Flag Protocol for Bahamas

[Hudson Force]

Notice that the Bahamas courtesy flag flown by vistors is not the same as the Bahamas national flag.

Also, don't make my mistake. Take the flag down for heavy weather!

[sailjumanji]

And did I read someplace that proper protocol is to take down US flag when not on the boat? Don't quite understand that one. And take down at night, and when sailing? Night I guess I can understand because I think in one of the HOA's we lived it was required to either be lighted, or taken down.

[Alistair242]

Sorry to dredge this thread up but whoever is in the above pic anchored right now in Annie Bight, Eleuthera did not get the memo. A Lagoon 52 by the looks.
I am a live aboard most of the time and when not on the boat am usually here at home in Eleuthera. My wife and son are Bahamian and I have permanent residence here.
We have two cats at anchor in our cove this Christmas Eve and the one pictured are flying a very large USA flag aft but well above the small Bahamas courtesy flag. In my mind a deliberate snub and show of disrespect to the Bahamas and her people. I will give the people aboard the benefit of the doubt and assume that they are ignorant of the laws in the Bahamas(and most other places).
If you see this then please lower your national flag below the level of your Bahamian courtesy flag as a………well as a courtesy to the country you are now in and the nationals of the same. If you need further clarification then come ashore in the morning to the pink house with the white roof on the hill adjacent to your boat. I am sure that my friends at Bahamas Customs and Immigration would not be so quick to dismiss the gesture. Such things give cruisers a bad reputation around here.
I am all for showing your patriotism but think of those whose country you are in. How would you feel about a Bahamian flag vessel doing the same in the USA?

[chubby]

Originally Posted by Alistair242

Attachment 269128

Sorry to dredge this thread up but whoever is in the above pic anchored right now in Annie Bight, Eleuthera did not get the memo. A Lagoon 52 by the looks.
I am a live aboard most of the time and when not on the boat am usually here at home in Eleuthera. My wife and son are Bahamian and I have permanent residence here.
We have two cats at anchor in our cove this Christmas Eve and the one pictured are flying a very large USA flag aft but well above the small Bahamas courtesy flag. In my mind a deliberate snub and show of disrespect to the Bahamas and her people. I will give the people aboard the benefit of the doubt and assume that they are ignorant of the laws in the Bahamas(and most other places).
If you see this then please lower your national flag below the level of your Bahamian courtesy flag as a………well as a courtesy to the country you are now in and the nationals of the same. If you need further clarification then come ashore in the morning to the pink house with the white roof on the hill adjacent to your boat. I am sure that my friends at Bahamas Customs and Immigration would not be so quick to dismiss the gesture. Such things give cruisers a bad reputation around here.
I am all for showing your patriotism but think of those whose country you are in. How would you feel about a Bahamian flag vessel doing the same in the USA?

i would not feel a thing... it is just a flag.







merry christmas!

[Alistair242]

Originally Posted by chubby

i would not feel a thing... it is just a flag.







merry christmas!

True, but still not something a guest who wished to show respect would do. My Bahamian wife and her sister(who was with Bahamas Customs for over 25yrs) are not impressed.

Merry Christmas to you.

[MicHughV]

Let's face it here, flag etiquette to most charterers and many sailors is an unknown thing.

[Alistair242]

Sadly yes. To me it is important and for those who do know it is noticed. Charterers can more easily be forgiven. I have to say that I am irritated by this instance. I’ll get over it.
For those who wish to endear themselves to the locals wherever they may be it is worth making an effort to conform.

[keepondancin]

I cruised out of the US for about 10 years, and I tried to always respect where I was. I never thought about the heights of flags. The standard for the courtesy flag was the starboard spreader. The recommended height for the US ensign is 2/3rds up the luff of the sail, if not off the end of the gaff, if gaffed rigged. That would usually put it higher than the courtesy flag. I would like to think I never offended anyone in the host country about how the flags were flown. I was the guest.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Alistair242

We have two cats at anchor in our cove this Christmas Eve and the one pictured are flying a very large USA flag aft but well above the small Bahamas courtesy flag.

So, let's try to be clear on exactly what the problem is here, because I, for one, would like to understand.


Reliable sources state that the courtesy flag, for say, 45' vessel, should be 22" on the fly while the ensign should be 54" on the fly.


So, it would be expected that the courtesy flag is smaller than the ensign.


Is the problem that the courtesy flag is too small for the boat? Or that the ensign is too large? From the photo there appears to be about a 3:1 ratio in the size of the fly of the two flags, which does not appear to me to be a violation of tradition.



Is there a problem with the ensign being higher? The flags are not on the same halyard, and it is expected that the ensign will occupy the position of highest honor.



Or is it just the overall effect, given that the first spreader on this particular boat is quite low?

If you see this then please lower your national flag below the level of your Bahamian courtesy flag as a………well as a courtesy to the country you are now in and the nationals of the same.

I am not an expert but am not aware of any law or tradition that states that the courtesy flag must always be flown from a higher elevation than the ensign. I would invite a source or citation if that is the case. On a gaff-rigged vessel the ensign would be flown from the gaff and would therefore be higher in elevation than any other flags.

[El Pinguino]

If you want to see countries getting bent out of shape over national flags go to South America.

This is a Peruvian sail training ship in Salinas, Ecuador.

It seems to be a 'mine is bigger than yours' sort of a thing.

In the next life I'm coming back as a south american flag salesman.

[Uncle Bob]

Funny isn't it, some just don't get it and probably never will.
The flag of the country of registration should be flown slightly lower than the courtesy flag of the country being visited, regardless of the height that said flag would normally be flown in the home countries waters or underway, furthermore all flags should be well maintained and not allowed to become tattered and torn. There are sure to be other conventions but these are two of the basics.

Oh, and a merry Christmas to one and all.

[mako]

I would think that: (1) the courtesy flag should be the same size and flown immediately below the flag of State, (2) the courtesy flag would never be above the State flag, unless the State is just on a transom, (3) the courtesy flag could be the only flag flown if you are in an area which you'd like to remain low-key and not advertise "rich American yacht" floating here.

[Uncle Bob]

A small cut from noonsite.

Courtesy Flags
A nation’s courtesy flag should be flown by all vessels when entering a nation’s territorial waters for the first time (and for the duration of the stay in that country’s territorial waters).

The flag should be flown from the starboard spreader in a position above any other flag. Motor vessels that do not have a dedicated signal halyard should fly the courtesy flag from a prominent position instead (e.g. the VHF aerial).

The courtesy flag should be in a good state and of reasonable size as some officials take offense at yachts that fly a torn or tiny flag.

In some dependencies or autonomous regions, such as the Canaries, Azores, French Polynesia, or Corsica, it is appreciated if the regional flag is flown together, but below, that of the metropolitan power.

[El Pinguino]

I have always been of the belief that the courtesy ensign should be flown superior to the ship's ensign as you are a guest in another country and subject to their rules and regulations. Probably why they call it a **courtesy** ensign.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by chubby

i would not feel a thing... it is just a flag.

merry christmas!

I'm would not feel a thing in my flag state either. That's assuming I even noticed...