Pocaltair

[John GoslingParticipant @johngosling80959]

She really should NOT be wearing a Union flag as an ensign!

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

John

Why not? is it a foreign boat?

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Now then!…Now then!…….What`s all this?

Just had a close look at the plan and your right of course……….Red Ensign I suppose?

Not to worry…….Bob

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Does it really matter??? what matters is that the owner is probably enjoying sailing it…………and that’s the main point, NOT what flag it flies at it’s poop rail.really.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

I`m sure the comment was tongue in cheek?

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

probably was Bob, I just have a short fuse whn I see someone’s pride and joy having a comment made about it, when they have spent so much time and effort on it.

100 lines……. I must learn to be less grumpy and more tolerant!

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you Neil

This model was my pride and joy at the time of building.

It uses the hull of Pocahotas, designed by  Wiiliam Daniels..( my hero ) and the superstructure of Sandy Cousins…..(another hero)…..Altair.

It sails a treat with separate winches for the jib sails and main sail and is fitted the a motor for easy sailing.

I was so inspired building it……..it was finished in ten weeks!

Bob the Builder

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

It looks lovely Bob.

They had a large scale sale down at Fleetwood at the weekend, and it really was wonderful to see so much coloured sail beating up and down the lake.

well done, neil.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

Perhaps the flag is upside down??

Very nice boat by the way.

Paul

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

To be serious for a moment one reason why you can’t fly the union flag is that it’s illigal (daft but true) for civillians to fly the union flag at sea and a private vessel should not really fly any of the traditional english ensigns.

The white ensign, a white flag bearing the cross of St George and with the upper corner near the staff occupied by the union device, is the exclusive flag of the Royal Navy and the Royal Yacht Squadron.

The red ensign is a red flag with the union device in the upper quarter near the staff, and is flown by British merchant vessels.

The blue ensign is a plain blue flag with the union device in the upper quarter next to the staff, and is flown by the Royal Naval Reserve and by certain yacht clubs. The union flag and the blue ensign are also used with various additions to denote various officials or departments.

It is traditional for English naval ships to fly the Union flag from the jack staff on the bow, which some believe is why it was called the Union jack, and the flag is only refered to as the Union Jack when it is used at sea on land it is called the Union flag.

I hope that this will go some way to explaining the protocol regarding the positioning of the Union flag. 

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you Paul…………You`re a very knowledgeabell chappie on these natters

Having said all that……….what flag should it be then?

Still don`t really care!…………Bob the Careless

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

Given that it’s a fine model you can fly any flag that you like and stuff the moaners.

Paul

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Perhaps you should fly a Bob,Bob.

Len(Singular)

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Lenny the Lion

What`s a Bob?….Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

How about a Bob Abell ensign!!

Crossed spanners on a white background maybe or an image of an old shilling on a green background.

Paul (the heraldic advisor)

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Heraldic Advisor

In the 80`s when  I was on the CB radio, my handle was……"Spanner"……10-4?

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Good Buddy

So you lived a life in the fast lane driving your big rig all over the country and I bet you promised to meet all those young ladies on the flip side. 10-4 Spanner..come back.

Hey man I can be with it to (its just been so long that I have forgot what it is)

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

1-9  For a rig check!…………5lb….radio 5 gud bud…….got yer ears on?

Then as I got to Knutsford coffee shop..I used to call……."1-9 for a 10-13…Mike 6…Gate 19 …Southbound!….please……..

…….hisssss….crunchhhhh…parrrrr…ssrrrtttttttt……..yea…yer comin` in loud `n` clear……gud bud……quelchhhhhhh……hissssss……..Got square wheels….gate 18…in the Granny lane…….zzzzzzzzz…….sststst..fuzzzz……..Fender bender…….Rubberneckers northbound…etc

I used to be up `n`  down that Mike six……Mike five……Mike 50….Mike four…to Bridgend and Swansea

10- 10 cuttin` yer loose…………….Spanner with many candles burnin`

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

It takes you right back to the 80’s, ye gods its like being mugged in memory lane, did we really talk such gibberish as we hurtled our lone way up and down the mighty M6.

Do you remember Pops Cafe?

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Paul

Don`t remember Pop`s cafe….where was that……giv us a five on that!

The CB had it`s uses…in the 80`s the M5 was being widened from two lane to three lane…..utter chaos

……..and the M25 was being built……………bedlam after South Mimms!………then we got the A406 to Dagenham ……the bladdy Woolwich ferry

Anyway………What`s got to do with ships flags?

Bob`s yer Uncle

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Uncle Bob

Pops cafe just off jct 19 M6 at Lymm on the Knutsford Rd.

What Flags??

Paul

[ManxmanParticipant @manxman]

Hey Bob,

Whats with the "1-9 for a rig check", surely the calling channel was 14 ! or were you using the illegal AM sets ?

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello there.. Manky

Truckers mainly used channel 19 for some reason……..14 was not cool!

Forgot to mention…I also had an reverb set…….I sounded like I was in a sewer pipe!

10-10 catch yer agen!

I wasn`t a trucker btw……..I was a tech rep in engineering……mechanical handling.

Bob

[ManxmanParticipant @manxman]

Hi Bob,

Yes, I remember now, 19 was the truckers track.

I use to work for the Post Office in those days and had to be legal with the FM kits and licenced, else I could have lost my job seeing it was th PO that issued the licences !.  Had 3 sets then, a base unit at home, a mobile fitted in the car and a handheld jobby for walkabout’s.  We had a lot of fun in the "good old days" but sets became cheaper and virtually every kid on the block ended up with one, 9 out of 10 of which were idiots.  In the end almost all club members jacked them in.

My handle was still Manxman in those days and my good wife Manxmaid

Cheers – Ken 

[John GoslingParticipant @johngosling80959]

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