Pirate flags ....

[lotusman]

I could well be wrong, but isn't the pirate flag as we know it today an invention of Hollywood? The real pirates of old flew all manner of personal 'pirate' flags to make their intentions known, some of them resembling but not quite matching the now 'traditional' skull and crossbones.

To compare it to the swastika is ludicrous.

I mostly agree.

Wikipedia gives a very good history of the Jolly Roger, it's development from black or red banners and eventual stylisation and to some extent glamourisation in stories and in film.

The same source gives a good historical perspective on the swastika.

It's an irony that the pirate flag, originally developed to invoke terror, is now largely seen as light hearted fun, whereas the swastika originally (and in many cultures still is) a symbol of good is now, for many, synonymous with evil.

 

[Gwylan]

Sailing equivalent of Burberry baseball caps and tattoos on the leg.

 

[Romeo]

To compare it to the swastika is ludicrous.

A major difference between the two is that no one now flies the skull and cross bone to invoke fear, whereas some vile people do still display the swastika for that purpose.

 

[clyst]

Best ban all Catain Sparrow films then

. BTW letting a lad loose in a small dinghy in a marina is a bit like letting him ride a bike around a NPC. I know I know Im a killjoy.

 

[King Penguin]

Best ban all Catain Sparrow films then

. BTW letting a lad loose in a small dinghy in a marina is a bit like letting him ride a bike around a NPC. I know I know Im a killjoy.

Cycling around an NCP car park is probably a lot safer most of the time than cycling around our cities....

I know it's dangerous, but I also let him walk along pavements and even cross roads.............sometimes I even let him go to the park and play on the swings.........I know it's risky but..........

 

[Fantasie 19]

I always think of them as 'child on board' flags.

Still like them though. Have a 6' one aboard Alex but too embarrassed to fly it. When I win the lottery and buy a 60' wooden ketch I will never take it down!

+1

Pirate flag goes up when little'un aboard..... for me, it's inextricably linked with Ransome, and Swallows and Amazons... where my sailing all started basically...

Witch flag goes up when missus aboard.. or should that be cocktail glass...

 

[Jabberwocky]

Did Pirates really fly the skull and cross bones? If so I am going to get a sign made for my car saying "Speeder"

 

[Hadenough]

I always think of them as 'child on board' flags.

So do I, a bit like a hazard warning

 

[AdeOlly]

I always think of them as 'child on board' flags.

Still like them though. Have a 6' one aboard Alex but too embarrassed to fly it. When I win the lottery and buy a 60' wooden ketch I will never take it down!

I'd take it down upon entering Portsmouth if I were you. QHM can, allegedly, get very upset at skippers who fly large pirate flags, esp if in place of the ensign. I have heard of a skipper who flew just a large pirate flag and had QHM come over in his launch and give him a real rollocking, made him take it down, and allegedly threated to impound the boat if he didn't......... I should add that this story is third hand, and some embellishments along the way cannot be ruled out, but the base incident is I am assured true.

 

[blackbeard]

Did Pirates really fly the skull and cross bones? ....

My flag had a complete skeleton, plus blood spilling from a chalice.

I'm a reformed character now, though.

 

[Me_has_a_Boat]

Some people not happy unless moaning about something.....usually something that someone else is doing / not doing.

 

[dylanwinter]

read the OP

Some people not happy unless moaning about something.....usually something that someone else is doing / not doing.

not moaning....

not in the OP anyway

merely observing something about myself rather than others

I think that the debate cuts to the heart of symbolism

after all.... how many of us have insignias on our sails?

how many of us fly an ensign... or a Devon Flag?

or even cap the first letter of our own names

dylan

 

[Supine Being]

not moaning....

not in the OP anyway

merely observing something about myself rather than others

I think that the debate cuts to the heart of symbolism

after all.... how many of us have insignias on our sails?

how many of us fly an ensign... or a Devon Flag?

or even cap the first letter of our own names

dylan

Don't diss da proper noun, blud!

http://bigeyedeer.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/this-cartoon-wrote-a-sweary-word-on-your-toilet-wall/

 

[YachtAllegro]

It is a bit odd, though, how pirates have come to be romanticised, isn't it? We've had the same discussion with our kids - they've got excited about the whole pirate thing, looked up pirates on the internet to find out a bit more about them, and come asking, slightly disbelievingly, "So what it it that pirates do, then?". There's not even a "robbed the rich to give to the poor" undercurrent to pirate stories. So why are pirates lovable, slightly rascally figures, while Ghengis Khan and Attila the Hun are murderers?! I too end up feeling slightly uncomfortable about it.

Cheers
Patrick

 

[Me_has_a_Boat]

Hollywood

 

[GrahamM376]

I have always viewed the scull and crossbones as a bit of fun but, that view isn't shared by some cops. Can't remember whether it was France or Spain but a few years ago we were close to a boat flying one - until he was visited by police and told to remove it immediately! He argument that it was to amuse his grandchildren fell on deaf ears - no sense of humour.

 

[chrishelen]

Sailing equivalent of Burberry baseball caps and tattoos on the leg.

Oi, i have a tat on my leg, also got a baseball cap (not Burrberry),
cant belive how a swastica came up,must be the weather.

 

[dylanwinter]

It is a powerful symbol

Oi, i have a tat on my leg, also got a baseball cap (not Burrberry),
cant belive how a swastica came up,must be the weather.

the scull and crossbones is a symbol

fior some people it means fun and party time

for others it carries other more sinsiter meanings

the swastika also comes bundled with meanings

different meanings to different people

and

you are dead right - if the weather had been better then I would be out sailing or making an unboxing video for my Plastimo 405S

Dylan

 

[DanBurrill]

I have heard stories that years ago the Great Yarmouth harbourmaster was known to get in his launch and apprehend Broads hire cruisers flying the skull and cross bones when they crossed Breydon Water. (Of course since the beginning of last month the Broads Authority have taken over Breydon, so even if the current harbourmaster wasn't too busy with other matters, they'd no longer have jurisdiction).

On the Broads it tends to mean 'stag/hen party on board', and thus probably does serve something close to it's original function of inspiring fear in innocent boaters' minds, albeit only fear of a disturbed nights sleep.

 

[Tugw]

Bit strange this one. I seem to remember that i read somewhere that the RN (if we still had one) are allowed to open fire on any vessel flying the Jolly roger without warning.Urban myth maybe--I'm not sure, i never heard about during my service but you never know.