is Flying the US flag safe anymore?

[Ram]

Talbot,
I did not "know" that we are requred by law to fly our flag-after cruising the Bahamas for quite a few years it never came up. I did know about the courtesy flag.
I wonder how many folks do not fly there flag in an area where there is high political tension , between country's, Like say the middle east or north Africa and the USA? I realize most folks will not give it much attention, but the the extremists movement is growing ,I think it pays to be a little more careful
Ram

[swagman]

Hi Ram,
I believe Talbot was clarifying the issue of courtesy flag use for us all.
I am not aware if maritime law requiring your country of registration flag to be flown - but I do know if you do chose to fly such a flag - is correct that it is the country of boat registration and NOT the country of the skipper.
It's not uncommon for sailors to fly one flag on the transom (as we do - a Brit Flag), a courtesy flag below the starboard spreaders, and ones own nationality flag (ours an Oz flag) below the port spreaders.
Cheers
JOHN

[Ram]

Swagman,
ok that clarifying things a little better for me , thanks
Ram

[skipperaris]

Well said Talbot and Swagman.
This confirms what I know and to demonstrate, here is a picture from a charter trip last summer.



The subject of the photo was Miriam climbing the mast but the courtesy flag of Hydra is visible on the stbd spreader and the crew's nationality flags, Swiss and Italian, on the port spreader.

Somehow even the nationality flag - Greek - sneaked in as well. I like to carry it high up along the topping lift. It is in the top left hand corner of the picture.

With this opportunity I discovered that pictures included here have to be URL's so I just posted this picture to the images file in my site www.skippered-sailing-yacht.com I hope it works. And now I think about it maybe I should make it accessible from my photo galleries.

[Ram]

Nice Picture!

[Knottygirlz]

It is tradition, I believe, with a power cruiser to display the host country's flag from the bow, and your home country's flag from the stern. We fly the US flag from our bow and a Canadian flag (and our home province flag) from our stern. We do this out of simple respect for our neighbors to the south, who share the main waterways that we travel in almost every day. Most, but not all, of the boaters in our area do the same thing.

Lori, Rick and Shadow

[Talbot]

It is tradition, I believe, with a power cruiser to display the host country's flag from the bow, and your home country's flag from the stern.

Common useage in those waters perhaps (primarily due to not having anywhere else to display the flag. MOBO's used to have a tiny mast designed just for this purpose.

Warships will display their national flag from the bow when at anchor in addition to their ensign at the stern.

[CaptainK]

skipperaris

That's a nice photo.

Is that "you" up the mast?

[skipperaris]

Thanks Ram and CaptainK.
No that's not me up the mast this time.
It is Miriam, a lovely young lady who came on a cruise last summer.
I was in charge of the halyard from which she was hanging.

And here is a picture she took from up there.



More like this in my site.

[skipperaris]

We seem to be slipping into vexillology here.
What Talbot calls the maritime flag is properly called the ensign but he is right about warships flying a national flag from the bow. I believe this is properly called a jack.

On civilian craft it is a house flag and can be almost anything you want, you family's coat of arms, the sports team you support or the flag of the maker of your power cruiser. I have even seen club burgees at the bows of power cruisers.

Over here power cruisers have some sort of a mast and that's where the courtesy flag is normally flown.

But of course usage can vary from one place to another and has changed throughout history.

For example in the olden days the two flags on my port yard arm would have meant that this was an Italian ship captured by the Swiss. The mind boggles

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Ram

Im wondering if I fly the US flag what kind of target will I become?
Ram

A half-dozen years ago, it was difficult to go anywhere in the U.S. without the national flag in sight. I had wanted very much to fly my earth flag in response to what I saw as a growing divide between our country and much of the rest of the world. In the end, I chose not to, after witnessing the anger and agressive acts directed at a friend who displayed his earth flag on the front porch.

It seems that there is fear on both sides - fear of displaying the American flag in foreign lands, and fear of displaying anything but an American flag on U.S. soil. Very sad, indeed.

Years have gone by. I have gotten over my reservations. The earth flag flies proudly from my backstay. We are all of one earth.

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by skipperaris

We seem to be slipping into vexillology here.
What Talbot calls the maritime flag is properly called the ensign but he is right about warships flying a national flag from the bow. I believe this is properly called a jack.

I used the terminology "Maritime Flag" to emphasise that this was different to the National Flag, because some people do confuse the ensign for the national flag.

The National Flag at the bow is hung on what is known as the "Jackstaff" and in UK, the Union Flag when flown from the Jackstaff is known as the Union Jack (properly - this is the only place where Union Jack is correct terminology). I cant answer for other country's terminology

[GMac]

Originally Posted by Raven

Years have gone by. I have gotten over my reservations. The earth flag flies proudly from my backstay. We are all of one earth.

Earth Flag ???? Please expand, a piccy maybe.

[skipperaris]

This is a flag with a picture of the earth as seen from space on a navy blue background.

Here it is:

It was conceived as a symbol of unity on our tiny planet.
I believe there is also an Earth flag day which is celebrated on the spring equinox or have I got it wrong?
Raven could tell us more.

[Ram]

Now thats a wonderful Flag, I would fly that anywhere
Ram!