Attaching Flags to Flag Halyards
Beneteau first 435 sloop, january 7th, 2018.
We all want to fly our bits of coloured cloth, proudly announcing where we’re from (national ensign), where we are (courtesy flags), and who we are (club and rally burgees, fishing flags, cocktail hour announcements, etc.).
The trouble is, they can be a pain to raise and adjust, and those little flag clips or halyard clips seem extremely costly ($13USD a pair at West Marine), and fragile.
There is a solution that is sturdy, appropriately marine-ized, and cost effective.
Next time you’re by a chandler or well-stocked fishing equipment store, grab some large-ish swivel/snap combos and a few split rings (actually, grab some extra split rings in various sizes for snap shackle repair down the road; they’re cheap and handy to have on hand).
Assemble the split rings to the swivels so you get a few like this:
To use them, pull the flag halyard through the split ring like this:
And double it back to make a ring knot like this:
Pulled tight on the halyard, it won’t slip, and can be adjusted up and down the halyard to accommodate different numbers of flags or burgees, or different sized ones with ease.
The fishing swivels and clips are an appropriate marine grade to last approximately forever, and the parts to make up a few of these are a fraction of the cost of the purpose-built ‘yachty’ ones you will see in the chandlery.
Next Article: An Easy New Year's Resolution: Updating Your BCA Profile
Previous article: the galapagos, about the author.
Rob Murray and Debra Zhou are doers currently on the Caribbean coast of Panama aboard Avant, their Beneteau First 435.
Boat Maintenance
Excellent tip, thank you!
Hi Rob good info. Might be worth letting members know that these flags should only be put on the port flag halyard, unless they are the Q or courtesy flag; which are the “only” ones that should be on the starboard flag halyard.
Yes, in some countries the officials get upset if you don’t get it right!
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Anchoring clearance, standing rigging clearance, running rigging clearance, deck hardware clearance, chandlery clearance, safety clearance, flags - bending and hoisting methods for sailing flags, courtesy flag bending and hoisting methods, hoist loop and tails – a simple method.
Hoist loops and lines are the most convenient attachment to either the flag halyard or another flag above or below, combined with the added benefit of stowing flat.
The Hoist Loop and Hoist Tail are stitched into the Hoist Tape making a strong connection.
Keep the ends of the halyard securely tied together when no flags are being flown, so that a free end can’t slip upward through the spreader block and embarrassingly out of reach.
Take steps to ensure that you don’t lose control of either end, when separating them to bend or unbend a flag.
The halyard is quite likely to be different in diameter to the hoist loop or the hoist tail. The optimum knot for this application is therefore a Sheet Bend or Double Sheet Bend. A few half hitches can be added if you are concerned about the finished knot shaking itself loose. A short strip of white insulating tape neatly applied around the loose end and the standing part will secure the free end and offer additional peace of mind.
Sheet Bend:
The correct knot for tying two ropes together when they are different in size (diameter), fibre e.g. nylon, polyester, Dyneema, or construction e.g. braided, 3- strand.
Ensure that both the free tails are aligned on the same side of the finished knot.
The Double Sheet Bend is tied in the same way but with an extra turn around the standing loop, which makes it more secure and therefore eminently suitable for attaching a flag, to either the flag halyard or another flag.
Hoist Loop and Tails – an alternative method
Study the picture. There are loops formed in the flag halyard. These can be positioned to accept single or multiple flags.
The advantages of this method:
- Successfully employed on a voyage from Plymouth to the Caribbean via Spain, Portugal, Madeira and the Canaries and then north via Bermuda to New York and New England before returning across the Atlantic
- The top flag can be simply and securely cow hitched onto the flag halyard ~ pass the halyard loop through the hoist loop on the flag ~ thread (stuff) the flag back through the halyard loop
- The leading edge of the flag can be tensioned to a lower halyard loop or the next flag below.
- The flag halyard is continuous allowing good tension to be applied without overloading the narrower gauge hoist line stitched into the flag.
- The leading edge of the flag or flags can be tensioned separately and appropriately.
- If a hoist tail or hoist loop wears through and fails, all is not lost, the flags should still be up there flapping about and the halyard will be intact, enabling the flags to be struck, repaired and re-hoisted.
Flag toggles and Inglefield clips - the traditional method.
Flag toggles add to the look of a flag, but they won’t be very apparent from deck level when flying at the spreaders.
Inglefield clips are an advantage if your crew can’t tie knots successfully, but they don’t stow flat and the increase in weight, although minimal, may still be a disadvantage on a light weight halyard aloft.
