country flags do you need them?

[guitarrich]

I agree with the consensus. Courtesy flags are a “must”.

This will be quite an adventure!

Madagascar and neighbouring waters can be dangerous from a security point of view.

There is a number of countries and archipelagos between Africa and France.

There is more in the med than France.

Two years will make for a busy schedule. I wonder if you’ve had much ocean cruising experience?

[LoudMusic]

Boat flags are fun - you should definitely get flags for everywhere you're going. I flew a courtesy state flag for each of the states we traveled to along the east coast of the US.

Your registered home flag(s) goes on port side. Courtesy flags go on starboard side AFTER you have cleared customs. Q (solid yellow) flag flies until you have cleared customs.

[Discovery 15797]

Completely agree with the consensus, but one final note to add...

Take the damn courtesy flag down when you clear out. I don't have enough fingers and toes to count the the number of Canadian courtesy flags flying on US flagged vessels months after they return from Canada.

Also, as a side note, many of these same googans will fly the US Yacht Ensign while in foreign (Canadian) waters. The US Yacht Ensign is for US vessels in US waters only.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Discovery 15797

Completely agree with the consensus, but one final note to add...

Take the damn courtesy flag down when you clear out. I don't have enough fingers and toes to count the the number of Canadian courtesy flags flying on US flagged vessels months after they return from Canada.

Also, as a side note, many of these same googans will fly the US Ensign while in foreign (Canadian) waters. The US Ensign is for US vessels in US waters only.

I am of the understanding that the flag of the country of registration is to be flown at all times in daylight hours in the most senior position (closest to the aft) and a courtesy flag of the country being visited is to be flown topmost on the starboard spreader.
Am I misinformed or am I not understanding your side note in bold above.

[Discovery 15797]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

I am of the understanding that the flag of the country of registration is to be flown at all times in daylight hours in the most senior position (closest to the aft) and a courtesy flag of the country being visited is to be flown topmost on the starboard spreader.
Am I misinformed or am I not understanding your side note in bold above.

Sorry Bob...I omitted a very important word and have since corrected my mistake.

I should have stated...the US Yacht Ensign, not the US Ensign.

Apologies for the error and confusion.

[alitaptap]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

As Ann sez — Make your own! Any cruising man should have that much of the sailmaker's craft in him.

YES, it is an expectation of every country that you show "courtesy" when passing through their territorial waters, whether or not you plan to anchor or go ashore.



Once, on a delivery from Hong Kong to Sebana Cove, Malaysia, we were ahead of schedule and decided to take slight detour South into the Anambas Islands (Indonesia). Unprepared for the Indonesian courtesy flag we observed that the flag of Indonesia is in fact 2/3 of the Dutch flag (the flag of the yacht owner) and I, being non-Dutch, got the job of defacing the Dutch flag, by removing the blue band and leaving the white & red horizontal bands. The Indonesian Coastguard were impressed by the resulting elongated courtesy flag and happily welcomed us into the island chain.





And Yes, I have since apologised to the Netherlands embassy in Manila (Philippines) for my action on that day.


N.B. it is becoming rather interesting sailing West from the Philippines to Vietnam because China irreverently aspires to have territorial rights in those waters . . . we have not been stopped yet for not flying a China courtesy flag en route but it may happen some day.

[Tupaia]

Traditionally headhunters would hang a white cowrie shell on the bow of their canoes if they were not hostile or a shrunken head if they were.

It is just courtesy.

[Jim Cate]

It varies between countries I suppose, but in New Caledonia they expect you to NOT hoist the courtesy flag until you are cleared in and have lowered the Q flag. This process is formally presented in the glossy brochure they give you AFTER you have arrived. This is the only place we've visited where it has been so explicitly laid out, so YM will V as you wend your way around the world.

So, if merely sailing through the local waters you should simply keep your ensign flying and continue on your way.

Jim

[Discovery 15797]

Originally Posted by alitaptap

N.B. it is becoming rather interesting sailing West from the Philippines to Vietnam because China irreverently aspires to have territorial rights in those waters . . .

Sailing to Vietnam???

[Fidsplice]

To answer the second part of the OP question, which seems unanswered in the thread (apart from sew your own), generally chandlers in the adjacent territory will have courtesy flags for the next territory, whichever direction you are travelling. Or will assist in locating. Tidy little earner for the chandlery!

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Cynara

Where is around here

Greece

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Fidsplice

To answer the second part of the OP question, which seems unanswered in the thread (apart from sew your own), generally chandlers in the adjacent territory will have courtesy flags for the next territory, whichever direction you are travelling. Or will assist in locating. Tidy little earner for the chandlery!

I pick them up in trinket shops often in the country I’m visiting !!, when the World Cup is on they can be easily got.

[carstenb]

I went ashore in Gibraltar one morning and on the Marina post board was a letter from the Port Captain saying that no boat would be allowed into the marina unless it was flying the proper courtesy flag - it further stated that anyone trying to tie up should be told to leave and not come back until they had learned to show the proper respect

We were flying the Red Duster so we were ok

[belizesailor]

And once you are done with them...gift them on to another cruiser or to a local cruiser's bar (some have quite a collection).

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Fidsplice

To answer the second part of the OP question, which seems unanswered in the thread (apart from sew your own), generally chandlers in the adjacent territory will have courtesy flags for the next territory, whichever direction you are travelling. Or will assist in locating. Tidy little earner for the chandlery!

Also sometimes enteriprising locals or cruisers in a port of call will make courtesy flags for the region.