Flags - What Do You Fly ?

[svjustus]

I thought that if the vessel is documented then you are supposed to fly a US flag. Am I wrong?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Geoduck

What ever happened to the so called ''international flag'' or rainbow flag? I havent seen any of those lately - the hippies used to fly them all the time back in the 70's. I thought they were pretty cool looking flags myself.

Depending upon your sexual orientation you might want to be careful where you fly the rainbow flag -- it has also been picked up as a symbol of the gay community.

Funny related story: My wife and I were in Key West years ago. She had to head back home and I was going to stay solo on the boat for while. Before she left she purchased a rainbow flag for the boat because she thought it was pretty. After attracting a few admiring same sex passers-by, I took it down very quickly!

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by svjustus

I thought that if the vessel is documented then you are supposed to fly a US flag. Am I wrong?

"Country of Registry" flag is normally flown off the stern. If the vessel is USCG Documented then "yes" that would be the US flag.

[Geoduck]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Depending upon your sexual orientation you might want to be careful where you fly the rainbow flag -- it has also been picked up as a symbol of the gay community.

Funny related story: My wife and I were in Key West years ago. She had to head back home and I was going to stay solo on the boat for while. Before she left she purchased a rainbow flag for the boat because she thought it was pretty. After attracting a few admiring same sex passers-by, I took it down very quickly!

That figures! I wondered about that! Thanks for the warning!

[Randyonr3]

Concerning flags,
Was recently boarded by the local costies on a training run for the newbees.. as the new kids comming up, they were going throught their books checking on what I needed and had to have's.. you know the drill, checking the dates of the flairs and fire equeptment..
Well one of them brought up the issue of "Signal Flags" and asked where mine were.. told him I didnt have any and didnt know how to use them If I did.. They wrote me up for not having a set on board.. seems any vessel over 12 meter needs to have a set on board..

[Astrid]

I have a set of international code flags but rarely use any of them except for Q when entering a foreign port or returning to a home port after a foreign cruise; and A when over the side doing work below the waterline.

[LeaseOnLife]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

Concerning flags,
Was recently boarded by the local costies on a training run for the newbees.. as the new kids comming up, they were going throught their books checking on what I needed and had to have's.. you know the drill, checking the dates of the flairs and fire equeptment..
Well one of them brought up the issue of "Signal Flags" and asked where mine were.. told him I didnt have any and didnt know how to use them If I did.. They wrote me up for not having a set on board.. seems any vessel over 12 meter needs to have a set on board..

I can't find this requirement anywhere in the federal requirements, for the US. Did they mean the code flags, as Astrid mentions, or did they want to see the big orange distress flag? Nothing wrong with having them, but this USCG document shows nothing about having to have the code flags, and the big orange distress flag is only one of several possible day-distress-signals.

http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/...ations/420.PDF

Dirk

[bobconnie]

Down the Bayou most boats fly the Skull and Bones! with a JLF in small letters in the bottom corner !to remember Jean LaFitte ! a Big Local Hero, and the Flag!! of course! sorta different ! and a question for Randyonr3 whats the length of your boat ?? over 65 ft? Ive never had or been asked for signal flags when boarded so was just wondering, never even been asked for on USCG Cert. inspection.

[SearenitySail]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

Concerning flags,...Well one of them brought up the issue of "Signal Flags" and asked where mine were... They wrote me up for not having a set on board.. seems any vessel over 12 meter needs to have a set on board..

The only signal flag I could find in the USCG safety requirements is the Orange Distress Flag. Federal Requirements

On another note -- if a group from a US yacht club were to charter several boats in the BVI, is it appropriate for them to each fly a yacht club burgee?

Also, would a YC officer fly his/her appropriate rank flag in place of the YC burgee?

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Geoduck

What ever happened to the so called ''international flag'' or rainbow flag? ...

Sail Pride!

;-)
b

[Hydra]

I fly the French Ensign at the stern, generally a medium-sized one on a staff (as on my avatar). When it blows hard, I replace it with a small one on the backstay, to prevent the other one from being torn (happened once).

Abroad, I add the local courtesy flag under the starboard spreader and the Q flag under the port one.

I also have the full set of signal flags (probably the less useful piece of kit onboard). Sometimes, I hoist "UW2", meaning "Welcome", for example when ladies are arriving aboard.

Alain

[Bash]

Originally Posted by SearenitySail

Also, would a YC officer fly his/her appropriate rank flag in place of the YC burgee?

Never. For single-mast sailboats without pigsticks, the flag goes under the burgee. On double-mast vessels the burgee is on the main starboard spreader, the flag is on the mizzen starboard spreader. On powerboats, the burgee is on the bow staff and the flag is on the "mast." For sloops with masthead pigsticks, the burgee is on the pigstick and the flag is on the starboard spreader.

All these vessels would fly the ensign on a stern staff. The exception to this seems to be schooners, where the traditional option is to sew the ensign to the mainsail's leech.

[hellosailor]

"I thought that if the vessel is documented then you are supposed to fly a US flag. Am I wrong? " A recreationally documented vessel has the option to fly a US ensign, but is not required to do so.

The "rainbow flag" has indeed been pre-empted to mean "gays, lesbians, and assorted nontraditional genders here". Which is really wierd because that crowd is usually totally intolerant of sheep and bestiality in general, they're really uptight. So much for free thinking and tolerance!

Onceuponatime, the flag could be flown from the leech of the aft sail, but on a modern sloop with an angled sail and a backstay...I'm not sure that could be made to work any more. Nice place to do it though.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Should I have time on my hands this summer (I plan to!) - then 2 flags are on the "To do list".

1) a House Flag (Owner Onboard)

and

2) a Battle Flag (for use when encountering Pirates etc . or being a Pirate ).

[Bash]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Onceuponatime, the flag could be flown from the leech of the aft sail, but on a modern sloop with an angled sail and a backstay...I'm not sure that could be made to work any more. Nice place to do it though.

Works best with gaff rigs, for certain.