Flags

[Peter J]

Originally Posted by Jeff

As a courtesy you may also wish to fly the country flag you are in ...

I have never understood this, can anyone explain. If you go to France you have to raise a French flag?

If I go to France I would expect to fly a british flag so the locals know where I am from. Equally if I'm in a bunch of boats at a harbour entrance it's useful to know if the boat next to me is a foreigner and so probably unfamiliar with the locality.

[alexm]

Originally Posted by Peter J

I have never understood this, can anyone explain. If you go to France you have to raise a French flag?

If I go to France I would expect to fly a british flag so the locals know where I am from. Equally if I'm in a bunch of boats at a harbour entrance it's useful to know if the boat next to me is a foreigner and so probably unfamiliar with the locality.

You leave your British ensign up where it is, and also raise a smaller courtesy flag of the country you are in, typically up a halyard on the mast or high in the rigging somewhere.