MacGregorSailors.com

Anyone have any regrets or recommendations for Flag Halyards?

I'm getting ready to attach strap eyes and blocks on my new Spreaders. I'm just sure if 'center' of the Spreader is the way to go.


All help greatly appreciated!

- ALLEN

Mine are centered because it's just as likely a flag with be flailing against the mast as against the outer/upper shroud, so I split the difference.

On a larger boat, I'd put it so the longest courtesy flag (British and most of her former colonies/territories as well as many other countries with 1:2 aspect ratio) doesn't smack a shroud, and otherwise doesn't hit anything when it's waving about, and otherwise keep it away from the mast. But Macs are small, so in the middle they go, at least on mine.

As an interesting aside, the US ensign is officially 10:19, but I've never seen one for a boat that wasn't 2:3. But unless you're visiting here from somewhere else, you wouldn't be flying it anyway, other than off the leach, or the backstay, or a flagstaff off the stern.

Thanks! Dead in the middle sounds like the best way to go. I wanted to double check and find out is there were any reasons I wasn't aware of before taking a drill and rivet gun to my spreaders!

Mine is in the middle as well.

BTW, these are the instructions that I used to install my flag halyards.

https://stingysailor.com/2015/09/19/mak ... -colors-2/

I even ordered some of the materials from his links.

Normally I am good about posting to the mods section after I complete a mod but in this case I did not feel right about copying someones instructions. Speaking of mods, I wish that more of you would post your mods. Especially Boat and Highlander. I can't call them out because both have been great about sharing information when asked. I totally understand their mod obsessions since I tend to get carried away myself...

Tomfoolery wrote: But unless you're visiting here from somewhere else, you wouldn't be flying it anyway, other than off the leach, or the backstay, or a flagstaff off the stern.

Is the starboard spreader not a proper position for the US ensign in US waters? I thought the leach was an "also appropriate" position, meaning the starboard spreader was preferred. Perhaps I am wrong.

Since I don't think I will get the ensign 2/3 up the leach, I have been planning to put it on the spreader. Please correct be before it is too late

Also, has anyone made a soft shackle to avoid hanging more hardware up there?

--john

Don't put them too close to the shrouds else the flags will catch on the shrouds easily. Mast, not so much.

--Russ

From my last reading of the flag edicate code flags should be displayed in order of importance.

Your national flag should be flown from the position of greatest importance or highest position, this being in order the top of the mast,
stern (poop deck in old ships)
Starboard spreader
Port spreader

However it seems different clubs and nationalities differ in their flag edicate, its a easy google search for "flag edicate on boats".

I know my club flies their club flag higher than the national flag on the main mast of the yacht club flag pole, with the national flag on the starboard yardarm at around 2/3s the height of the club flag.

http://www.usps.org/f_stuff/etiquett.html#us-ensign

Generally, the national ensign should be displayed at the peak of the gaff, i.e., the outer end of the spar extending aft from the mast of your boat—if you boat has a gaff. If it does not, fly it from the flagstaff at your boat's stern. If your boat has an overhanging boom or an outboard motor, your flagstaff may be offset to starboard (preferably) from your boat's centerline.

On a sportfishing boat, where a stern staff might interfere with the gear, and vice versa, the practice is to fly the ensign from a halyard rigged amidships on the after part of the superstructure.

Marconi-rigged sailboats may fly the ensign from the leech of the aftermost sail (or from the back stay), approximately 2/3 the distance up its length. This puts it in about the same position it would occupy if the boat were gaff-rigged.

At anchor or made fast, the ensign should be flown from the stern staff of all boats. The U.S. national ensign has a 10:19 hoist/fly ratio.

Chapman says the same thing, if memory serves.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/7 for those in the USA, and remember its a $700 fine if they choose to get picky and you have it displayed incorrectly

http://www.houstonyachtclub.com/OnTheWa ... tocol.aspx a more nautical artical on flag positions for US boats

For those in Australia a article from the Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia (Sydney to Hobart race organisers) http://www.cyca.com.au/media/1932734/flag-etiquette.pdf

In England, from the Royal Yachting Association http://www.rya.org.uk/knowledge-advice/ ... uette.aspx

In Canada http://www.canadianyachting.ca/diy/seam ... s-properly

I think that covers the majority countries that are represented here, sorry if I missed your country, but a simple Google search will get you the information

Seems there are slight variations between countries but most use the same basic outline

Backstay for me...Lake Champlain, looking north, about 20 miles south of Burlington VT and a few miles east of Westport NY. US courtesy flag was clipped to the starboard spreader.




Now, where do you put the skull and crossbones? Can't find the etiquette on that one on any government site.

So how are you getting it 2/3 up the leach or backstay? Do you run a halyard up the backstay?

--john

Interim wrote:So how are you getting it 2/3 up the leach or backstay? Do you run a halyard up the backstay?

--john

Nope, no halyards. I just stand up and clip it on, as high as I can reach. I thought about putting it on the backstay up high when rigging the mast, but then it's impossible to unwrap if/when it gets fouled. A small breach of etiquette, but I haven't seem to have offended anyone yet. Same with the courtesy flag on the sidestay, I just go up on the cabin top and clip it on. I thought about halyards, but I think they just make things complicated for very marginal benefit.

Actually, the customs agent on Heart Island in NY seemed quite happy with us: when I declared some bananas and oranges we had on board, he asked me if I was planning to plant an orchard in the US, and when I said it hadn't even occurred to me, he waved me through with a smile.

I had grommets installed in my new mainsail at the 2/3 point on the leech, so that when sailing the ensign is displayed on the sail, but when motoring at the stern.

This is what I've done. I use the US Ensign in Canadian waters, but my smaller Yacht Ensign when at home as downwind sailing doesn't cause it to smack me in the head constantly. And you're not supposed to use the yacht ensign in another country's waters.