Proper place to fly a flag??

[capt jake]

On a gaff rig? Namely a Weekender. Off of a shroud? Topping lift? Aft portion of the main sheet??

[Charlie Jones]

Traditionally a gaffer carried her colors at the peak of the aftermost sail or on a stern staff.

On a Weekender, that peak would be just under the gaff end. Most folks today however seem to use a backstay, or the topping lift if no backstay. But to be truely traditional, you should have a flag halyard at the peak of the gaff, OR a staff at the stern of the vessel.

By the way, tradition also states that the ensign should be the same number of inches on the fly as the boat length is in feet. So on a Weekender, you could appropriately use a flag from 16 to 21 inches on the fly. On my 21 foot sloop I fly an ensign that is 20 inches.

[Derek]

Jake, the graphics turned out great. It looks fantastic!

Regarding flag, I was considering embedding (not THAT word!) a staff holder into the aft deck area with epoxy.

If you fly it off the stern, is there a proper side?

[Bill Paxton]

Here's a picture of "Surprise" heading into the dock. You can see her flag flying from the top of the peak.

[Barry Pyeatt]

Looks good Jake! Mighty pretty!

What did you decide to do about your outboard? Going to have to drill some holes in that beautiful transom.

I think "Fire Escape" is a good name.

[capt jake]

Barry, I am still undecided on the motor mount. I might take the mount I made to the show and ask a few of the wandering folks there.

Bill, I am unable to view your picture. Want to try again? I would love to see.

Derek has a good question that I (obviously) don't know the answer to. BTW, thanks on hte graphics. $32 and a snap to install. Took about 20 minutes.

[Bill Paxton]

I can't seem to create a decent link to the photo. It's in my photo album on Yahoo. If you like, feel free to visit it at http://photos.yahoo.com/paxton_consulting and click on Sailing Surprise.

[capt jake]

OK Bill, I see it now. How is yours attached to the 'sail'?? I like that placement, just not sure how to accomplish that without ruining the sail. (of course, in hte show I will only have it on a topping lift.)

[Bill Paxton]

Attaching the flag to the sail was a head scratcher. I finally decided to use a cap clip (two aligator clips with the ends connected by a piece of string). I ran the string through the eyelet on the flag, and snapped both aligator clips onto the edge of the sail.

This year I'm putting another grommet in the sail so I can tie the bottom of the flag through the grommet, and give the cap clip back to my wife. She's tired of having her hat blow off.

[capt jake]

Very good, Bill!! Maybe standard flag clips attached to another grommet inserted in the sail??

thanks!

[Dave R1]

Jake and Bill, your boats sure look nice.

Another option for flying the flag from the peak would be to put a small block at the end of the gaff--maybe a small cheek block--and run a halyard through it. Cleat it off to the aft end of the boom. put a stopper in the halyard so it can't go through the block, stopping the flag at the peak. If both ends of the halyard are belayed to the cleat after the flag is raised, you don't need much tension to keep the flag at the top. Of course the halyard would be "endless".

[Mike Pennington]

I have two flags I fly off the end of the gaff, this one and a smaller one when the winds light or when I am running down a scurvy jet ski, less drag.

I fly the big one out front of the house from the gaff, just for the fly boys langing at the base.

[MikeStevenson]

The post just above by Mike Pennington is how I have had mine set up over the years. On our Marconi-rigged boats, we'd fly the Ensign off the stern on a flagstaff.

Mike

[B Wilkins]

Jake,

It is sure looking good, so when is it going to be put into the water? I really need to get mine done.

Bryan