White over red

[JumbleDuck]

OK, I may have missed something really obvious, but can anyone tell me why the Colintraive - Rhubodach ferry (every time I've seen it) and the Cumbrae ferry (sometimes) fly a rectangular flag, white over red?

See, for example, http://photos.worldisround.com/photos/11/594/98_o.jpg

 

[Woodlouse]

OK, I may have missed something really obvious, but can anyone tell me why the Colintraive - Rhubodach ferry (every time I've seen it) and the Cumbrae ferry (sometimes) fly a rectangular flag, white over red?

See, for example, http://bphotos.worldisround.com/photos/11/594/98_o.jpg

It means they're carrying a pilot doesn't it?

 

[Graham_Wright]

OK, I may have missed something really obvious, but can anyone tell me why the Colintraive - Rhubodach ferry (every time I've seen it) and the Cumbrae ferry (sometimes) fly a rectangular flag, white over red?

See, for example, http://bphotos.worldisround.com/photos/11/594/98_o.jpg

Pilot on board.

 

[JumbleDuck]

It means they're carrying a pilot doesn't it?

Pilot on board.

Close but no cigar, gents. That would be code flag H, which is white beside red, like this



The flag I mean is white above red like this



It could be a Polish courtesy flag, but the ferries are registered in Gasgow and I am pretty sure that neither Bute nor Cumbrae has been ceded to Poland.

 

[cryan]

Code H is the international code for pilot onboard. White over red flag is commonly used to show vessel engaged in pilotage duties in the same way as the lights do at night. On a ferry I would read that to say that the skipper has a pilotage exemption.

http://www.sailskills.co.uk/colregs/Sailskills_lights_note_pilot_vessel_day_signal.html

 

[Graham_Wright]

Close but no cigar, gents. That would be code flag H, which is white beside red, like this

View attachment 37102

The flag I mean is white above red like this

View attachment 37103

It could be a Polish courtesy flag, but the ferries are registered in Gasgow and I am pretty sure that neither Bute nor Cumbrae has been ceded to Poland.

Sorry - blinded by the current posts on lights.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Code H is the international code for pilot onboard. White over red flag is commonly used to show vessel engaged in pilotage duties in the same way as the lights do at night. On a ferry I would read that to say that the skipper has a pilotage exemption.

http://www.sailskills.co.uk/colregs/Sailskills_lights_note_pilot_vessel_day_signal.html

Ah-ha. That's looking more likely.

 

[Woodlouse]

Seems a white over red flag could mean that the captain is exempt from having to take on a pilot for that port(s). Seems unofficial though and there are plenty of pictures out there of pilot boats flying white over red instead of code flag H. My guess would be that pilots as a community are old stick in the muds and are unwilling to ditch their traditional flag for a mere code flag and as everyone knows what it means, no one bothers to enforce it.

 

[DanTribe]

I was taught a little aide memoir once;

Red over white= frying tonight [fishing]

white over red = pilot in bed.

 

[prv]

Code H is the international code for pilot onboard. White over red flag is commonly used to show vessel engaged in pilotage duties in the same way as the lights do at night. On a ferry I would read that to say that the skipper has a pilotage exemption.

+1 - exactly what I was going to say.

On Pelican we hoisted a "pilot on board" flag the instant he set foot on the deck, and I'm fairly sure it was white-over-red rather than flag H.

I would interpret that flag on a ferry to mean that the master either has a PEC or possibly even is qualified as an actual pilot if the port is a small one. I sailed a couple of times with a guy who was a qualified pilot in some small Irish port but also drove tugs and things as required.

Pete

 

[alahol2]

I think I'm right in saying that the Red Funnel and Sealink ferries running cross Solent all fly the white over red flag.

 

[Simondjuk]

I know the Red Funnel ferry drivers are also pilots, and hence show the lights/flag, as the boats are of a size where they need a pilot to operate in the areas they do. Not sure about the other ferries elsewhere.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I know the Red Funnel ferry drivers are also pilots, and hence show the lights/flag, as the boats are of a size where they need a pilot to operate in the areas they do. Not sure about the other ferries elsewhere.

The Rhubodach ferry driver can't be much of a pilot. I've seen it run aground eight times in an hour.