The armed officials that searched our boat (after we'd been in Brest for 10 days...nice of them to provide plenty of time for a criminal to offload anything illegal) asked me about the flag and I shrugged them off in the best French fashion.
But I continued to get inquiries from fellow boaters, particularly those from the UK.
They fly a red flag unless they belong to the Royal Yacht Club (yep...that's the one the Prince of Wales is a member) in which case they fly a blue flag. Note the question I have a bit later on that.
Anyway, I did a bit of research (google american boating flag and see all the facts and opinions...wikipedia is quite good) and it turns out Severance is breaking international (and perhaps US) law!!!
I was aware that the law requires the vessel to display the flag of registry from the stern, with courtesy flags flying on the starboard side of the country you are visiting (higher than your flag and above the yellow quarantine flag declaring that you've just arrive). The yellow quaratine flag must be raised when you first enter a new country and you must leave it up until you have cleared customs.
I'm flying a US Yacht ensign, which is accepted by the US navy (they will not fire at you) and was designed to avoid paying taxes that commercial ships had to pay (that flew the US ensign)...so there you have another part of US history related to tax evasion.
Apparently, a law was passed in the 80's that exempted boats (US) operating in US waters to display any flag (ok...unless it is documented and Severance is).
The US Yacht ensign (good to avoid being fired upon) is widely used by pleasure boats in US waters, within which there is no requirement to fly any flag (unless you ain't from there!!!).
When I bought around $300 of courtesy flags for just the countries prior to the Med (can't use the Euro flag...there is one but it doesn't absolve you of the international boating requirements) I didn't buy a US ensign.
But I continued to get inquiries from fellow boaters, particularly those from the UK.
They fly a red flag unless they belong to the Royal Yacht Club (yep...that's the one the Prince of Wales is a member) in which case they fly a blue flag. Note the question I have a bit later on that.
Anyway, I did a bit of research (google american boating flag and see all the facts and opinions...wikipedia is quite good) and it turns out Severance is breaking international (and perhaps US) law!!!
I was aware that the law requires the vessel to display the flag of registry from the stern, with courtesy flags flying on the starboard side of the country you are visiting (higher than your flag and above the yellow quarantine flag declaring that you've just arrive). The yellow quaratine flag must be raised when you first enter a new country and you must leave it up until you have cleared customs.
I'm flying a US Yacht ensign, which is accepted by the US navy (they will not fire at you) and was designed to avoid paying taxes that commercial ships had to pay (that flew the US ensign)...so there you have another part of US history related to tax evasion.
Apparently, a law was passed in the 80's that exempted boats (US) operating in US waters to display any flag (ok...unless it is documented and Severance is).
The US Yacht ensign (good to avoid being fired upon) is widely used by pleasure boats in US waters, within which there is no requirement to fly any flag (unless you ain't from there!!!).
When I bought around $300 of courtesy flags for just the countries prior to the Med (can't use the Euro flag...there is one but it doesn't absolve you of the international boating requirements) I didn't buy a US ensign.
In St Augustine (West Marine) I purchased 2 US flags that I thought would get me there and back.
I could have bought a US ensign, but I'm not the flag waving type (Ok, I'm a liberal....but shouldn't that be a good thing in Europe???) and thought I would do better making friends (again not being fired upon given the current occupant of the White House) if I flew a less (in your face) American flag...for which the US Yachting Ensign fits the bill quite nicely!
Instead, my flag has caused a bit of a stir and turns out to be a violation of international law!
Oh Mon Dieu (which is French for I can't win for losing...don't look that up as I'm taking some liberties here)!!!
Now, for a moment, back to the Brits who fly a different color (colour???) ensign based on whether the Prince of Wales might drop in for a drink (got to be careful here...they take the Royal stuff very seriously...I'm safely across the Channel in France but will be in their neck of the woods soon).
If you are a member of the Royal Yacht club, can you really fly a blue British flag internationally?
And, if so, why can't I fly my US (tax exempt) yachting ensign???
And so I continue to muddle my way through, depending on the kindness of strangers (new friends in my book) and always hopeful to bluff my way through!
P.S.
A brief mention of Roger and Sylvia Squire (Sylvia is a reformed American), whom I met by using my normal bad docking maneuvers (try it, you get to meet all your neighbors), I rudely informed Roger that (as an American under the Bush administration) I was not bound by international law and then went on to put a serious dent in their liquor supply....wonderful people, not sure if I should be going around representing our (young) country!
-Scott
10 comments:
Let me get this straight. If you are displaying the Royal Navy flag while having cocktails with the Prince of Wales and they discover you are American though your flag only has an anchor and no stars they will impeach President Bush because he was a pilot(alleged) and not a seaman.
I am sure that everyone who follows this epic voyage may be sick of my inane postings, so let me put out a challenge. Belly up to the the bar, sh** or get off the pot, enter into the abyss and let all readers post some brilliance, letting Severance know, we are reading and enjoying their literate ramblings and postings.
OK Peeps, the challenge was left unfullfilled. So here is the best poetry you will get and I guarantee it will get worser. Scott wants to know people are reading this or he may quit his prose.
There once was a girl from Nantucket
Who saw Scott in his boat on a bucket
She saw that the head
Was causing him dread
He was screaming to all, **** **.
this is a test and I am not worried about it accidently being posted because I know Jim is the only person in the world reading this blog
Make Jim stop!!! He thinks he's a poet, but don't I know it...I'm about to give him a bop.
Go Scott! I continue to look forward to all of your entries.
If you do end up some how near the Netherlands, let me know so I can put you in touch with my cousins Ineke and Frits.
So continue on with your journaling, I vicariously travel through your travels.
Great to talk to you last weekend. Take care and be safe.
Pat
This is another test. Let's see if (as an administrator) I can later remove this comment.
Groupies, I couldn't tell there were readers.
test 3
Quote Scott : "The US Yacht ensign (good to avoid being fired upon) is widely used by pleasure boats in US waters, within which there is no requirement to fly any flag (unless you ain't from here!!!)."
So you are saying that flying the US Yacht Ensign (of which you are flying) is the equivalent of flying the martini cocktail flag or the skull and cross bones pirate flag - just for fun!!
Crazy Americanos!! Good thing you are loveable or you will end up on a foreign jail!!!
John Taylor
Somehow I dont really appreciate the idea of having this flag look similar to the US flag... I might be single in my opinion but as a citizen I am sure my voice counts
http://scottrc.blogspot.com/
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