Do you ever “Dip Your Ensign “

[Uricanejack]

Flag threads seam popular at the moment. So instead of drifting a thread I thought I would start a new one.

It’s an old tradition to “Dip Your Ensigne” to “Salute” a senior vessel.
As a civilian vessel all Naval Vessels are considered senior.

Traditional flag etiquette civilian vessels dip Naval Vessels. Including naval vessels from other countries, particularly if you are in the other countries territorial waters.

I do, for mostly traditional reasons. It was something we always did back in the day. It’s polite and showing respect to the vessel and crew.
As an other rank. A Salute can be kind of fun.
It’s nice when, your Salute gets returned. It’s pretty rude when it’s not.

A couple of particularly memorable vessels I have passed.

Long time ago, I dipped the RY Britannia, She returned it.
The most impressive I think was the USS Iowa, particularly since she was arriving in Norfolk and just after we passed she manned the rails.
They just don’t make em like tat anymore.

Dipped the Coral Sea and the Ranger as well which were impressive but not quite as cool as the Iowa. The carrier might win the fight but the old Battle Wagons looked cool.

From time to time, I pass a US Navy vessel in Jaun De Fuca or on their way up to WG.
I pass RCN more frequently, They used to be better and generally returned my salute. But I find now more they don’t.
Particularly the Animal Crakers. I pass them frequently at close quarter in the SGI

Not sure if the new generation is just plain rude.
Or as I presume more likely just don’t bother to keep a look out.

The destroyers don’t pass by very often but some of them still keep a look out.

Even though the odds are they probably aren’t looking, I still follow the old tradition of paying respect by salute to the Navy and appreciate when it’s noticed.

Or maybe it’s just a weird hobby like plane spotters.

[jordanbigel]

My flag is mounted on a 4 foot long pole and sticks into a socket on the stern, just behind the pushpit. How would I "dip" it? I really don't know. Just pull it out of the socket and remove it from view, and then put it back? The other ship probably wouldn't see that I'm guessing. But I like the esprit de corp of following the old traditions.

[Uricanejack]

How depends a bit on the vessel and where the Ensign is
Traditionaly.
You stand by the Jack staff,
When you can see,(from where your ensign is) the navy vessel, just a bit before you pass abeam, you lower your ensign to half staff or around roughly the rail but you keep it in sight and still flying not touching the deck ect.

You wait as you pass, the Navy vessel should lower her ensign in reply to half staff,
After the Navy vessel return her ensign to full hoist.
You raise your ensign to full hoist.

On a smaller vessel where I just have my ensign on a removable staff.
Instead, I pull out the staff and make a point of lowering the Ensign but keep it visible and make sure it doesn’t touch the deck.

If you want to be more visible hold the staff so the ensign is at or above head hight then lower to about waist or rail hight.
Not sure if this is quite the approved method but it should be good enough to be seen when passing at close range.

There not going to notice when you are 5 miles away. But they should be see it at half a mile.

I’m probably kind of old fashioned. Sticking with an old tradition. Which probably most civilian vessels don’t bother with. Having started sailing in the UK which was very traditional. Or at least it was.

[Tetepare]

Awesome thread.

I’ve never dipped for anything.

But I’ll try it next summer for the local USCG. I suspect they won’t have a clue since we got the bottom of the bucket.

[Pandor]

I'm fairly certain that it isn't proper to dip the U.S. ensign for any foreign ensign (man-o-war or not) unless in return to such a compliment first rendered by the other vessel. The USN custom is described in United States Navy Regulations Chapter 12, Section 1263.

Dipping the National Ensign.

1. When any vessel, under United States registry or the registry of a nation formally recognized by the Government of the United States, salutes a ship of the Navy by dipping her ensign, it shall be answered dip for dip. If not already being displayed, the national ensign shall be hoisted for the purpose of answering the dip. An ensign being displayed at half-mast shall be hoisted to the truck or peak before a dip is answered.

2. No ship of the Navy shall dip the national ensign unless in return for such compliment.

[Lake-Effect]

If one belongs to a yacht club, and they hold a sailpast, it's customary to dip the ensign when passing in front of the Commodore's boat.

