Flag etiquette
 

Chuck Bollinger wrote:
Cheshire wrote:

Hopefully, this will fall in the "there's no such thing as a stupid
question" category.

When you arrive in the Bahamas, where do you put the quarantine flag?
On the
bow, leaving the American flag on the stern?

When you clear customs and immigration, where do you fly the courtesy
flag?
Do you fly both it and the American flag?

Here's help from US Power Squadrons. The site is:
http://www.usps.org/f_stuff/etiquett.html

Honoring Other National Flags

As a matter of courtesy, it is proper to fly the flag of a foreign
nation on your boat when you enter and operate on its waters. There are
only a limited number of positions from which flags may be displayed,
and consequently when a flag of another nation is flown, it usually must
displace one of the flags commonly displayed in home waters. It is not
hoisted until clearance has been completed and the yellow "Q" flag has
been removed, and the vessel has been granted pratique by the
appropriate authorities.

Interesting. We have always flown the flag of the "host" nation
(courtesy flag) upon near approach to the port of entry and prior to
picking up a pilot.
In some cases, the local authorities were slightly upset when this was
not done, but this may have more to do with the normal plethora of
halyards available on most ships, as compared to many yachts.

otn

Flag etiquette
 

otnmbrd wrote:


Interesting. We have always flown the flag of the "host" nation
(courtesy flag) upon near approach to the port of entry and prior to
picking up a pilot.
In some cases, the local authorities were slightly upset when this was
not done, but this may have more to do with the normal plethora of
halyards available on most ships, as compared to many yachts.

Yeah. I get uncomfortable too, so revert to "Plan B" which is to fly the "Q"
flag under the courtesy flag (never above, of course), and when cleared just
remove it.

It may not be absolutely official, but often one must give in to others' ignorance.

BTW, along those lines, does everyone know that the order of rank/precedence for
flying flags is: 1)Gaff of mainmast, 2) BOW post, 3) Stern pole.

So, officially, if one flies a courtesy flag from the bow the only place for the
National Ensign is a gaff. That makes the even more prevalent use of that pole
for a club burgee even wronger.

Flag etiquette
 

otnmbrd wrote:


Interesting. We have always flown the flag of the "host" nation
(courtesy flag) upon near approach to the port of entry and prior to
picking up a pilot.
In some cases, the local authorities were slightly upset when this was
not done, but this may have more to do with the normal plethora of
halyards available on most ships, as compared to many yachts.

Yeah. I get uncomfortable too, so revert to "Plan B" which is to fly the "Q"
flag under the courtesy flag (never above, of course), and when cleared just
remove it.

It may not be absolutely official, but often one must give in to others' ignorance.

BTW, along those lines, does everyone know that the order of rank/precedence for
flying flags is: 1)Gaff of mainmast, 2) BOW post, 3) Stern pole.

So, officially, if one flies a courtesy flag from the bow the only place for the
National Ensign is a gaff. That makes the even more prevalent use of that pole
for a club burgee even wronger.

Flag etiquette
 

BTW, along those lines, does everyone know that the order of rank/precedence for
flying flags is: 1)Gaff of mainmast, 2) BOW post, 3) Stern pole.

diffrent flags fly from different points. club burgee, Q flag, Country Flag,
Curtesy flag, etc.

eg: on a sailboat; your burgee is flown fro the spreader, NOT the bow. On a
powerboat it's flown from the staff (if you have one) or from the bow.

at least, that's how I understand it...

---
Remove x's to send.

Flag etiquette
 

BTW, along those lines, does everyone know that the order of rank/precedence for
flying flags is: 1)Gaff of mainmast, 2) BOW post, 3) Stern pole.

diffrent flags fly from different points. club burgee, Q flag, Country Flag,
Curtesy flag, etc.

eg: on a sailboat; your burgee is flown fro the spreader, NOT the bow. On a
powerboat it's flown from the staff (if you have one) or from the bow.

at least, that's how I understand it...

---
Remove x's to send.

Flag etiquette
 

In article ,
says...


BTW, along those lines, does everyone know that the order of rank/precedence
for
flying flags is: 1)Gaff of mainmast, 2) BOW post, 3) Stern pole.

diffrent flags fly from different points. club burgee, Q flag, Country Flag,
Curtesy flag, etc.

eg: on a sailboat; your burgee is flown fro the spreader, NOT the bow. On a
powerboat it's flown from the staff (if you have one) or from the bow.

at least, that's how I understand it...

On a sailboat, the club burgee should be flown at the masthead on a pigstick,
all other flags except national ensign from the starboard spreader. If you are
flying the club burghee you should also fly your club rank flag. If you have
two masts, you can fly the private signal from the mizzen masthead. Don't
forget your "Owner absent" and "Guest in charge" flags, not to mention
"Dinner," "Cocktail," and "Church." Might be room for some sails, too, when
you have all your flags flying.

Flag etiquette
 

In article ,
says...


BTW, along those lines, does everyone know that the order of rank/precedence
for
flying flags is: 1)Gaff of mainmast, 2) BOW post, 3) Stern pole.

diffrent flags fly from different points. club burgee, Q flag, Country Flag,
Curtesy flag, etc.

eg: on a sailboat; your burgee is flown fro the spreader, NOT the bow. On a
powerboat it's flown from the staff (if you have one) or from the bow.

at least, that's how I understand it...

On a sailboat, the club burgee should be flown at the masthead on a pigstick,
all other flags except national ensign from the starboard spreader. If you are
flying the club burghee you should also fly your club rank flag. If you have
two masts, you can fly the private signal from the mizzen masthead. Don't
forget your "Owner absent" and "Guest in charge" flags, not to mention
"Dinner," "Cocktail," and "Church." Might be room for some sails, too, when
you have all your flags flying.

Flag etiquette
 

Gogarty wrote:

Might be room for some sails, too, when
you have all your flags flying.

snerk - Mind you don't get into heavy weather and fail to reef your burgees!

Flag etiquette
 

Gogarty wrote:

Might be room for some sails, too, when
you have all your flags flying.

snerk - Mind you don't get into heavy weather and fail to reef your burgees!

Flag etiquette
 

Chuck Bollinger wrote:

... don't get into heavy weather and fail to reef
your burgees!

I think you've addressed something relevant here, or nearly so. I just
about always take off burgees, ensigns, etc., when offshore. Who needs the
wear and tear with today's prices? Frankly it is a rare occurrence these
days when one needs to show colors, although it _does_ happen.

One problem I've run into over the years is the complexity of handing the
club burgee and the masthead pigstick without breaking or bending at least
_something_ up there. I have replaced a number of Windex parts and tricolor
lights over the years due to this (dagblasted) maneuver.

People familiar with Queen Hooper's book on yachting etiquette might
remember her description of hoisting the burgee on the J-boat "Shamrock"
each morning at 0800. The pigstick on "Shamrock" was originally a Sunfish
mast.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.tripod.com