Where does one find a large burgee?

[Iona of Exe]

My yacht hasn't got a wind indicator (apart from my ears that is!), it does however have a burgee halyard. Anyone any idea where such a device may be bought these days? It would appear that I was talking martian in the chandlery when I asked if they could get a larger version of the dinghy burgee
Apparently we have only ever had Hawk type things that require a clip at the masthead

Mr Google gave me plenty of titchy dinghy ones but I draw the line at using binos to see the blurry thing!

 

[sailorman]

My yacht hasn't got a wind indicator (apart from my ears that is!), it does however have a burgee halyard. Anyone any idea where such a device may be bought these days? It would appear that I was talking martian in the chandlery when I asked if they could get a larger version of the dinghy burgee
Apparently we have only ever had Hawk type things that require a clip at the masthead

Mr Google gave me plenty of titchy dinghy ones but I draw the line at using binos to see the blurry thing!

try the Ensign Flag Co web site

 

[prv]

Surprisingly difficult, isn't it!

If you're a member of a club (or even if you've bought the forum burgee, though it's a bit heavyweight for the purpose) then you're catered for. But just a plain coloured one to show the wind, doesn't seem to exist.

Since KS is a Cornish Crabber and I was born in Cornwall, I bought a St Piran's cross pennant from cornishflag.co.uk and made up the staff and wire swivelly bit myself. They're easy enough to do.

There was an Old Gaffers burgee on board when we bought the boat, but not being a member I didn't want to fly it.

Pete

 

[Quandary]

Stroll on down the chandlery to where they keep the signal flags, select one the colour and shape you like, if you buy numeral 1, 2 or 3 it might come in handy if you ever go racing. You will need to call in to the garden centre for a stick to tie it to.
It will also confound the marine etiquette purists in your harbour so it might be worth considering the message you might be signalling if you chose a letter rather than a number.

 

[rob2]

I've often wondered this myself. I quite fancy a stick mount like the ones used on dinghies, too. I'm not sure whether to use an aluminium tube or a hardwood dowel - with a coathanger bent round and screwed on.

The burgee itself is usually a club one for most of us. I guess if you want a plain one you can either order it from a supplier of make your own, particularly if you're tempted to make a frame on a stick.

Rob.

 

[prv]

I'm not sure whether to use an aluminium tube or a hardwood dowel - with a coathanger bent round and screwed on.

You'll need something to stop the wire part sliding down. The best way to do that is to have a big loop at the bottom, round the staff, and a small loop at the top which goes round a screw driven into the end of the staff. A pair of washers threaded onto the screw, above and below the wire loop, helps prevent it getting stuck. My point is that your aluminium tube won't work that way, because it doesn't have an end face for a screw to go into, and it's not immediately obvious what to do instead.

Mine uses a length of sturdy, thick-walled bamboo, but a wooden dowel sounds reasonable too.

Pete

 

[rob2]

I was thinking of tapping the top part of the ali tube or epoxying a screw into it, but on reflection I think a wooden stick might be less inclined to slip through the hitches on the halyard. The main problem is trying not to snag any masthead kit so it can't be pulled down! That'll dictate a maximum size for the burgee then.

Rob.

 

[Lakesailor]

I fly a dinghy burgee on my yacht and just use two rolling hitches one above the other on the wire stem to hold it on. Never moves.

 

[bromleybysea]

Masthead burgee

In the days when I used to sail with a masthead burgee, a length of bamboo, a coat-hanger, a few square inches of spinnaker nylon and a s/s screw and a couple of washers, and a hours work did the trick.

 

[Iona of Exe]

Just spent 20 minutes 'doing a Uri' and have sculpted a passable shape for a burgee frame - off to the sail loft for a scrap of spinnaker cloth in a minute.

Think I've got some bamboo hiding behind the shed - watch this space

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

In the days when I used to sail with a masthead burgee, a length of bamboo, a coat-hanger, a few square inches of spinnaker nylon and a s/s screw and a couple of washers, and a hours work did the trick.

What about those Southern Ocean storms that will challenge it a little ? ....