicely. Generally, I think the the people who walk off in a huff probably weren't worth talking to anyway.
It can either kill the conversation stone dead or get it going nicely. Generally, I think the the people who walk off in a huff probably weren't worth talking to anyway.
VO5
Well-Known Member
No, not here. Here the warrant is issued by the Admiralty, not the RYA.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
You misunderstand. The warrant is issued by the Secretary of State for Defence to the club which then issues permits to qualifying member. The permit has in big bold letters "not valid without permit vaidation sticker" which comes from the RYA. All taken verbatim from my permit sitting on my desk in front of me.
I understand this system was introduced when the actual issuing was delegated to clubs
keirah
New Member
Could someone please explain to me what relevance Blue Ensigns have in a modern world? Should they be retired on grounds of efficiency and equality?
Grumpybear
Well-Known Member
for that matter, why are you apparently hung up on "relevance"? Live and let live, for heaven's sake!
Searush
Well-Known Member
Yeah, get rid of anything that doesn't conform with your "standards"? I seem to remember that being the underlying concept behind some unpleasant political doctrines too. What's unequal about having a different colour flag?
keirah
New Member
Is there a better justification than live and let live, or it simply down to snobbery? If there is a good reason for the wearing of Blue Ensigns, I would genuinely like to understand...
Poignard
Well-Known Member
Try this ...
How about them signifying no more than that people are free to do whatever they please, unless it's against the law?
And if anyone can't live with that? Well then - let them emigrate to North Korea, where everyone's the same. And good riddance to them.
How about them signifying no more than that people are free to do whatever they please, unless it's against the law?
And if anyone can't live with that? Well then - let them emigrate to North Korea, where everyone's the same. And good riddance to them.
Major Catastrophe
Well-Known Member
I quite agree and if they want to fly one without a club burgee, leave it up all night or do anything else that upsets the purists, then they can because it is still almost a free country.
keirah
New Member
Sorry, I can't agree this is simply about choice...
Blue is and always will be my favourite colour. So does that mean I can fly (polite cough sorry - 'wear') a Blue Ensign on my yacht?
No, not without contravening an act of Parliament (1995 Merchant Shipping Act – I believe) or coughing up £128 to join the Cruising Association.
For the record, I’m all for remembering and respecting the sacrifices made by so many brave and selfless heroes in the great wars, but surely the fact that you can buy the right to wear a Blue Ensign by joining the ‘right’ yacht club, is in contrary to those that have ‘earned’ the right through service to their country.
For the vast majority of skippers bumping around our coastal waters, I think it’s just a form of outdated snobbery and if it were simply about choice and freedom, we would all be 'free' to choose the Red or Blue Ensign as we wish.
It would seem the powers that be agree, because I read in another post on this forum that no new clubs or associations will be granted the priviledge of their members wearing the Blue Ensign in the future.
Blue is and always will be my favourite colour. So does that mean I can fly (polite cough sorry - 'wear') a Blue Ensign on my yacht?
No, not without contravening an act of Parliament (1995 Merchant Shipping Act – I believe) or coughing up £128 to join the Cruising Association.
For the record, I’m all for remembering and respecting the sacrifices made by so many brave and selfless heroes in the great wars, but surely the fact that you can buy the right to wear a Blue Ensign by joining the ‘right’ yacht club, is in contrary to those that have ‘earned’ the right through service to their country.
For the vast majority of skippers bumping around our coastal waters, I think it’s just a form of outdated snobbery and if it were simply about choice and freedom, we would all be 'free' to choose the Red or Blue Ensign as we wish.
It would seem the powers that be agree, because I read in another post on this forum that no new clubs or associations will be granted the priviledge of their members wearing the Blue Ensign in the future.
VO5
Well-Known Member
Well, not exactly outdated snobbery more current snobbery.
Joking aside, there are two very good reasons.
1. Wearing the blue in principle places your vessel under the protection of the Royal Navy.
2. You are not allowed to charter if you fly a blue.
The first benefit is that it takes precedence over the red, and the second is that it is a jolly good excuse not to admit on board people you don't particularly like.