White ensign on a "ordinary" yacht

[Chiara’s slave]

I wonder if there are any other countries with this entertaining multiplicity of of flags which might possibly be worn on their yachts?

I suppose there are a lot if you include defaced blue ones. Otherwise it’s 4 including the RAF.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

I suppose there are a lot if you include defaced blue ones. Otherwise it’s 4 including the RAF.

Other countries......

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Other countries......

Referring to your comment about our entertaining multiplicity. Other countries, most do not have our maritime heritage. So I doubt its widespread.

 

[johnalison]

I used to crew for a vice-commodore of the RYS and I'm sure we flew the Red Ensign. It was only used though on the few occasions when we had to retire from a race. Maybe the White would have been inappropriate when used for that purpose?

Maybe the requirement to hoist the burgee as well made it more trouble than the time made worthwhile.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Maybe the requirement to hoist the burgee as well made it more trouble than the time made worthwhile.

We sail without an ensign if we’re out for a blast in the central Solent for that reason sometimes.

 

[creeks]

I used to crew for a vice-commodore of the RYS and I'm sure we flew the Red Ensign. It was only used though on the few occasions when we had to retire from a race. Maybe the White would have been inappropriate when used for that purpose?

Maybe the requirement to hoist the burgee as well made it more trouble than the time made worthwhile.

It was purely a racing yacht so the only other possible occasions would have been pre-start and post-finish, both usually quite close to the mooring.
I do remember once asking in my ignorance why we didn't fly a Blue Ensign, as a "Royal" yacht club. One of many faux pas on my part. (i.e. the suggestion that the RYS was just any old "Royal" yacht club)

 

[Slowboat35]

There are, it seems, possibly two clubs with flaggery deemed more exclusive even than the Royal Yacht Squadron itself.

The first is the Tot Club of Antigua and Barbuda, a rum-based organisation that does charitable work (apparently while permanently sozzled) in the area, membership of which entitles you to fly the only warranted White Ensign based burgee in existence.

Royal Naval Tot Club of Antigua & Barbuda

The second may or may not be mythical, I've found nothing about it on t'internet but have often heard tell of it, is the infamous Blackball Club, without doubt the most exclusive yacht club on earth if it actually exists. Membership is only open to those who have been blackballed from membership of the RYS which must be a very rare event indeed.
Their flag is again a burgee, the RYS one defaced with a black ball.

Apparently sight of either of these admirable instititions' burgees is guaranteed to reduce any RYS member to incoherent fury.
Sounds like fun to me, but I'm unlikely ever to sail to Antigua and there's no chance I'd get proposed, let alone seconded for the RYS. Still, if I did I might stand a fighting chance of being blackballed...

Let the furriners here make of that what they will!

 

[Biggles Wader]

By the age of 21 I had sailed around the world several times under the red ensign and I have never since had any desire to fly a different coloured one.

 

[johnalison]

By the age of 21 I had sailed around the world several times under the red ensign and I have never since had any desire to fly a different coloured one.

I am against uniformity in any guise. I have only sailed under the red ensign, except as a guest on others’ boats, but the sight of assorted reds, blues and whites, and their defaced cousins is to my eyes another way of adding interest to the boating scene, which has the addition merit of confusing foreigners no end. Many Swedes thought we must have been Australian or NZ or something, and a German coast watch policeman was puzzled that we didn’t wear white, like the navy.

 

[Biggles Wader]

I am against uniformity in any guise. I have only sailed under the red ensign, except as a guest on others’ boats, but the sight of assorted reds, blues and whites, and their defaced cousins is to my eyes another way of adding interest to the boating scene, which has the addition merit of confusing foreigners no end. Many Swedes thought we must have been Australian or NZ or something, and a German coast watch policeman was puzzled that we didn’t wear white, like the navy.

I do have a selection of flags that I can fly from the crosstrees to interest onlookers-----The obligatory skull and crossbones and one that says Im with the Woolwich for starters but the 2nd substitute always takes the biscuit for confusing everyone.