Inglefield Clips, also known as Sister Clips or Brummel Hooks, are designed for attaching (aka bending) flags and ensigns quickly and securely to a halyard or more flags in series.
The clips interlock and disengage by careful alignment of the chamfered split in one side of each link.
The clip is secure when under tension
Inglefield Clips are available from JimmyGreen.com in alloy and traditional bronze.
Wooden Flag Toggles
Grommets (eyelets) – an alternative method
Grommets can also be used for attachment. These are generally punched into the top and bottom of the hoist making connection reasonably simple. The downside is that they won’t happily stow flat. They will rapidly deteriorate if they are not made entirely from a marine-proof metal/alloy
Grommets are also usually fitted to flags that are manufactured from shiny, less flexible material e.g. nylon (polyamide) which may need the the folds and crinkles ironing out before deployment.
Flags made from this shiny, crinkly material, which are especially prevalent in the USA, tend to be less expensive but don’t fly at all well in the breeze and frankly, just don’t look the part.
Just imagine a shiny, crinkly ensign flown from the stern of a beautiful yacht- not a pretty sight.
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Picking the right halyard rope
March 28, 2020 3 min read
Here at Sailing Chandlery we have over 100 different reels of rope on the wall all with their own uses and in various colours.
We understand that if you were to stand in front of them it's hard to know what is for what. In this article we are going to help you by providing advice on what the right halyard rope might be for your use.
This article is focussed on dinghy halyards but we also sell halyards for cruisers and yachts.
You can explore our halyard rope options on our website.
When we think of rope halyards we think of the following categories:
- Flag halyards
- Main halyards
- Kite/spinnaker halyards
- Jib halyards
Most sailors automatically look at a dyneema rope option for halyards, but that's not always needed for your boat.
We recommend you also look at what your boats manufacturer is recommending for the job.
Flag Halyards
Believe it or not we sell a fair amount of rope to be used as flag halyards. In all instances we recommend an 8 plait standard polyester, it's a basic rope but is more than up to the job for hoisting your flags on your boat or race box.
Main Halyards
Our main halyard rope recommendation will depend on how the sail is attached when fully hoisted. If like our catamaran the rope clips onto a hook at the top then you only need a basic rope to get the sail up, and then the load is taken on the hook and the sail is secured in place with the downhaul.
If you are using a cleat then you're going to need a rope which is grippy, and also will resist some stretch. If your boat is going to be putting minimal pressure on the halyard rope then you should look at an 8 plait pre stretched rope, if there is going to be more pressure then upgrading to a dyneema core rope would be a good idea.
In most cases with dyneema it's best to use a dyneema core rope with a harder wearing polyester cover/jacket. If you can attach your halyard through a loop then a 12 strand dyneema could be a good option as it's stronger as a pure dyneema and won't have any wear in a cleat.
Kite/Spinnaker Halyards
Some sailors like to have a tapered spinnaker halyard, in this case you'll be looking at a dyneema core rope, or you could make up your own using 12 strand dyneema and a hollow braid rope.
Most sailors who use dyneema don't taper halyards and use the dyneema core rope with jacket as standard.
If you're not bothered about tapering, and you don't need dyneema then an 8 plait pre stretched polyester rope for smaller sails would be perfect.
Jib Halyards
Some jibs are hoisted using a wire halyard with a tail rope to follow the metal wire halyard up inside the mast. For tails we recommend a 12 strand polyester rope such as Evolution Splice, this can be easily spliced onto the wire halyard.
The same process should follow as the main halyard when picking a jib halyard. If the mast tension is taken up by the jib halyard then dyneema should be your choice of halyard rope in this instance.
Our Most Popular Halyard Ropes
8 Plait Standard Polyester -
https://www.sailingchandlery.com/products/4mm-8-plait-standard-polyester-rope
8 Plait Pre Stretched Polyester -
https://www.sailingchandlery.com/products/4mm-8-plait-pre-stretched-rope
SK78 Dyneema Core -
https://www.sailingchandlery.com/products/4mm-dyneema-kingfisher-evolution-race-rope
12 Strand Dyneema SK78 -
https://www.sailingchandlery.com/products/kingfisher-3mm-dyneema-sk78-compact-braid
All of these ropes are available in various diameters and with different colour options.
If you've got any questions about our ropes and what might be best for your boat then we are always happy to help. Simply give us a call, or drop us an email [email protected].
