I hate to do this, but blue ensign question

[mcframe]

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.

Indeed - you're perfectly free to /wear/ brown suede shoes, in town(!) with a suit, or even trainers! ;->

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Well, not exactly outdated snobbery more current snobbery.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.

I hate ensign threads (except when I start them) but surely you are joking here?

Will the Navy really give priority to Blue Ensign wearers over Red ones??

If that truly is the case, next time I sail in dodgy waters I shall fly a Blue one and risk the fine.

I am a member of a club that would allow me to fly one, but I would much rather fly our national flag. Unfortunately I am no allowed to do that either for some strange historical reason that has always astounded me. I think it is called tradition and some people like it. I can understand that, but it does not appeal to me.

 

[Bru]

I would much rather fly our national flag. Unfortunately I am no allowed to do that either

Yes you are, the national maritime flag of the United Kingdom is the red ensign (which incorporates the Union Flag of course)

I can't understand why anybody would have a problem with this! I'm proud to be British, proud of our maritime history (which my ancestors have played no small part in) and shall be proud to fly the red ensign on our yacht in due course

It seems to me to be rather perverse that so many British people have such a hang up about our history and traditions. It's almost as though we're embarrassed to be British!

 

[VO5]

I hate ensign threads (except when I start them) but surely you are joking here?

Will the Navy really give priority to Blue Ensign wearers over Red ones??

If that truly is the case, next time I sail in dodgy waters I shall fly a Blue one and risk the fine.

I am a member of a club that would allow me to fly one, but I would much rather fly our national flag. Unfortunately I am no allowed to do that either for some strange historical reason that has always astounded me. I think it is called tradition and some people like it. I can understand that, but it does not appeal to me.

I am not joking. It is my understanding of it, that the blue is under the protection of the Royal Navy.

However in a crisis one would presume the treatment would be even handed.

These are traditions that get eroded as a result of cuts, downsizing, de manning etc.,

Someone commented the other day that there are more admirals in the RN nowadays than actual ships.

I remember being a boy in this harbour and seeing destroyers, frigates, aircraft carriers, submarines, RFA vessels, in groups, tied up here and the town swarming with tars.

Not anymore. The Dockyard is but a ghost of its former self.

Additionally, and sadly we have no WRENS.

These lovely gels in their smart uniforms were a delight and are sadly missed.

Occasionally one turns up and is quickly press ganged to join us in crewing, but again, sadly not very often.

 

[Resolution]

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!!

HoratioHB
I am glad you chose the order of your clauses carefully........

 

[dunedin]

+1

PS Just to further ignite the flaggies - no ensign trumps them all, signifies racing therefore absolute right of way over all other vessels, except true RN white ensigns with attached guns

 

[Major Catastrophe]

I am not joking. It is my understanding of it, that the blue is under the protection of the Royal Navy.
(

Forget that. I am more interested in the blue having precedence.

If I get a blue by joining the ACA, does that mean I can push to the front of the lock queue?

 

[Searush]

This thread is even deeper in farce than usual!

The colour of your ensign offers no priviledges, although, at one time, it did allow you free berthing in naval yards.

 

[chinita]

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

That puzzles me. My Club has issued my Warrant to me on six different boats for the past thirty years. That is why I raised the question why the RYA has suddenly become involved in the process (only last year). We managed perfectly well without any sort of 'validation' from anybody let alone a commercial organisation 'validating' the Secretary of State for Defence.

The argument that it is to prevent forgeries is surely spurious?

 

[chinita]

Forget that. I am more interested in the blue having precedence.

If I get a blue by joining the ACA, does that mean I can push to the front of the lock queue?

ACA? Do you mean the ASA?

 

[Searush]

That puzzles me. My Club has issued my Warrant to me on six different boats for the past thirty years. That is why I raised the question why the RYA has suddenly become involved in the process (only last year). We managed perfectly well without any sort of 'validation' from anybody let alone a commercial organisation 'validating' the Secretary of State for Defence.

The argument that it is to prevent forgeries is surely spurious?

Permits are easily copied or duplicated and can probably be downloaded off the web. A sticker is a simple & cheap way of identifying "home-made permits". Sure, one could get stickers made too - but it starts to get more hassle than going thro the proper channels.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

I am not joking. It is my understanding of it, that the blue is under the protection of the Royal Navy.

However in a crisis one would presume the treatment would be even handed.

If it wasn't a crisis I wouldn't need their protection!

 

[chinita]

I have two rules for choice of ensign:

1. Red: When entering or leaving a marina/harbour/mooring - to avoid observers almost willing the blue ensigned yacht to cock it up.

2. Blue: When I want a quiet time at anchor. Nobody comes near you, let alone strikes up a jolly conversation as they dump anchor and 30m of chain right on top of your anchor buoy.

 

[ukmctc]

I have two rules for choice of ensign:

1. Red: When entering or leaving a marina/harbour/mooring - to avoid observers almost willing the blue ensigned yacht to cock it up.

2. Blue: When I want a quiet time at anchor. Nobody comes near you, let alone strikes up a jolly conversation as they dump anchor and 30m of chain right on top of your anchor buoy.

Geez, I don't know, fly the flag or not, who cares what colour! The gin palace flag seems the most popular with boaty types especially clubs......

 

[chinita]

Permits are easily copied or duplicated and can probably be downloaded off the web. A sticker is a simple & cheap way of identifying "home-made permits". Sure, one could get stickers made too - but it starts to get more hassle than going thro the proper channels.

Anybody who goes to the lengths of forging a Permit deserves to keep it.

Anyway. why the RYA? Why not the RSPCA or NSPCC? A sticker is a sticker. For that matter, why does the Secretary of State not issue the stickers to the Clubs? We have to pay for the Warrant after all.

 

[chinita]

Geez, I don't know, fly the flag or not, who cares what colour! The gin palace flag seems the most popular with boaty types especially clubs......

Geez - it was a joke, a flippant comment.

Oh, I see, you are Scottish.

Besides, you obviously care about flags - if your avatar is anything to go by!

 

[maxi77]

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.

You seem to be greatly missinformed, I have a Blue Ensign warrant, and my club charges me much less that the CA. Mind you the CA fees are much less than many other clubs, so perhaps flying a blue indicates poverty rather than affluence.

I must admit that I find the inverted snobbery of the anti special ensigns mob weird and depressing. They are part of our heritage and nit unique either as several other countries have them too.

 

[VO5]

Peter, they don't mean it. They are just prodding here and there by interjecting intermittently. They are having fun, you see ? It is all in the spirit of frivolity, nothing else. Don't worry about it. Don't fire any cannonballs. I do the barrages here when and if necessary.

 

[Poignard]

This thread seems to be flagging a bit. Time to stir the pot by starting a new controversy, I think.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

ACA? Do you mean the ASA?

Are you telling me I can't start my own club now? My defaced blue was going to be quite splendid.