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Wearing an ensign

Posted: Fri May 05, 2017 6:03 am
by andygc
Good morning

Feronia came without an ensign staff and with no sign of having worn an ensign Now I've been out in her a couple of times, I'm not sure that the mizzen sheet won't foul a transom-mounted flagstaff, particularly when gybing. I see that Castaway's avatar shows a transom-mounted flagstaff, but perhaps the F33/35 has less boom overhang than the F28/30.

I'm trying to decide whether to fit a flagstaff or to hoist my ensign up the topping lift. A flagstaff would be more convenient but looks like a potential snagging problem. Up the topping lift is a bit awkward and the hoist could never be hauled tight. I don't dip my ensign to HM warships often - but it would be impossible on a run!

I'd be grateful for responses from other cat ketch owners as to what they do about an ensign.

Thanks
Andy

Re: Wearing an ensign

Posted: Sat May 06, 2017 5:39 am
by Castaway
]We fly two; the Shetland flag (an official flag, but not really an ensign), and a proper Red Ensign, tied to the topping lift with cable ties: we are a British Ship! I had to make a special mount for the ensign staff to angle it aft.

A few years ago, South of Karlskrona, we saw an F30 with an ensign staff attached to the end of the mizzen boom. We didn't get close enough to see just how it was done, but I took some pictures as we passed. The boat is called 'Puffin' I think.
"Puffin"
"Puffin"
ensign.jpg (74.86 KiB) Viewed 3750 times
[attachment=0]ensign2.jpg[/attachment

Re: Wearing an ensign

Posted: Tue May 09, 2017 2:26 pm
by Teke's Pride
I think that I've seen a photo where someone had mounted an ensign staff to the top of their rudder.