On 22 Apr 2004 15:42:47 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:
Traditional formula for the US National flag
is L = 1/4 height of pole.
Will you be flying your burgee underneath a US flag? In that case, it should be
scaled so the casual observer will be aware that it is at least "one size"
smaller

Thank you for that helpful info.

Can you venture a guesstimate of average club flagpole height? 30 ft?
40 ft?

(I need to order the flags ASAP and don't have time to go around with
a sextant and surveyor's tape!)






Ken
(to reply via email
remove "zz" from address)

Can you venture a guesstimate of average club flagpole height? 30 ft?
40 ft?

No. How long is an "average" boat?

But all is not lost, no need for a sextant and a surveyor's tape. Not even a
need to compare the shadow from a 3-foot yardstick to the shadow from the
flagpole at the same time on a sunny day and do the math to calculate the
height of the pole.

If the pole is next to the clubhouse, start by counting how many stories in the
building. 2? Figure 20 feet unless the ground floor has 15-16 foot ceilings and
in that case add a story and figure 30.

Once you compare the height of the pole to the height of a multi story
building, you will come up with a number that is close enough for jazz. The guy
who is going to shinny up the flagpole with a measuring tape to check the
length of your flag? Screw him. :-)

Is this an existing pole? Is there a halyard?
Mark a point of the halyard with a bit of black tape........and the rest of the
process for determining approximate height will be obvious from there.

On 22 Apr 2004 21:54:44 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:

Can you venture a guesstimate of average club flagpole height? 30 ft?
40 ft?

No. How long is an "average" boat?

But all is not lost, no need for a sextant and a surveyor's tape. Not even a
need to compare the shadow from a 3-foot yardstick to the shadow from the
flagpole at the same time on a sunny day and do the math to calculate the
height of the pole.

If the pole is next to the clubhouse, start by counting how many stories in the
building. 2? Figure 20 feet unless the ground floor has 15-16 foot ceilings and
in that case add a story and figure 30.

Once you compare the height of the pole to the height of a multi story
building, you will come up with a number that is close enough for jazz. The guy
who is going to shinny up the flagpole with a measuring tape to check the
length of your flag? Screw him. :-)

Is this an existing pole? Is there a halyard?
Mark a point of the halyard with a bit of black tape........and the rest of the
process for determining approximate height will be obvious from there.

Get a sextant, a measuring tape, and use the tangent function from trigonometry.
This one is a classic!

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

Ken wrote in message . ..
On 22 Apr 2004 15:42:47 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:
Traditional formula for the US National flag
is L = 1/4 height of pole.
Will you be flying your burgee underneath a US flag? In that case, it should be
scaled so the casual observer will be aware that it is at least "one size"
smaller

Thank you for that helpful info.

Can you venture a guesstimate of average club flagpole height? 30 ft?
40 ft?

(I need to order the flags ASAP and don't have time to go around with
a sextant and surveyor's tape!)


You can use some simple triangulation to get a close estimate of the
flagpole height.

(basskisser) wrote in message . com...
Ken wrote in message . ..
On 22 Apr 2004 15:42:47 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:
Traditional formula for the US National flag
is L = 1/4 height of pole.
Will you be flying your burgee underneath a US flag? In that case, it should be
scaled so the casual observer will be aware that it is at least "one size"
smaller

Thank you for that helpful info.

Can you venture a guesstimate of average club flagpole height? 30 ft?
40 ft?

(I need to order the flags ASAP and don't have time to go around with
a sextant and surveyor's tape!)


You can use some simple triangulation to get a close estimate of the
flagpole height.

How about just running the end of a ball of string up the pole, mark
it at the ground, bring it down, and measure it off...
Scotty, I don't need no stinkin' geometry...