‘Dressing ship’ – an age-old custom of the sea (Part I)

by Bob Wonders on 23 Jun 2009 The sea, its history and traditions have long held my interest and although it’s hard for me to believe it’s now 21-years ago that I wrote a piece on the custom of dressing ship, that is ‘wearing’ (they are not flown) the relevant flags.

Where correct flag etiquette began has long been lost in the mists of time, but the Romans can take some credit, while others believe it originated even earlier on Grecian vessels.

Rues and regulations pertaining to nautical flag use have certainly been with us for centuries. I realise, of course, that many recreational boaters would regard a strict observance of the rules as being 'a bit over the top', but hey. If you’re going to ‘dress’ your craft why not do it properly?

The most common errors I see on our waterways are vessels with a flag other than the Australian ensign on their rear flagpole, more correctly known as the ‘primary jackstaff’.

This usually timber, but quite often aluminium or stainless on smaller trailer boats, is found on the vessel’s centreline at the transom.

One rule is easily observed; if you do not have an Australian ensign on board, this jackstaff remains vacant; it is for the national flag of the country where the boat is and not for any other adornment.

There’s a good reason for observing and practising flag customs. Failure to do so cannot only demonstrate ignorance, but could also be seen as an insult to one’s nationality.

The wearing of a club flag or a joke flag (like a Jolly Roger) on your primary jackstaff would be regarded by veteran sailors as a total insult.

On the average pleasure craft, the principal flags that can be worn are known as 'a suit of colours'. The ‘suit’ usually consists of the national ensign and a club burgee.

Special flags, such as house flags, prize flags, flags for certain celebrations and code flags do not constitute part of the ‘suit of colours.’

While the principal flag of an Australian registered merchant ship is the Australian red ensign, recreational vessels have the added privilege of being able to choose between it and the national blue ensign, but never together.

The 1981 Shipping Registration Act of the Commonwealth Parliament covers the correct usage of flag at sea.

All vessels, especially during times of celebrations (such as Australia Day) should display the national ensign from the aft jackstaff or, in the case of some sailboats, namely ketches, gaff rigged yachts and yawls, from a suitable yard.

Sailboats, when underway, may also wear the national flag from the backstay at a position roughly at the peak of the gaff.

As I mentioned earlier, the correct ensign for Australian merchant ships is the red ensign, essentially the Australian flag with which we’re all familiar, but with a red background instead of blue.

For Royal Australian Navy vessels, the flag is the Australian white ensign, again essentially the Australian flag with a white background and blue stars instead of white.

The Australian Army, which is charged by the Federal Government with the responsibility or protecting the flag, also wears the blue ensign on its water craft.

Hoisting a flag upside down has become an internationally recognised signal of distress, but to wear a tattered or damaged ensign is an insult to the nation that flag symbolises.

Next week I’ll touch on the origins of our flag and look deeper into the background of this fascinating segment of nautical procedures and history.

Believe me, it’s part of the enjoyment of boating and if you know how to correctly dress ship and observe protocol those with sea time experience will acknowledge you as a ‘true skipper.’