Tangled ensign solution?

[Ifraser]

Hi all.. I live aboard and cruise a 40' trawler yacht and one of the little things that bugs me is that my ensign constantly wraps around its staff even when cruising in a straight line. I've thought about hi tec(ish!) solution such as a free rotating staff with some kind of bearing at the base. Something which they do do on land based large flag poles. Can't find any such thing commercially. Does anyone else suffer such trivial irritation and are there any solutions out there? I do appreciate that if thats my biggest worry while at sea then I should be grateful but it's just one of those trivial annoyances like wipers on a dry screen!! Any sensible or even insensible ideas appreciated....

 

[johnalison]

It happens to us sometimes. I get the order from SWMBO - "can you unreef the ensign". I find a few 360 degree turns does the trick.

 

[wiggy]

How about a thin thread from a corner to low down on the transom. May work better with a pole at 45 degrees.

 

[ianat182]

I think that Englefield clips are what you need; they have a built-in swivel at top and when a second fitted at the bottom the flag can pivot, normally used on flag halyards for Club burgees, houseflags and YBW ones. You could adapt a small dog's lead clip to do the same.


ianat182

 

[prv]

Inglefield clips work on a halyard, not a staff.

If this is a problem you really need to fix, then I guess you could treat your ensign staff like a giant burgee staff and add a revolving wire.

The wire runs parallel to the top 18" or so of the staff - or a little longer than the hoist of the flag. The bottom of the wire bends 90° in towards the staff, then is formed into a circle loosely surrounding it. A screw is driven lengthwise into the top of the staff. The top of the wire bends in and circles round in the same way as the bottom, except that it's a smaller circle round the screw only, not the staff. The flag is bent onto the vertical part of the wire, which is free to revolve around the staff, and so it shouldn't tangle.

In a smaller size, this arrangement has kept my masthead burgee free for years. Never seen it done on an ensign, but maybe you could try?

Pete

 

[alahol2]

Do as the Dutch, a longer staff out over the stern at much more of an angle than usual and a rather larger ensign that brushes the water.

 

[LadyInBed]

The wire runs parallel to the top 18" or so of the staff - or a little longer than the hoist of the flag. The bottom of the wire bends 90° in towards the staff, then is formed into a circle loosely surrounding it. A screw is driven lengthwise into the top of the staff. The top of the wire bends in and circles round in the same way as the bottom, except that it's a smaller circle round the screw only, not the staff. The flag is bent onto the vertical part of the wire, which is free to revolve around the staff, and so it shouldn't tangle.

I would go for the more basic.
Just a length of wire (coat hanger size) sown into the top edge of the ensine and the end looped round the staff then twisted onto itself to make an O

 

[prv]

I would go for the more basic.
Just a length of wire (coat hanger size) sown into the top edge of the ensine and the end looped round the staff then twisted onto itself to make an O

That won't revolve, though.

Pete

 

[duncan99210]

That won't revolve, though.

Pete

No but it should stop the ensign getting wrapped round the staff.