Where are weather pennants displayed?

[jsc7]

I know what the weather warning pennants are, but where should I look for them to be displayed?

On other boats and ships? On shore-based facilities?

[CaptTom]

In the US, my understanding was that they were discontinued by the CG years ago. Still flown at some yacht clubs. And I've noticed them creeping back into some "official" shoreside stations, too. Not sure if that's CG or some other state/local/federal agency.

[boatman61]

Here in Portugal they don't use pennants.. they hoist black balls that are visible from either side of an entrance to the port.. entry or exit.
Failure to heed the warning can result in a fine of 1200euro for vessels (1 ball) under 11metres.. rising proportionally.

[CFS Klopas]

The Coast Guard has given their stations the option of resuming use of the pennants, called Storm Signals. Most CG stations don't use them. They correspond the the NWS marine warnings that are still issued using electronic means. Until about 20 years ago, they were most commonly seen at yacht clubs and marinas.

You can look for them on my boat this summer, but the original program was designed for shore stations. I plan to signal storm force conditions for severe thunderstorm watches and hurricane for tornado watches, though that varies from the official program.

[Calif.Ted]

Been looking at the one here for days, it's flown from the "Harbor Patrol" office which is the county sheriff's. Whatever local agency has primary law enforcement and rescue responsibility over a harbor if such exists flies it here. Glad I'm not in Portugal yesterday wasn't worth 1200 euros.

[Lihuedooley77]

Our harbor department in Dana Point displays the storm warning pennants and flags. USA

One pennant ....small craft advisory zero to 38 mph

two pennants.....gale 39 to 53 mph

one flag.............storm 54 to 73 mph

two flags............hurricane 74 plus

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In Newport Bay, they were posted at the Coast Guard Station

In Catalina they were posted at the harbor departments.

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Also, I believe they could be posted at yacht clubs as well

Personally, I liked being informed as to any warnings by pennants and flags, as well as weather TV, and radio, and marine wx on the VHF, and our own eyeballs on the the wind direction and cloud formations and barometer, Also, we now check out " weather underground " forecasts, on the computer.

Weather underground :

they include the marine and aviation weather and scientific printed out forecasts as well as excellent easy to read, graphs with sky-cloud cover / temps / wind direction/ and barometer. And amount of precip if rain in the forecast.

storm warning signals :

One thing tho be aware of, the small craft advisory pennant could also warn of large swells, even if the wind is no factor.

[Paul Kelly]

Originally Posted by Lihuedooley77

Our harbor department in Dana Point displays the storm warning pennants and flags. USA

One pennant ....small craft advisory zero to 38 mph

two pennants.....gale 39 to 53 mph

one flag.............storm 54 to 73 mph

two flags............hurricane 74 plus

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Newport Bay, they were posted at the Coast Guard Station

In Catalina they were posted at the harbor departments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also, I believe they could be posted at yacht clubs as well

Personally, I liked being informed as to any warnings by pennants and flags, as well as weather TV, and radio, and marine wx on the VHF, and our own eyeballs on the the wind direction and cloud formations and barometer, Also, we now check out " weather underground " forecasts, on the computer.

Weather underground :

they include the marine and aviation weather and scientific printed out forecasts as well as excellent easy to read, graphs with sky-cloud cover / temps / wind direction/ and barometer. And amount of precip if rain in the forecast.

storm warning signals :

One thing tho be aware of, the small craft advisory pennant could also warn of large swells, even if the wind is no factor.

Two flags in a hurricane? Would they survive?

[Lihuedooley77]

Good question...I would think if the pole was still standing those flags could be in tatters.

bigger question, would you and your boat survive.

After seeing the destruction in the BVI due to IRMA , good wake up call for us humans not to be indifferent to the power of mother nature. Even when the charter companies followed the usual hurricane hole procedures, those 180 to 210 mph winds wreaked havoc on land and sea.

Fortunately, the strongest winds that we have experienced on board, was in Gustavia Harbor, St. Barts. 63 mph. Storm class .

A surprise tropical depression formed over the islands. Not forecast by anyone. Not hurricane season.

We did just fine, with seamanship and a good dose of luck. But that is a whole other story

[CFS Klopas]

I think by the time the storm signals were shredded by a hurricane, you would no longer need them to warn you of the hurricane.

[waterman46]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Here in Portugal they don't use pennants.. they hoist black balls that are visible from either side of an entrance to the port.. entry or exit.
Failure to heed the warning can result in a fine of 1200euro for vessels (1 ball) under 11metres.. rising proportionally.

Nanny state can fine you for going out in bad weather!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by waterman46

Nanny state can fine you for going out in bad weather!

Nanny State that's had its CG and Marine Police die rescuing dumb foreign dickheads who are experts but dont know $hit.. like the German Yacht Master who capsized his boat trying to enter Figuera da Foz dumping his students in the water and as a result killing himself and one Policia Maritimo who went out to clean his mess..

[Lihuedooley77]

We lived on kauai for 10 years, and every year would be well aware of approaching hurricanes . There was no indifference, we treated each as tho it would impact us.

Fortunately, every year, every on of those hurricanes, were down graded or veered north or south . The big island and sometime maui were hit.

No one was compacent with any hurricane or tsunami warning. Out last direct hit was INIKI that tore the hell out of Kauai. That monster was supposed to track to the south, when it did a hard 90 degree turn to starboard and the eye passed directly over the island.

We want nothing to do with hurricanes when we do our sailing vacations, and our personal choice not to book a bare boat in the caribbean between june and november. They have a saying down there " september remember, october all over " .

Also experienced typhoons in Okinawa and Japan, long years ago. We flew our patrol bombers p 2V-7', off to Australia. The aircrews had a great liberty hop, us ground pounders missed out .

Mother nature and the ocean , air, land or sea, can kick okole, and is not our friend . Fortunately, in these times, we generally get plenty of warning. Beat to heed those warnings and warning signs.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Paul Kelly

Two flags in a hurricane? Would they survive?

dana point does not get hurricanes. water too cold place is not tropical. question is moot. iff a cane should reach dana point, all best be using cameras for pix, as they are beyond rare.

here the pennants, err banderas, are placed on a flagpole which is a copy of a ships mast with crossarms/spreaders. is at the land based entrance to marina.
the donot dare surf your gonna kill folks commercial fishing butt out the dangerous entrance flag is red. (i woulda called it the gringo gonna die in marina entry surf flag, but it is coming summer and no gringos anymore.)
yellow is danger but still open port. green is never flown.