Takacat 3.4m LX - Tiny Tigga

[Martin]

Is it getting a low cost budget cupping on a tow ball or a professional job ?

[chris moody]

I'll be sending it away to a propeller specialist.

Is it getting a low cost budget cupping on a tow ball or a professional job ?

[chris moody]

Also made some modifications to the transom board so that the outboard fits better. Once I've worked out the correct engine height for the Tohatsu I'm going to have a brand new transom board manufactured in a nice hardwood as the standard black painted transom board on the Takacats doesn't look like it will be very hardwearing.

I also need to incorporate a flagpole in the new transom board as I eventually want to fly my Red Ensign from the stern

[ChrisParish]

I also need to incorporate a flagpole in the new transom board as I eventually want to fly my Red Ensign from the stern

Question (yes, another one - sorry):
Who can fly a Red Ensign? I know it can be used for civilian ships, but is there a qualification which must be obtained?

[chris moody]

All British vessels should fly a Red Ensign when the owner or skipper is aboard and between the hours of 9am and sunset. The Ensign should be removed between sunset and 9am. No qualification is needed.

To fly a Blue Ensign you need to be a member of a “royal” yacht club.

To fly a white Ensign you need to be a Royal Navy vessel, or be a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron sailing club in Cowes, or have the British Monarch aboard.

[chris moody]

My own Red Ensign has done around 3500 nautical miles with me aboard, so it’s looking a little faded (more like a pink Ensign now)

[ChrisParish]

So does that mean we should all be flying one?

[chris moody]

An interesting question @ChrisParish.

My understanding of maritime law is that all UK registered vessels are obliged to fly the correct Ensign (under the Merchant Shipping Act). As none of our small boats are on the SSR register (that’s the Small Ships Register part III), we are not a UK registered vessel and there will be no requirement by law to fly an Ensign (I could be wrong, that’s just my interpretation of what I have read). It is however considered good etiquette to fly a correct Ensign.

See the RYA’s document below on flag etiquette

https://www.rya.org.uk/knowledge-advice ... uette.aspx

And this Wikipedia article

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_ensign

.

So does that mean we should all be flying one?

[Martin]

I had a small red ensign on my Honwave transom along with the SSR number underneath.
Only had it on a short while then I sold it

I don’t think I registered the Frib on SSR - though I will double check.

SSR registration if you want to do it can be done via https://mcanet.mcga.gov.uk/ssr/ssr/
Cost is £35 for 5 years.

Not really nescesary imo unless you take your Frib/sib abroad and need to prove it’s a UK registered boat.
Flying the ensign - I believe keeps the foreign authorities of your back.
Do check up on that as I may have it wrong.
I’ll try and find the topic where we covered SSR - it was a good few years back.

Martin

[chris moody]

I believe registering your vessel on the UK Ships Register, part I or part III, makes her a UK Flagged vessel.

Quote from the RYA website

The Ensign shows the country of registry of the vessel and indicates its nationality. A UK flagged vessel must wear her ensign as required by the Merchant Shipping Act, which includes when entering or leaving a foreign port and on demand. It is recommended that the ensign is worn at all times in daylight, especially when near to or in sight of land or another vessel. A UK registered vessel should wear the national maritime flag, the Red Ensign, unless entitled to wear a special Ensign. Wearing anything other than an authorised Ensign is a violation of British and International Law.

So my understanding is that if you are registered with the Small Ships Register (SSR), then under the Merchant Shipping Act you are required by law to wear your Ensign when appropriate (see above quote from the RYA).

Sophie II was on the SSR so we always flew our Ensign when aboard between 9am and sunset, but as neither Tigga 2 or TakaTigga are registered on the SSR I'm not aware of any legal requirement to fly an Ensign.

I do however wish to fly my Red Ensign on TakaTigga once I have rigged up a flag pole.