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I took advantage of the offcut sale to try out some of the more expensive ropes for my limited needs. I have not seen this kind of offer before, and I was able to find some lengths and qualities I would not normally worry about. Great service and sensible prices. Customer focused offers. I also plan to use some of the offcuts to improve my whipping and splicing. Does my son know he is being towed down the Thames with a rope that would be on the more expensive yachts with a breaking strength well over what we need, no. Does it matter - actually yes it does :)
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How to Fly a Flag Above a Masthead
One of the hallmarks of sailing artwork is a flag or streamer flown above the masthead. You often see them in vintage photographs, paintings of tall ships, and modern digital art.
But you seldom see them in reality anymore. Why is that? Maybe it’s a dying tradition. Maybe its a practical result of all the gadgetry we mount on our mastheads today. Whatever the reason, I suspect that more skippers would fly them if they knew how easy it is to do.
Flying a flag above the masthead is especially fun for holidays and other special events. I sometimes fly a 5′ red streamer on Summer Dance for our family’s annual Independence Day celebration. We decorate for the lighted boat parade with red, white, and blue pennants hung around the deck and flashing LED lights up the backstay and down the forestay, We have a great time and the spectators enjoy the show.
You don’t need any permanent hardware to fly a flag above the masthead unless you want to fly it often. You can rig one for special occasions in just a few minutes with common materials and without lowering your mast.
The traditional way to fly a flag high is with what is called a pig stick . It’s basically a flag staff that you attach to a halyard and raise so that the flag flies above all obstructions at the top of the mast. The biggest challenge is making it swivel around the pig stick and not wrap around it, your windex, VHF antenna, anchor light, or anything else up there. It’s not difficult, though.
To make a pig stick:
- Find a lightweight wood, plastic, or fiberglass rod about 3′ long. The diameter is not critical but the rod should be strong enough to withstand bending in the wind. I’ve found that a bamboo garden stake works very well. They sometimes have a slight bend at one end that can actually make it stand straighter above the masthead than a perfectly straight rod since the masthead can be a little in the way.
- Cut a straight section from a wire coat hanger that is a little longer than the height of the flag that you want to fly.
- Bend the wire into a swivel like shown below. Form an eye at the top end that is slightly larger in diameter than the threads of a small tapping screw. Make another eye at the bottom end that is slightly larger in diameter than the pig stick.
- Bend two more eyes with which to attach the flag using split rings. The eyes should be the same distance apart as the grommets of the flag that you intend to fly.
- Slide the swivel onto the pig stick, place a washer between the swivel and the top of the pig stick, and secure the swivel with the tapping screw. Don’t tighten the screw completely. Leave the swivel loose so that it rotates freely around the pig stick.
- Attach the flag to the swivel with split rings or equivalent clips.
To hoist the pig stick:
- Select a halyard that you won’t be using while flying the flag. I use my spinnaker halyard. You could use the mainsail halyard but you won’t be able to raise the mainsail completely since the pig stick would be attached above it.
- Tie a light line such as parachute cord to the halyard shackle to act as a downhaul. You’ll use this line to lower the pig stick and retrieve the end of the halyard after you raise it to the masthead. If you decide to use your mainsail halyard, you can skip this step because you can pull the mainsail down to retrieve the pig stick.
- Attach the pig stick to the halyard in two places 6″ to 12″ apart above the shackle as shown below. I use zip ties and place one above and one below the joints in the bottom of the bamboo stake. This prevents the bamboo from sliding through the zip ties. Attach it in two places so that they will hold the pig stick vertically and securely.
- Hoist the pig stick up to the masthead so that it passes by it on one side and the flag flies clear above. You might need to experiment a little to find the best place.
- Cleat the halyard and pull tension on the downhaul until the pig stick is as vertical and stationary as possible.
That’s all there is to it.
The next time you’re celebrating or you want to dress up your sailboat, consider hoisting a pig stick to fly your nation’s flag, club burgee, or a streamer. For tips on flying flags from your spreaders, see Make a Flag Halyard to Fly Your Favorite Colors . For a good source of flags and streamers of various sizes, shapes, and colors, contact Pamela at The Flag Chick .
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3 thoughts on “ how to fly a flag above a masthead ”.
Great practical post. I am going to try this as I prefer to fly my burgee from the mast where it is clearly visible. I have the materials so maybe a project for this afternoon. I really enjoy reading your small boat projects.
Thanks, love the tips.
Just made one following your concept. I used 3/8 diameter carbon fiber tube with some epoxy bedded into the top few inches so the screw could bite into something. It works great! Thank you.
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Flying a Flag on Shrouds ?
