Long lasting ensign

[Zing]

I need a new ensign. I'd like to get a super long lasting, no fade, tough as old boots version so I can leave it up all day and night in all weathers and where it stays looking good - forever ideally. Where and what can I buy that is as close to that spec as possible? I don't mind paying even a lot more, but it needs to not self destruct early or look awful very quickly as many in the past have done.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Paint one on a piece of sheet metal then sandwich in-between two sheets of perspex.

You did ask.

You can as Mr Pepys did for the RN and is custom take it in at dusk and fly it from dawn, there is no need for it when you are not on the boat.

 

[Zing]

Paint one on a piece of sheet metal then sandwich in-between two sheets of perspex.

You did ask.

From day one a total failure on the 'look awful' test. C'mon, you can do better.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

From day one a total failure on the 'look awful' test. C'mon, you can do better.

No I can't

 

[capnsensible]

Sewn ones seem to last longer than printed ones in sunny climates.

 

[B27]

Sewn ones seem to last longer than printed ones in sunny climates.

Maybe find a flag state with less seams to save time and money?

 

[capnsensible]

Cue jokes about French flags being plain white........

 

[chris-s]

Try mrflag.com

 

[jbweston]

Cue jokes about French flags being plain white........

The French naval ensign before the Revolution in 1789 was plain white, and it was again from 1815 to 1830.
French ensigns - Wikipedia

I follow what I believe to be the Pepys innovation - no ensign at night which saves roughly half the wear. And no ensign while the boat is tucked up in her berth and I'm at home, which saves 80% or more of the remaining half.

 

[ylop]

The French naval ensign before the Revolution in 1789 was plain white, and it was again from 1815 to 1830.
French ensigns - Wikipedia

I follow what I believe to be the Pepys innovation - no ensign at night which saves roughly half the wear. And no ensign while the boat is tucked up in her berth and I'm at home, which saves 80% or more of the remaining half.

You could go further and only fly it as required by the merchant shipping act: on entering/leaving foreign ports and when requested by a naval vessel!

 

[Zing]

You could go further and only fly it as required by the merchant shipping act: on entering/leaving foreign ports and when requested by a naval vessel!

Is that so? Would suit me well. I don’t see that done in Italy. Every boat bigger than a dinghy flies one.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Jimmy Green supplied ours, it seems to be holding up well, in spite of the ensign staff being dislodged and falling into the hamble a couple of years ago. Our esteemed Captain of cruising recovered it in his RIB.

 

[ylop]

Is that so? Would suit me well. I don’t see that done in Italy. Every boat bigger than a dinghy flies one.

Italian waters may have their own rules, and may mean any water police / CG come asking questions if you are not - but certainly U.K. vessels do not *require* to display an ensign in UK or international waters, except if requested to do so by one of HM vessels.

 

[flaming]

I need a new ensign. I'd like to get a super long lasting, no fade, tough as old boots version so I can leave it up all day and night in all weathers and where it stays looking good - forever ideally. Where and what can I buy that is as close to that spec as possible? I don't mind paying even a lot more, but it needs to not self destruct early or look awful very quickly as many in the past have done.

Adopt the French approach.

Buy boat. Buy small cheap ensign. Attach ensign to backstay, leave there permantly. When Ensign worn so that tricolour has become bicolour, upgrade boat.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

How about a vinyl wrap ensign covering the transom.

 

[jbweston]

You could go further and only fly it as required by the merchant shipping act: on entering/leaving foreign ports and when requested by a naval vessel!

Is that so? Would suit me well. I don’t see that done in Italy. Every boat bigger than a dinghy flies one.

Yes, under Section 5 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.

With the rather odd twiddly bit of an addition that the vessel must hoist the ensign on entering and leaving a British port if she is 50 gross tons or over (but not if she's both British registered under Part II of the Act and under 24 metres).

That's the law, but the old convention (not law) is that yachts that aren't racing wear their ensigns from 0800 hours in summer or 0900 in winter until sunset or 2100 hours if earlier. How much you follow that depends on how traditional and punctilious you want to be, and whether you can be faffed. You can save a lot of wear and tear by following it only approximately.

The RYA website says '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', but that's just their view, not law. Nowadays a lot of people seem to leave the ensign hoisted all the time, even when they've gone off home.

 

[rogerthebodger]

A friend of mine mot only wares his Enson when sailing but also wares the blue peter when leaving his mooring

 

[Aja]

Italian waters may have their own rules, and may mean any water police / CG come asking questions if you are not - but certainly U.K. vessels do not *require* to display an ensign in UK or international waters, except if requested to do so by one of HM vessels.

I always understood that British registered vessels in foreign waters maybe specifically foreign ports are not required to strike their ensigns at dusk.

I could be way out on this.

 

[LittleSister]

I think you're asking for the (almost) impossible.

I'm with the other posters in the 'If I were you I wouldn't start from here' camp.

If you don't want to take it down at night and/or when not aboard, then consider buying cheap printed ones and replacing annually (or whatever). You might even get a discount for buying in bulk.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I always understood that British registered vessels in foreign waters maybe specifically foreign ports are not required to strike their ensigns at dusk.

I could be way out on this.

You are not required to. It’s a long standing tradition, that’s all, and it does save wear and tear.