BOAT HUB
at the Squadron
Please complete the below form to apply to fly the RNZYS Blue Ensign
1. BURGEE
The Squadron Burgee is blue with a white St George’s Cross with a crown in centre thereof and four stars of the Southern Cross, in white, in the upper canton. It may be worn in conjunction with the New Zealand Flag or Squadron Squadron Ensign, which all vessels on the Squadron Register are entitled to wear.
2. SQUADRON ENSIGNS (see Ensign regulations)
2.1 Members with vessels on the Squadron Register may apply through the Squadron for a Warrant to fly the Squadron Ensign and on receiving the same they shall be amenable to the Rules and Regulations connected with the holding of the Warrant.
2.2 The Squadron Ensign may be worn only by those vessels whose owners hold, through the Squadron, the Warrant to fly the Squadron Ensign. It may be worn only when the owner is on board or “in effective control” of the vessel and the Squadron Burgee must be flown at the main masthead or at the starboard spreader at the same time.
2.3 The Warrant ceases to be valid if the owner ceases to be a Member of the Squadron. The Warrant must be on board the vessel at all times and available for inspection when the Squadron Ensign is being worn.
3. OFFICERS’ FLAGS
3.1 The Commodore’s flag shall be a swallowtail of a similar device to the pennant. The Vice-Commodore’s flag shall be the same as the Commodore’s with the addition of a white ball in the inner lower canton. The Rear-Commodore’s flag shall be the same as the Commodore’s with the addition of a red ball in the inner lower canton.3.2 The Past-Commodores’ flag shall be a rectangular flag of similar device to the Commodore’s flag but having a white Maltese Cross in the inner lower canton.
4. RESTRICTIONS ON FLYING FLAG COLOURS
4.1 No Member, other than a Flag Officer, shall fly the Squadron’s flags from any vessel which is not on the Squadron Register.
4.2 Colours are to be ‘made’ at 8.00 a.m. at which time the Squadron Ensign and Burgee should be hoisted simultaneously. The Squadron Ensign and Burgee should be hauled down at sunset, except on a yacht underway, when they may be worn after sunset if desired. The time for “Colours” is to be taken from the Senior Officer of the Squadron present. No gun should be fired for “Colours” except by the Officers giving the time, nor from “Colours” at sunset until “Colours” next morning.
4.3 The Squadron Burgee shall be flown only by a Member of the Squadron and on a vessel on the Squadron Register. A Flag Officers’ Burgee shall not be flown on a yacht unless the Flag Officer is present. The Burgee is to be flown at the main masthead or at the starboard spreader.
5. RACING FLAGS
Whilst racing, yachts shall fly the flag designated by the Race Committee for the division in which the yacht is racing. The Divisional Racing Flag should be hauled down immediately on a yacht withdrawing from or completing a race.
6. SALUTING
6.1 Salutes are to be given and acknowledged by dipping the Squadron Ensign once. The Squadron Ensign should be lowered to the “dip” position (two-thirds of the distance it has been hoisted) and should be kept at the dip until the salute is acknowledged when it should be slowly re-hoisted.
6.2 All yachts should salute ships of His Majesty’s Navy; when meeting a squadron of warships, only the Senior Officer’s ship should be saluted. Any yacht meeting or passing another yacht which is flying a Flag Officer’s Burgee should salute.
7. MOURNING
To indicate mourning, Squadron Ensigns should be half-masted. The Squadron Burgee should remain fully hoisted except in the case of the death of owners when both the Burgee and the Squadron Ensign should be half-masted. A ‘flag must be fully hoisted before being half-masted and also before lowering when at half-mast. To salute, the Squadron Ensign must first be mastheaded before being dipped.
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has a Royal Licence granted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, permitting the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and its authorised Members to fly the Squadron Ensign.
These regulations are instituted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron to regulate the use of the Squadron Ensign by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and its members.
1. INTERPRETATION
Squadron Ensign means the flag approved for use by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, known as the Squadron Ensign, consists of a royal blue background charged with a white cross with the New Zealand flag in the first quarter; Member means an ordinary member of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and also includes a country member and overseas member; Member’s Vessel means a vessel owned or leased by a Member which is entered on the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Register.
2. USE OF SQUADRON ENSIGNS
2.1 The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron authorises the Squadron Ensign to be flown as follows:
(a) from flag staffs or within any shore establishment owned, leased or otherwise occupied by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron;
(b) from vessels having a length overall or greater than 25′, owned or chartered by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron;
(c) from Members’ vessels provided:
(i) the Member’s vessel is entered in the Squadron Register;
(ii) the Members’ vessel is under the command of the Member named as owner or charterer in the Squadron Register;
(iii) the Member holds a warrant from the Squadron permitting the Members’ Vessel to wear the Squadron Ensign,
(d) on the casket of a deceased Member as part of any funeral service or ceremony.
2.2 There shall be no requirement that any vessel needs to be registered under the Ships Registration Act 1992 to wear the Squadron Ensign.
2.3 The Squadron Ensign shall not be worn by any vessel at the same time as the New Zealand Flag or the Maritime Squadron Ensign of New Zealand.
3. NATIONAL COLOURS
The Squadron Ensign is deemed to be an appropriate national colour for vessels authorised by the Squadron pursuant to Section 58A of the Ships Registration Act 1992. Nothing in these regulations shall affect any obligation imposed on any persons under the provisions of the Ships Registration Act 1992 or any other legal requirements as to the flying of appropriate colours and all persons authorised to fly the Squadron Ensign shall observe the requirements of the Ships Registration Act 1992 and all other appropriate legal obligations.
4. WARRANTS
4.1 Members wishing to seek a warrant to fly the Squadron Ensign from their vessels may do so by completing an application in the form prescribed by the Squadron to these regulations.
4.2 The Squadron may on receipt of a completed application, if it is satisfied the Member qualifies for the grant of a warrant, and the Member is a fit and proper person, issue a warrant in the form prescribed by the Squadron to the applicant.
4.3 When wearing the Squadron Ensign from vessels, Members shall carry on board the warrant issued by the Squadron and shall have it available for inspection when called upon by any Flag Officer of the Squadron or any person authorised by a Flag Officer in writing
4.4 The Squadron may at any time by notice in writing to a Member revoke any warrant issued, whereupon the Member shall immediately cease flying the Squadron Ensign and the Warrant and all New Zealand Blue Squadron Ensigns in that Member’s possession shall be surrendered to the Squadron.
5. FLAG ETIQUETTE
Members are required to observe and comply with all legal requirements in the flying of the Squadron Ensign and observe flag etiquette as published in the most recently published Squadron Handbook.