That's about the only dipping action we see on the Great Lakes.

[Spot]

Does this ensign dipping come with a port salute as well?
I think a little extra decorum would be nice.

[goboatingnow]

I have no wish to acknowledge anybody’s military vessels nor subject some poor cadet to be sent running to the stern of a naval vessel

[goboatingnow]

Good story , A friend was sailing who knew the commanding officer on a naval vessel. He texted him to say one day that he had been tracking the military vessel by its AIS and his yacht radar and sent him his last two hours course

The commander replied “ standby , computing firing solution “ ,” I have a big gun “ , “ your move “

Much hilarity ensued when they met up.

[Jolly Roger]

Once, when out day sailing from Gibraltar, we passed Dar Pomoroza, the full-rigged Polish sail training ship, heading into the port. I dipped my Royal Cornwall YC blue ensign, which we ran up the mizzen backstay of my ketch, so it was an obvious salute, but not returned.
A few days later I visited the ship on its open day, and happened to mention to one of the officers that I had passed her on her way in. He said he had seen my salute, but they had nobody available to return it, as they were busy getting ready to dock. He then excused himself, and returned with an invitation to visit the captain on the quarter-deck.
The skipper spoke good English, and after he apologized for the lack of courtesy, he asked if I would like a tour of the ship. This took two hours and we had a few tipples in the officer’s mess as well.
It sometimes pays to observe the old ways.

[more]

Originally Posted by Uricanejack

Flag threads seam popular at the moment. So instead of drifting a thread I thought I would start a new one.

It’s an old tradition to “Dip Your Ensigne” to “Salute” a senior vessel.
As a civilian vessel all Naval Vessels are considered senior.

Traditional flag etiquette civilian vessels dip Naval Vessels. Including naval vessels from other countries, particularly if you are in the other countries territorial waters.

I do, for mostly traditional reasons. It was something we always did back in the day. It’s polite and showing respect to the vessel and crew.
As an other rank. A Salute can be kind of fun.
It’s nice when, your Salute gets returned. It’s pretty rude when it’s not.

A couple of particularly memorable vessels I have passed.

Long time ago, I dipped the RY Britannia, She returned it.
The most impressive I think was the USS Iowa, particularly since she was arriving in Norfolk and just after we passed she manned the rails.
They just don’t make em like tat anymore.

Dipped the Coral Sea and the Ranger as well which were impressive but not quite as cool as the Iowa. The carrier might win the fight but the old Battle Wagons looked cool.

From time to time, I pass a US Navy vessel in Jaun De Fuca or on their way up to WG.
I pass RCN more frequently, They used to be better and generally returned my salute. But I find now more they don’t.
Particularly the Animal Crakers. I pass them frequently at close quarter in the SGI

Not sure if the new generation is just plain rude.
Or as I presume more likely just don’t bother to keep a look out.

The destroyers don’t pass by very often but some of them still keep a look out.

Even though the odds are they probably aren’t looking, I still follow the old tradition of paying respect by salute to the Navy and appreciate when it’s noticed.

Or maybe it’s just a weird hobby like plane spotters.

you are bored, find some hobby

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by more

you are bored, find some hobby

I think that’s what he has done

[Anders]

The flag is tied to the backstay. I only take it down when a storm is approaching .

[Tupaia]

We were once dipped. We had been beating to windward all afternoon and were gaining very gradually on a Royal Navy sail training vessel. It was tack for tack and the crew were doing their best to stay ahead of us. When we finally passed them the cadets saluted and they dipped their ensign. Suggest it was more for training purposes but it was nice all the same.

[Montanan]

Since my ensign is rather fixedly mounted to the staff it is not easy to dip and the lowering would be of very small dimension and thus not easy to observe.

So, I prefer to provide a gun salute. The loud noise is also likely to be noticed more than a smaller vessel's lowering of their ensign is to be observed. A well-placed shot across their bow, can lead to a reciprocal and thus mutual salute in return. Also tends to result in a further closing of the courses of the larger (senior) vessel towards the smaller (junior) vessel.