What Colour Ensign ?

[Kojiro]

I understand that an Australian registered yacht can fly a blue or red ensign when in foreign waters.

What colour (red or blue) do most Australian yachts fly?

[hogesinwa]

Red. But I have a blue on board.

[KDH]

According to Wikipedia "The Australian Red Ensign, is a red version of the Australian Flag and is a reserved civil ensign. From 1901 to 1954 the flag was used as a civil flag, to be flown by private citizens on land, while the government used the Blue Ensign, reflecting British practice. In 1941, Prime Minister Robert Menzies stated that there should be no restrictions on private citizens using the Blue Ensign on land, and in 1947 Prime Minister Ben Chifley reaffirmed this position, but it wasn't until the passage of the Flags Act 1953 that the restriction on civilians flying the Blue Ensign was officially lifted, after which use of the Red Ensign on land became a rarity. Under the Navigation and Shipping Act 1912 and the Shipping Registration Act 1981, the Red Ensign remains the only flag permitted for use by merchant ships registered in Australia. Pleasure craft may use either the Red Ensign or the national flag, but not both at the same time." We are currently in the Caribbean and have seen quite a few Australian boats, all flying blue ensigns. Also, in the other Commonwealth countries there is a distinction between the red and blue ensign with one colour usually reserved for government use. Probably not any advantages to being confused with a commercial vessel and maybe a few downsides. I think the blue is more immediately recognizable in other parts of the world.

[Kojiro]

Thanks guys. Red looks like a way of being a bit different than the crowd, but blue a simpler more easily recoginsed option.

Thanks.

[DtM]

I think that is a good summary.

Depending on where you are in the world the colour may be a discussion point with the authorities.

[Wotname]

FWIW, I used red, just seemed right.

[barnakiel]

Red?

Most Aus boat abroad seem to fly blue!

barnie

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Red?

Most Aus boat abroad seem to fly blue!

barnie

Possibly another reason I chose red! Somehow to my eye, the red looks more nautical, more "proper".

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Possibly another reason I chose red! Somehow to my eye, the red looks more nautical, more "proper".

It's an interesting perspective.

On UK registered boats you have to fly the red ensign. You can only fly the blue ensign, if i remember rightly, if you either currently serving or have served in the Royal Navy - even then you have to apply for the right. The RN, of course, use white ensigns on the commissioned vessels.

I've always thought the blue ensign looked way cooler than the red - but maybe that's because it's more exclusive!

[hogesinwa]

Originally Posted by Cavalier

It's an interesting perspective.

On UK registered boats you have to fly the red ensign. You can only fly the blue ensign, if i remember rightly, if you either currently serving or have served in the Royal Navy - even then you have to apply for the right. The RN, of course, use white ensigns on the commissioned vessels.

I've always thought the blue ensign looked way cooler than the red - but maybe that's because it's more exclusive!

Lots more people can fly a blue, with different defacing, than just RN (Ret) people. I had a lesson in this in Black Point in the Exumas the other day from a retired British Army Officer. There are all sorts of permutations of what yacht club has what warrant and what service did what to who in what order. I wanted to know the origin of a Red Ensign defaced with an anchor on the fly - we never actually found that out but it sure was a minefield of flag info. There are some websites about it but they don't go into all the intricacies - apparently there's a chappie in Ireland (not Northern) who's a Brit. He is a member of a yacht club that still holds a Royal Warrant or somesuch which entitles him to a defaced blue of some description and he's the only one in the world who can fly it. The warrant is from before Irish independence.

Here in the Bahamas, there's a proliferation of Reds with all the mega yachts from the tax havens so I might run the Blue for a while and then revert to Red in Europe.

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by hogesinwa

Lots more people can fly a blue, with different defacing, than just RN (Ret) people. I had a lesson in this in Black Point in the Exumas the other day from a retired British Army Officer. There are all sorts of permutations of what yacht club has what warrant and what service did what to who in what order. I wanted to know the origin of a Red Ensign defaced with an anchor on the fly - we never actually found that out but it sure was a minefield of flag info. There are some websites about it but they don't go into all the intricacies - apparently there's a chappie in Ireland (not Northern) who's a Brit. He is a member of a yacht club that still holds a Royal Warrant or somesuch which entitles him to a defaced blue of some description and he's the only one in the world who can fly it. The warrant is from before Irish independence.

Here in the Bahamas, there's a proliferation of Reds with all the mega yachts from the tax havens so I might run the Blue for a while and then revert to Red in Europe.

This was very interesting, thanks!

I always knew that the whole flag saga was far more complicated than it looked. I'd once or twice read articles about the various forms of defaced ensigns all of which had a historical precedent for their warrant.

Luckily for me my life will be made simpler as the next ensign I'll be under will be the stars&stripes!

We must find that guy in Ireland! .. BBC short documentary anyone?