A re-post for the beginning of boating season up here -
Since it's boating season up here, I thought I'd do a little study of the US Yacht Ensign for today. This flag's use originated in 1847 when the Commodore of the New York Yacht Club proposed using it to identify private (ie non-commercial) yachts in US waters.
The law permitting the Yacht Ensign's use as a substitute for the National Ensign (American flag) was repealed in 1980. However, boaters love the Yacht Ensign and, in good American spirit, defy the regulation and continue to fly it. It just looks better on a boat.
A few details gleaned from various places:
- The size of the flag should be based on the length of the boat, feet to inches, so that a 32' boat should fly the closest-sized ensign, which is 36". Otherwise, it looks stupid.
- The 50 star national flag or the yacht ensign should only be flown in two places: either on a flagstaff on the stern or on the leech of the mainsail. It should not be flown from the spreader. Only the yacht club burgee and, most importantly, the courtesy flag of a visited nation are to be flown from the spreader.
- What's the story on the "fouled anchor" naval and nautical logo? After all, a fouled anchor is a nautical abomination - it will cause your anchor to drag. Naval Uniform History says:
The foul anchor as a naval insignia got its start as the seal of the Lord Howard of Effingham. He was the Lord Admiral of England at the time of the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. During this period the personal seal of a great officer of state was adopted as the seal of his office. The fouled anchor still remains the official seal of the Lord High Admiral of Great Britain. When this office became part of the present Board of Admiralty, the seal was retained - on buttons, official seals, and cap badges. The Navy's adoption of this symbol and many other customs can be directly attributed to the influence of British Naval tradition. The fouled anchor is among them.
