Alice and I went out for a perfect sail today. Early on winds out of the East at about 15kts with 20kt gusts. Temperature in the 70s and partly cloudy. Enough people on the bay to make it fun but not too many to get in the way.
We sailed off the mooring with main and jib reefed and sailed like that for an hour. As the day progressed the wind dropped below 10 kts and we shook off the reef in the jib and then the main. We sailed for a 4 hours, rocking along with no particular place to go, taking terms helming and napping on the leeward side. We then sailed back onto the mooring, nailing a perfect landing.
September is my favorite month for sailing. It’s still warm but there is wind, unlike August and we have been sailing long enough into the season to feel confident and proficient.
In case you are wondering the top flag is our club burgee, which in my case is appropriately the St George’s Cross. The lower flag is an old British ensign we have had for over 20 years. I am sure that the way we have rigged these says something like RYC rules the USA and Great Britain has surrendered to the USA. Look forward to being corrected!
No doubt the ghosts of Charles Chapman and the College of Maritime Heralds (if they existed) would be moaning at that vertical hoist, which would cause no end of consternation and angst at some such august institution as the New York Yacht Club or one of the Royals on the other side of the pond.
Mixing different national flags vertically is indeed rather warlike. A US yacht ensign and another country’s ensign would not be likely to appear together on an American boat since the US yacht ensign is supposed to be a domestic-waters-only thingie, usually on a stern staff or possibly on a gaff or masthead. A British flag would probably appear on a shroud as a courtesy flag when visiting British waters.
The YC flag (and officer or committee burgees under it or private flags) could go on a port shroud, bow staff, cabintop staff, etc. Gaff, masthead, and stern staff are sort of “places of honor” that outrank shrouds, bow staffs, etc.
This is probably all a huge oversimplification by the standards of the strict old-timers but more or less in the ballpark. The old-timers probably also don’t like mixing silly or joke flags with “serious” flags.
Now here’s a question I have no idea how to answer: Do any of the old-line, established, oh-so-serious yacht clubs consciously follow at least some of the ancient rules of heraldry in designing their club burgees? I know a lot of modern burgees would break some of the old rules (color on color tincture, etc.).
I’m insanely jealous of your “perfect sailing day”. My Labor Day was spent spreading grass seed and other yard work, trying to get as much done before it rained. It was forecast for 40% chance ALL day, and then poured rain in a T-storm this evening.
I knew today’s weather was going to be suspect, so I had tried to sail 2 days ago, since I had Friday off work anyway. I trailered my Sunfish up to the nearby lake (30 min. drive), only to arrive with NO wind. I tried to sail her for about an hour, but finally gave up.
So, yes, my day was pretty much the completely opposite of a perfect sailing day. Glad you enjoyed your day, though… I’m jealous.