Someone mentioned on the minimum equipment thread a useful item of safety equipment: a red flag for getting attention. This is not something I'd previously known about, so I went off to check my small boat guide to the rules of the road.
No mention of red flags there that I could find.
But I did find the "V" flag, (a St Patrick's cross, i.e. white background, red diagonal cross), which means "I am in need of assistance".
Is the red flag an official thing?
Is the V flag in common use? Should I carry one? How many people know what it means?
(and just how am I going to remember what all the other flags mean?)
It was a club rule in local boat club donkeys years ago that we carried the V flag - never used one and doubt it would bring much help unless being waved frantically!
Have had the odd boat signal V
by means of a torch at night(..._ Beethoven's 5th I believe) meaning I require assistance as opposed to outright distress (engine failure). That worked ok but to be realistic so too would any flashing light I suspect
Suspecting that these flags are not much used then ...
Mark,
Seemed like a good idea to me! But maybe I'm being unrealistic in thinking the set of flags are a useful form of communication - although the A flag ("I've got a diver in the water") was discussed on these forums, and seems rather important to know about.
Dave, sounds like people don't bother with the visual signals much then. I suppose if you have VHF there's much less need.
So probably I won't carry any flags (but I have got my baked bean can ready for next season!)
Red Flag
Sounds like penant B - dangerous cargo my dusty memory thinks.
often seen on petrol, oil and other tankers - do the professional seamen agree?
You often see ' Patrol ' Boats (new ISAF Regs say you can't be rescue or safety but patrol boats now) flying 'R' to distinguish them from coach boats at sailing events.
Or there is always that old favorite that all sailing and power boats carry.......
The barrel of burning tar on the foredeck!!!!!!
