Mondays 12/21/2009 Question and boating safety tip.

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:18 am

Safety Tip:

Flags.
How in the world can your US Flag be a safety item? Did you know that in an emergency situation your US Flag can help save you? If you are in an emergency situation and no longer have flares, mirrors, sound signals, or burning barrels on your boat you can fly your US Flag upside down as an emergency signal! Maybe your tired of jumping up and down waving your arms! Just fly your US flag upside down to visually indicate you are in desparate need of help!!

Speaking of your US flag and etiquette when you shop for a new one you should get a flag is is 1 inch wide per each foot of boat length rounding up if you can not find the exact size.

Question for today:

Which two of the following are the prefered places to fly your US flag on your sloop rigged sailboat while underway?

1) 2/3 of the way the way up leech of your mainsail.
2) Starboard spreader
3) Port spreader
4) flag staff at the stern of your boat

tgentry · Post by **tgentry** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 12:30 pm

Without looking it up, I'll go with #1 and #2.

thepartydog · Post by **thepartydog** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 1:50 pm

Um... Zero actual knowledge, so I'll go with #1 and the second #3.

Sailfrog · Post by **Sailfrog** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 2:12 pm

Number 1, and the (second) number 3.

The starboard spreader is for the flag of the host country (non-USA) AFTER clearing Customs.

Alanhod · Post by **Alanhod** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 4:52 pm

I'm going with #1 and #2 because the last owner was a hardcore Navy Chief Petty officer and he rigged it #1 and #2.

Also when we took the mast down this week on the Honu, 69shark said he liked the way I had my flag set up which is #1 and #2.

I think I got this one right.

Thanks
Alan

lecker68 · Post by **lecker68** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:13 pm

I think I will go with 2 and the second 3 which I imagine should be 4

Andiron120 · Post by **Andiron120** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 8:01 pm

I am going with one and the second three, or four.

Chrysler20%26 · Post by **Chrysler20%26** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 8:47 am

Nice post, I will awate the proper ancer

Bhacurly · Post by **Bhacurly** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:42 am

I will wait and see, then get a flag

Alanhod · Post by **Alanhod** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 1:52 pm

I still think it should go right here...

Thanks
Alan

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 6:21 am

Answer:

Since inevitably there will be concerns about the answer,
Please keep in mind this question is more about etiquette than the law.
There are indeed many places people fly their US flags from.
I pulled the answers from "Chapmans Piloting and Seamanship" a book normally refered to as the boaters bible. My edition is #65 or the most current edition.

The answer is 1 and 4.
1) 2/3 of the way the way up leech of your mainsail.
4) flag staff at the stern of your boat

Sorry Alan, I said I liked your flag halyard. I did not say it was the correct answer! LOL!!!

Seriously . . . . " LMAO"

Captain Scott

Sailfrog · Post by **Sailfrog** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:44 am

Alan, In defense of Navy CPO's I suspect your po had the flag hoist on the starboard spreader in order to fly his club burgee, his "Q" flag, or host country flag from the starboard spreader. He probably flew the US flag from the flagstaff when underway. I do the same, but I don't like it; it just feels wrong. It feels like someone forgot to "Shift Colors" when we got underway. The USN flies the US flag from the top of the mast when underway and from the stern flagstaff when anchored or pier-side.

Dan
Senior Chief Petty Officer, USN (Ret.)

I'm going with #1 and #2 because the last owner was a hardcore Navy Chief Petty officer and he rigged it #1 and #2.

Thanks
Alan

lecker68 · Post by **lecker68** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:49 am

Dan good to see other Navy still on the water. we only hoisted flag coming into port and at dockside as we could not fly the flag when DIVE command was given.

Alanhod · Post by **Alanhod** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:14 am

Dooo, missed it by that much, again.

Thanks
Alan

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Mondays 12/21/2009 Question and boating safety tip.

Mondays 12/21/2009 Question and boating safety tip.

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Mondays 11/23/2009 Question and boating safety Tip ANSWERED.