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I know i talked to some of you about this before , but i forgot what the hardware was called? I am looking for something to allow me to hoist and lower flag real easy i have a small block to attach to shroud cross bar just didn't know how to attach the rope? And what side is right in flying flags, im on a lake so it doesn't matter but always good to know! thanks
Typically quarantine & courtesy flags, and often club/event burgees are flown from the Stbd spreaders. Technically a club burgee is supposed to be flown off a 'pig stick' at the masthead but few do this. Any viable method of mounting a small sheave in the spreader proper is good for the top end, you can get small cleats that are meant to attach to a shroud.. placing directly below the sheave on a lower diagonal seems to work best. Alternate locations would be a cleat on the mast, a convenient handrail, or even perhaps the turnbuckle barrel opening. http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320921444057
I added a little block on my spreader to hoist a burgee. I thought about getting the kit shown above, but the cleat is metal, and someone pointed out that I should probably avoid that to eliminate the chance of corrosion from dissimilar metals. That seemed resonable, and the plastic one has worked just fine. I connect the burgee to the line with nylon sister clips, which make the flag easy to take on and off. I have some pics here: Maintenance Results | Sailing Fortuitous I also have those clips that SchockT linked to for my ensign, which I just clip onto the backstay. In general, the ensign goes on the stern. A courtesy flag, burgee, or club rank flag go on the starboard spreader, in that order from top to bottom. The Power Squadron has a pretty detailed writeup on flag etiquette: Flag and Etiquette Committee
Related to this, Clue's little flag halyard is wrapped around the sheave (pulley) on the spreader... Short of bumming a lift from a passing bucket truck, any ideas in how to free the halyard? There is a worn out flag at the top that would make the captain of the black pearl wince. The boat (psc31) is on the hard . Would the spreader support a 40' extension ladder? It's a few feet out from the mast and I don't think I can reach from a bisun's chair.. Ideas? Thanks, Elsn
You should be able to swing out to your shrouds on a bosuns chair, although most boat yards around here aren't big on people going up their masts when the boat is on the stands.
Okay... I have a flag line on my stbd spreader, my ensign will fly on it's own staff off the stern. What order will I fly my jolly roger and cocktail flag off the spreader then? Does the Jolly roger take precedence over the cocktail flag?
Yeah, shockt, the yard will not like that. If its still there when I splash in April, I'll try going aloft.
Yep, I believe the Jolly Roger is the flag of greater dignity or precedence than the cocktail flag, so it would go above or to starboard. The tackier the flag, the lefter and lower it goes... I suppose the position of ultimate indignity or least precedence goes to oil-absorbing pads in the bilge.
Makes sense to me Thanks
Well my boat is in my back yard so i do not have to climb mast.. i do not know the order of the flags. If there is a order ? I know tho starboard is for non serious flags! Thanks for all of the replies!
ImASonOfaSailor said: i do not know the order of the flags. If there is a order ? I know tho starboard is for non serious flags! Click to expand...
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COMMENTS
Dec 28, 2007. #15. Flag Courtesy. If you fly the American flag on a state registered or USCG documented pleasure vessel it should be flown either from a halyard on the starboard side of the vessel, at the main gaff, or approximately 1/3 below the masthead on the backstay. The only flag that is properly flown from a staff on the stern is a yacht ...
Learn how to use fishing swivels and split rings to secure your flags to the halyard with a ring knot. This method is sturdy, marine-grade and cost effective for sailboat flag halyard.
3,502. - Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay. Jun 1, 2009. #3. I'd recommend installing a flag halyard by adding an eyestrap to the bottom of the spreader, using pop rivets. Then put a block, like a Harken micro on the eyestrap. Get yourself a spool of 300'-600' of 3mm or 4mm line, and use it for the halyards. Having a long spool of small stuff is always ...
Who knew there was a right and wrong place to install a flag halyard? Evidently we should have consulted Chapman Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handlin...
Flag halyards are small halyards designed to raise and support a flag. The backstay is a great place to fly a flag because it will allow the flag to fly clear of any obstructions that could otherwise tangle or snag the flag as the wind shifts. Now, to install a backstay flag halyard, you ... Outfitting a sailboat to go cruising opens up a world ...
Adding a flag halyard is an inexpensive, easy project you can do in under an hour. Before I get any further, a bit of legal housekeeping. This post contains affiliate links. ... The flag halyard running down your mast can be in the way of the sail halyards, lazy jacks, and other rigging you already have on the mast. And obviously, the flag can ...
Learn how to attach sailing flags to a halyard or another flag using different methods such as hoist loops, hoist tails, flag toggles, Inglefield clips or grommets. See pictures, knots and tips for flying flags securely and neatly.
