Is this blue ensign legal?

RichardS

RichardS

N/A
Joined
5 Nov 2009
Messages
29,212
Location
Home UK Midlands / Boat Croatia
Visit site
This boat has just anchored next to us in a small bay in Croatia. We like it here 'cos the graffiti makes us feel at home. :o

IMG_7131.JPG


But the real question is: Is a defaced blue ensign with a circle of EU stars in the middle actually legal tender?

Should I dinghy over and perform a citizens arrest? :ambivalence:

Richard
 
Are you authorized to make a citizens arrest in Croatia?

Take a bottle of wine and try buying the flag from him.
 
Is it considered to be transom flown like that?

Otherwise, it doesn't belong to any organization, could dry your kitchen towel there...

Actually by Croatian law might be illegal not to wear a proper ensign (e.g. beside this one).
 
Last edited:
Why should it not be legal?

You can buy blue ensigns with all kinds of symbols on them representing clubs and organisations and nobody objects. If he wants to fly one with the symbol of an organisation he is a member of, then good luck to him.

Where can I get one?
 
Quite Legal I suspect but highly irregular.

Its got the Union Flag so no ambiguity as to Nationality. No one except the Brits understand the red/blue/white bits and arcane rules on defacing the blue or red bit go above everyones heads except the ancient pompous clubs defending them. No one else cares.

I fly the Cornish Ensign for instance as used by the Cornish Steamship Company (St Pirans Cross defaced with Union Flag) in France or England and no one has complained. Questioned yes, complained no.
 
Is he from the Cook Islands? It looks remarkably like their Ensign, which has got posters hereabouts hammering at their keyboards before.
 
GTom said:
Is it considered to be transom flown like that?

Otherwise, it doesn't belong to any organization, could dry your kitchen towel there...

Actually by Croatian law might be illegal not to wear a proper ensign (e.g. beside this one).
Click to expand...

I do believe that Croatian maritime law demands that an proper ensign is flown as well as the Croatian ensign from the spreader.

Whether this is a proper ensign is another matter. If not, the fine will be swingeing. :ambivalence:

Richard
 
GTom said:
Is it considered to be transom flown like that?

Otherwise, it doesn't belong to any organization, could dry your kitchen towel there...

Actually by Croatian law might be illegal not to wear a proper ensign (e.g. beside this one).
Click to expand...

From the gaff when underway.... from a staff on the poop ( or taffrail ) when at anchor or alongside....

Wrong shade of blue for Cook Islands... wrong number of stars...
 
Elecglitch said:
Is he from the Cook Islands? It looks remarkably like their Ensign, which has got posters hereabouts hammering at their keyboards before.
Click to expand...

The current Cook island flag 15 stars the EU has currently 27 until end of October.

255px-Flag_of_the_Cook_Islands.svg.png


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Cook_Islands

Legal if the yacht is registered in the cook islands.

https://www.maritimecookislands.com/our-services/registration-services/registering-a-yacht/

If I ever cancel my local yacht registration I will register in the cook islands as a flag of convenience.
 
The Union Jack is smaller than a quarter, the stars appear to be yellow, and the number is at least an approximate match too, so it may well be the UK version of this one: https://www.svb24.com/en/flag-europe-germany.html

Seen that one around Sicily and Greece on a few boats and have also been wondering about its legality. It certainly seems accepted, or at least in those countries the officials didn't care.

We did fly a small EU flag on the port spreader as is appropriate, but sadly it tore off a corner. The red ensign is also badly faded and had to be cut down due to ripping at the borders.
 
Yngmar said:
The Union Jack is smaller than a quarter, the stars appear to be yellow, and the number is at least an approximate match too, so it may well be the UK version of this one: https://www.svb24.com/en/flag-europe-germany.html

Seen that one around Sicily and Greece on a few boats and have also been wondering about its legality. It certainly seems accepted, or at least in those countries the officials didn't care.

We did fly a small EU flag on the port spreader as is appropriate, but sadly it tore off a corner. The red ensign is also badly faded and had to be cut down due to ripping at the borders.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's the one .... except with the Union Flag rather than the German one in the corner.

Richard
 
No. Not if she is British registered.

"A UK flagged vessel must wear her ensign as required by the Merchant Shipping Act, which includes when entering or leaving a foreign port and on demand. It is recommended that the ensign is worn at all times in daylight, especially when near to or in sight of land or another vessel.* A UK registered vessel should wear the national maritime flag, the Red Ensign, unless entitled to wear a*special Ensign. Wearing anything other than an authorised Ensign is a violation of British and International Law."

https://www.rya.org.uk/knowledge-advice/regulations/Pages/flag-etiquette.aspx
 
The RYA advises on flag etiquet not law, and your way to do things may not match my way to do things.

The UK authorities cant do anything about a leisure yacht flying an odd flag in Croatian waters even if they wanted too. The Croatians wont care as they know registration of boat as British so they have all they need. Indeed as Croatia is very fond of the EU as giving them great benefits if they did see it as political to have the EU stars, which they might not, they wouldnt object.

As I indicated the Cornish Steamship Company used the St Pirans Cross instead of red background openly for years while plying their business and were never seriously challenged by the board of trade.
 
From Merchant Shipping Act 1995:
"
A ship is a British ship if—

(a)the ship is registered in the United Kingdom under Part II; or

(b)the ship is, as a Government ship, registered in the United Kingdom in pursuance of an Order in Council under section 308; or

(c)the ship is registered under the law of a relevant British possession; or

(d)the ship is a small ship other than a fishing vessel and—

(i)is not registered under Part II, but

(ii)is wholly owned by qualified owners, and

(iii)is not registered under the law of a country outside the United Kingdom."
 
Are the Cornish Steamship Company's vessels over 50 gross tons? Do they enter foreign ports?

Merchant Shipping Act 1995 again. ( Seems to tally pretty well with what the RYA says.)

"Duty to show British flag.

(1)Subject to subsection (2) below, a British ship, other than a fishing vessel, shall hoist the red ensign or other proper national colours—

(a)on a signal being made to the ship by one of Her Majesty’s ships (including any ship under the command of a commissioned naval officer); and

(b)on entering or leaving any foreign port; and

(c)in the case of ships of 50 or more tons gross tonnage, on entering or leaving any British port.

(2)Subsection (1)(c) above does not apply to a small ship (as defined in section 1(2)) registered under Part II."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top