 

[Goldie]

it's unfortunately becoming more and more common to see the White Ensign and the RAF Ensign View attachment 141986
being flown on Broads Hire boats.
Only once have I seen the RAF ensign being flown correctly on the Broads as IIRC a retired Air Commodore (or above) can fly the Ensign.. and there was one for a while on the broads..

Both the white and RAF are often being flown by junior ranks , with a large amount of alcohol involved..

I find it a shame you can buy these ensigns on Ebay when they mean so much more to many...

Are you sure that it’s the RAF ensign that you’re seeing around, and not the RAF Sailing Association ensign? The latter (shown here) can be flown by any RAFSA member holding the warrant - no rank restrictions AFAIK. Are you assuming that the culprits are Junior Ranks?

I’m not aware of ret’d personnel of any rank being entitled to fly the RAF ensign on private craft.

As you say though, anyone can buy either online, sadly.

 

[creeks]

I do have a selection of flags that I can fly from the crosstrees to interest onlookers-----The obligatory skull and crossbones and one that says Im with the Woolwich for starters but the 2nd substitute always takes the biscuit for confusing everyone.

To be really trendy I hope you've got a smiley in your selection:

 

[Walther]

I wonder if there are any other countries with this entertaining multiplicity of of flags which might possibly be worn on their yachts?

Indeed there are some.

Members of the YCF are entitled to a special ensign.

YCI members apparently have the distinction of flying the Bandiera della Marina Militare.

And many Irish clubs enjoy unique ensigns. Below are a few examples (of many).

RIYC:

RCYC:

NYC:

 

[Ningaloo]

I wonder if there are any other countries with this entertaining multiplicity of of flags which might possibly be worn on their yachts?

Well, Australia shares the red duster concept. Our maritime flag replaces the blue background with red.
Don't think NZ is the same - it might make the red stars a little difficult to see!
Mind you, it appears that either there is some confusion or maybe we are just a little more relaxed about this - I am in Albania with 2 AU neighbours both flying the non maritime flags. The NZ boat has been more creative and is flying one of the "alternative" flags presented (and rejected) in a recent referendum.

 

[westernman]

Who cares?
Some people seem to get wound up over the colour of a bit of old rag.

Next boat will probably have a tricolour

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Who cares?
Some people seem to get wound up over the colour of a bit of old rag.

Next boat will probably have a tricolour

Is that the one that's pronounced "tricolore" in France, or the one that's pronounced "trickler" in Norn Irn??

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Referring to your comment about our entertaining multiplicity. Other countries, most do not have our maritime heritage. So I doubt its widespread.

I would agree that most other countries confine themselves to one flag for all purposes, but I wouldn't discount the maritime heritage of some, such as the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, France etc.
(Lights blue touch paper and retires?)

 

[creeks]

I would agree that most other countries confine themselves to one flag for all purposes, but I wouldn't discount the maritime heritage of some, such as the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, France etc.
(Lights blue touch paper and retires?)

Not to mention the Greeks, the Romans ............

 

[SimonKNZ]

Well, Australia shares the red duster concept. Our maritime flag replaces the blue background with red.
Don't think NZ is the same - it might make the red stars a little difficult to see!
Mind you, it appears that either there is some confusion or maybe we are just a little more relaxed about this - I am in Albania with 2 AU neighbours both flying the non maritime flags. The NZ boat has been more creative and is flying one of the "alternative" flags presented (and rejected) in a recent referendum.

NZ Red Ensign has white stars and is the one you're supposed to fly if you're a non-registered yacht

 

[Frogmogman]

The Royal Irish YC in Dun Laoghaire used to fly this version of the white ensign, which was replaced by the version underneath post partition. AIUI, British members of the Royal Irish may still fly the original version.



We have an old Irish green ensign from pre partition that came off the boat of one of my forebears