4,062. Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl. Jun 23, 2011. #2. if you mean where do you raise courtesy flags and race pendants, the logical place is off the spreader. I added a block to the mast side of the spreader, and ran a line to the deck. -mostly for raising a solar shower, but it could be used for flags.
Believe it or not we sell a fair amount of rope to be used as flag halyards. In all instances we recommend an 8 plait standard polyester, it's a basic rope but is more than up to the job for hoisting your flags on your boat or race box. Main Halyards. Our main halyard rope recommendation will depend on how the sail is attached when fully hoisted.
Defender sells a Backstay Flag Halyard Kit "Complete with 40' polyester 3/16" line, block with wire rope clamp, cleat and 2 bronze snaps. Attaches to 5/32" to 3/8 diameter Wire or rod." I put one on my boat last year, but plan to remove it. It did what it said it would, but the clamp at the upper end of the halyard kept fouling the topping lift ...
Hoist the pig stick up to the masthead so that it passes by it on one side and the flag flies clear above. You might need to experiment a little to find the best place. Cleat the halyard and pull tension on the downhaul until the pig stick is as vertical and stationary as possible. Pig stick affixed to the halyard with nylon wire ties.
Location: New England/FL. Boat: Hanse 348. Posts: 1,105. Flag halyard installation. My 380 didn't come with a flag halyard and I would like one. Was just going to put a "u" clip on the bottom of the spreader, but wasn't sure about running the halyard line to the shrouds or the mast.
sailortjk1. 4647 posts · Joined 2005. #3 · Jan 6, 2013. Johnson Hardware sells Flag Halyard Kits, Although all the individual parts can be bought individually. Also, if you are looking to fly a full sized 3' x 5' Flag, consider flying it off of the backstay. Under the spreader is fine for burgees and small flags, but the full sized flags look ...
From the Chapmans link above: You can also fly the flag from 2/3rds up the leech of the aftermost sail while under sail. . From Rousmaniere (excerpted from Annapolis): Flying the Flag - SailNet Community For many years, until around World War II, most ensigns were flown from the leech of the aftermost sail—a sloop or cutter's mainsail or a ketch or yawl's mizzen.
Feb 1, 2011. #11. Use a separate flag halyard, don't attach them to the shrouds. Position the halyard block on the spreader so the flags wouldn't hang on the shroud. You can rig more than one flag halyard on the same spreader. Look at navy ships. To easily hoist multiple flags, as if you were signaling, attach a clip to the bottom corner of ...
Description. Spreader Halyard Kit. This kit provides everything you need to add a flag halyard to your boat. Includes: 40' of 3/16"diameter polyester line. Block with bail. And the famous Johnson shroud cleat for tying off the halyard.
The current Russian flag is a horizontal tricolor of white, blue, and red. The government of Russia has not explained the symbolic meanings of the colors, but the people of Russia have supplied their own interpretation. The white band is a symbol of both honesty and generosity, the blue band represents wisdom and loyalty, and the red band ...
World's longest rowing boat to carry Olympic torch. 21 Jul 2024. Europe. ... Journalist Natalia Nahorna was reporting from the Russian town Sudzha when Ukrainian soldiers threw the flag to the ground.
Flag etiquette Flag signal halyards should be standard on every boat, and are especially helpful on Sail boats when mounted on the spreaders, not only for flags but as mentioned Radar reflectors and among other things a bucket, when hoisted on one tidal river in England as a signal that you wanted a bridge raised so that you could pass through.
Reuters. The guided missile cruiser pictured sailing through Istanbul in June 2021. Russia's flagship Black Sea missile cruiser, the Moskva, has sunk after being "seriously damaged". That is as ...
A Russian warship that was damaged by an explosion on Wednesday has sunk, Russia's defence ministry has said. Moskva, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, was being towed to port when "stormy ...
I added a flag/burgee halyard to my H28.5 not long ago. I was going to drill a few holes in the spreader, bolt in an eye strap to hold a small block, and add a line that tied off to a horn cleat fixed to the inner side of a forward handrail.
280. Catalina 385 Atlantic Highlands, NJ. Jan 10, 2016. #1. Looking for recommendations on Flag/Burgee halyard cleats to mount on shrouds. Will need to support a radar reflector on one side and a series of flags/burgees on the other. Mounting suggestions welcome, don't want rust on shrouds.
Do anybody knows dimensions of halyard sheaves on the top of the Mast in O'Day32? I mean diameter and width.