National Flag?

[Guest]

Being an owner of a small english Gaff Cutter I would like to ask if anybody knows how the question of national flags is handled. I am german and the boat lies in Germany, but I would still like to carry the union jack as reference to the origin of the ship (we Germans have also a somehow troubled feeling towards our own national Flag). Is that possible?
And then which british flag is the right one.? Red with union jack, blue with union jack, white with union jack?

 

[Guest]

I would suggest you fly the red ensign ( or union flag ), as a courtesy flag, from the starboard yard.
Unless your vessel is British registered, or you yourself are British, you may not fly a British ensign from the taffrail or gaff.

 

[Guest]

OK I understand the formal side, but. as far as I know such a small yacht as mine does not have to be registered at all, or does every vessel in GB have to be registered? Where can I have my ship registered? The only thing official right now is my german insurance.

 

[Guest]

To fly a red ensign you will need to have the boat registed within the UK. If you have not done this then you can fly a snall red ensign from the starboard spreader.
A Blue ensign is for certain yacht clubs and army ships while the White ensing is for the royal yacht squadron and the Royal navy only.

So in short it is the home nation of the boat which decides which nations ensign to fly and in the case of england it is the skippers yacht club membership which decides which colour to fly.

I hope this helps.

 

[Twister_Ken]

If all you want to do is mark the 'heritage' of your boat (sort of Made in England sign), then maybe you should forget about a cloth flag, and get a couple of small Union Jack stickers, to go somewhere port and starboard on the coach roof, or just where the quarters turn in to the transom.

PS - there is a right and wrong way up for the Union flag. On the right hand side the thicker part of the diagonal white bands should be towards the bottom. See http://www.posternow.com/up/uppc8148p.htm

 

[Guest]

Forget the Euro go for the STERLING

A refreshing change from all the fuss about the Euro Martin.

I think generally that flags are well....... too formal

I like the sticker idea - how about 'this one's British !' or ' You would like this British wood if you could !' Or make your own one up . Unlike flags, wording or stickers on your boat can be what you want it to be. In the best possible taste of course.

 

[peterb]

The PS isn't quite right. The broad white band should be on top at the hoist (i.e the side of the flag nearest the flag pole. If you're just putting on a sticker then there's no pole and it won't matter. And anyway, putting a sticker on upside down means that you can't see it.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Convention is though, that when a flag's not actually a flying flag, but a representation of one, it is depicted as if the (non-existent) flag staff is to the left of the flag - thus for the Union flag thick white stripes uppermost on left, lowermost on right.