American flag

JD-MDR · Post by **JD-MDR** » Oct 14th, '17, 11:57

Will someone explain the flag with the anchor shaped stars.My boat came with that one and the regular. I really regret not having served am too old now but I don't want I at least could fly the correct flag.

Sea Hunt Video · Post by **Sea Hunt Video** » Oct 14th, '17, 12:22

JD:

The red canton (stars and anchor) is the ensign for the US Power Squadron. On the USPS flags I have seen, the white and blue stripes are vertical not, as in your photo, horizontal.

So, this may not be a US Power Squadron flag or it may be one that the mfg. got the blue and white stripes wrong - thinking they should be in the same direction (horizontal) as the red and white stripes on the flag of the United States of America.

tjr818 · Post by **tjr818** » Oct 14th, '17, 13:37

If you trust Wikipedia, here is what they say:
A modification of the national flag and ensign but with a fouled anchor in a circle of thirteen stars in the canton, was created by Act of Congress in August 1848 as a flag to be used by licensed U.S. yachts....The legal requirement for licensed yachts to fly the Yacht Ensign that was part of United States statute (46 U.S.C. section 109) was repealed by the Vessel Documentation Act of 1980 (Public Law 96–594), which removed several legal provisions pertaining to the by-then very rare category of "licensed yachts" and treated all documented recreational vessels the same. Nevertheless, owing to its long usage by all U.S. yachts, as well as the fact that the freedom-from-clearance privilege first extended to "licensed yachts" in 1848 had long since been extended to all U.S. pleasure craft regardless of whether they are federally documented or state numbered (see 19 U.S.C. sec. 1441), the yacht ensign is widely flown by many U.S. yachts and pleasure boats in U.S. waters today, continuing a tradition that dates back to the mid-nineteenth century.

Sea Hunt Video · Post by **Sea Hunt Video** » Oct 14th, '17, 14:54

Tim has it exactly right. Here is the US Power Squadron list of flags on boats, etc.

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

As Tim stated, you have a United States Yacht Ensign flag. Very nice. Sorry about the confusion in my prior post.

Tom Keevil · Post by **Tom Keevil** » Oct 15th, '17, 00:20

It is common to see the yacht ensign displayed on recreational boats visiting Canada. This is totally incorrect; it should only be used in US waters. Of course if one really got upset about breaches of flag etiquette, boating would be a rather depressing pastime.

Here's a quiz for you. It is a photo of Rover decked out for Canada Day a couple of years ago. Can you identify all of the flags?

JD-MDR · Post by **JD-MDR** » Oct 15th, '17, 09:19

I'LL try. Where can I look them up?

Neil Gordon · Post by **Neil Gordon** » Oct 15th, '17, 09:34

A noted, it was designed for use on documented yachts. I suspect it migrated to more general recreational use because it simply looked more "nautical."

Given that it no longer has separate status, my preference is to fly the US flag.

I will say, as an ex-USN Signalman, I cringe when I see flags flying here, there and everywhere on (mostly power) vessels.

JD-MDR · Post by **JD-MDR** » Oct 15th, '17, 09:42

Me too, I prefer the regular US flag.I especially don't like the pirate flag.I don't think people realize what they are signaling .Im too serious

Neil Gordon · Post by **Neil Gordon** » Oct 15th, '17, 09:57

JD-MDR wrote:Me too, I prefer the regular US flag.I especially don't like the pirate flag.I don't think people realize what they are signaling .Im too serious

I've heard that the Coast Guard (unofficially) doesn't particularly like it, either.

John Stone · Post by **John Stone** » Oct 15th, '17, 16:35

I'm not a fan of the pirate flag either. But I tolerate it because I know people mean it to show they are rebellious. And we are a rebellious lot by nature. I'd rather see the Gadsden Flag (Don't Tread on Me) than the pirate flag though.

Regarding the Yacht Ensign vs the US Flag--after 26 years of active duty service in the Marine Corps, I don't care what American Flag people fly. I don't care if they are flying it at night without illumination. I don't care if they are flying it off their truck or displaying it incorrectly ... as long as it's not beneath another flag. As long as they are flying it to honor it, then I like it.

tjr818 · Post by **tjr818** » Oct 15th, '17, 16:51

Semper Fi John. Thanks for your service.

Tom Keevil · Post by **Tom Keevil** » Oct 15th, '17, 20:37

I'm asking for a special dispensation on the pirate flag. All of the flags we display have some personal meaning for us, including the pirate flag (which we don't use very often). We live half-time on Protection Island in Nanaimo, BC. This island was developed several decades ago by an interesting local character who was enthused about pirates. We live on Pirates Lane, just down from Captain Morgan's Blvd. Our house backs up to Ben Gunn Park, with a trail that leads down to Jim Hawkins Beach, .... you get the idea. It's actually a bit embarrassing, but apart from the names it is a wonderful place to live, and we are displaying our island ensign.

JD-MDR · Post by **JD-MDR** » Oct 15th, '17, 22:13

I like John tolerate the pirate flag.The media has made them out to be the cute loveable Johnny Depp Rabble Rousers. There is no harm in fantasy I guess. I think they are more like murderous,theiving cutthroat anarchist.

tjr818 · Post by **tjr818** » Oct 15th, '17, 22:29

JD-MDR wrote:. . . I think they are more like murderous,theiving cutthroat anarchist.

Careful there JD, you are talking about my uncle Bart . . . he was just not understood.

JD-MDR · Post by **JD-MDR** » Oct 15th, '17, 22:58

I better back out I'm in over my head.

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