Hoisting Flags

[wolfaroo]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

your bank balance depend on your following local customs... stuffy Englishman...

perhaps you wouldn't pay so many fines if you used *slightly* more respectful language

cheers

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well, our experience is that some countries and their officials have not read your "Etiquette Manual" very well, and have their own (rather firm) ideas of how to display your courtesy flag. Many would take great offense if you struck your courtesy flag at any time before clearing out. Others insist that the courtesy flag be LARGER than your ensign. Go figger... but your welcome and in some cases your bank balance depend on your following local customs rather than some stuffy Englishman's idea of flag etiquette.

cheers,

Be interested to know what these countries are. I've spent the last 35 years as sea, travelled to most countries with a coast, and the only problem we had with courtesy ensigns was Saudi, which required the courtesy ensign to no smaller than our national ensign, and was to be flown at all times (not taken down at sunset).
My red duster is a yard and half, I'm going around with a bunch of flags bigger than that.

[Unicorn Dreams]

You should only fly the courtesy flag AFTER clearing in as ir also signifies you HAVE cleared in.

[nigel1]

Having always flown a Courtesy Ensign when entering another country's waters, prior to inward clearence, and not ever having a problem, and being a bit bored this evening, I did a bit of googling, and found some websites that suggested the courtesy ensign is only hoisted after clearing in. These websites are related to non-commercial/Navy vessels.
To be on the safe side, try and find out what local regs are, but, I think if your visiting the USA, having both the US ensign and the Q flag flown at the same time is the correct procedure.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Unicorn Dreams

You should only fly the courtesy flag AFTER clearing in as ir also signifies you HAVE cleared in.

Indeed.
Once in foreign waters, you are required to fly the "Q" Flag (Quarantine), hoisted on the Starboard spreader, until you have cleared customs. If you are on a power boat with no mast, the "Q" flag can be displayed on the bow. After clearing customs, the "Q" flag should be replaced with the country's courtesy flag.

[Mark Johnson]

I use a 1/8" parachute chord for a halyard, and the above mentioned flag clips work great with these...

M.

[callistov42]

I got scolded in Anguilla for having my Q and the Anguillian courtesy up when I came into Road Bay. Customs official made me go back out to the boat and drop the Anguilla flag until I was done clearing in. Talk about stuffy Englishmen...

[goboatingnow]

irrespective of correct protocol, I always fly my courtesy flag on entering territorial waters of teh country. I find little significant is paid to "Q" flags on leisure boats

Dave

[Bash]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

irrespective of correct protocol, I always fly my courtesy flag on entering territorial waters of teh country. I find little significant is paid to "Q" flags on leisure boats

I take a completely different approach. I want my actions to reflect my awareness that, whenever I'm in a foreign country, I'm there as a guest. I therefore go out of my way to comply with established protocol. That means that the Q flag goes up the moment I enter foreign waters, and it stays up until I've cleared in.

[goboatingnow]

yes Bash, but I have been admonished for failing to fly a courtsey flag, but never a "Q" flag. Now I fly the courtesy flag.

Dave

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

I have a flag halyard on my starboard spreader. It is continuous and has a single loop tied in it. The flags have grommets in the two corners.

Thanks,

Chris

hi Chris, I can tell you I go through a fair few courtesy flags!

I have a cheap pile of very thin cable ties and I cable tie the courtesy flag and the Q flag on the flag halyard. It takes 2 seconds and the flags can be ripped off easily.

I always run in with my Q flag up, however often I don't have the courtesy flag of the country I'm going into as they are damn expensive in chandleries and out of country. So I jump into the first shop I see when I land and go buy one - normally a bookstore/newsagent etc will have those dinky little ones on sticks the kids wave. They cost about $2 in any country.

And if I get hassled by immigration/Customs? "Yes sir, I was going to get one in the last country - There was a nice shop owned by foreigners there... but I thought why put profit into their pockets when I can buy one here and put money into the pockets of your own businesses?"

Mind you, going into the USA I would have one. Big. Luminous. Maybe with flashing lights that plays a tune

[boatman61]

In Europe I fly the courtesy flag on entering another country's waters... we don't use Q flags in the EU...
But Overseas (non EU) I'll hoist the Courtesy with the Q under... no complaints at anytime over the years..

[Jim Cate]

Here's an experiential data point:

In the last decade we have repeatedly cleared into Australia, New Caledonia and VAnuatu. EAch of these countries REQUIRES a visiting yacht to fly the Q flag prior to clearing in. Vanuatu has no patrol activities, but in both Oz and New Cal there are penalties for being found in territorial waters, uncleared and without the Q flag flying. They both take this seriously. I've gotten varied response to the question of whether the courtesy flag should be flown prior to clearance. I thus believe that there is no official worry about this in these countries.

Cheers,

[Bash]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Mind you, going into the USA I would have one. Big. Luminous. Maybe with flashing lights that plays a tune

I've notified homeland security. They want to help you select the tune.

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Mind you, going into the USA I would have one. Big. Luminous. Maybe with flashing lights that plays a tune

LOL. Check. I got a very nice shiny big one for Christmas this year, but it doesn`t play a tune. We`ll all stand on deck and hum star spangled banner while we approach the customs dock.

I can`t say I`ve ever seen a Q flag in these waters, and people cross the boarder around here quite a bit. I don`t bother with it if I`m just cutting the corner in Haro Straight. I do see the occasional courtesy flag, though.

Chris