Ensign Haliyards

[Iron Outlaw]

Here's a question that has been bothering me for some time, and I am sure that a member can sort it for me.

The Ensign on a sailing warship is flown from the gaff of the mizzen mast. The haliyard comes down to the stern of the ship, it seems at about the centreline of the ship. Now since the spanker boom invariably hangs over the stern of the ship, when the ship comes about, how does the haliyard, and thus the ensign, get from one side of the spanker to the other, or does it? Is the haliyard slackened off so that it remains on one side? Or is there a method for getting the haliyard around the end of the boom? SoG models show the ensign, albeit on an ensign staff, on the windward side of the spanker, and pictures invariably show the same, irrespective of which tack the ship is on.

Hope that makes sense!

Thanks guys! And Happy New Year to all.

Cheers

[Kentop]

Ensigns were flow at the peak of the gaff anytime the warships were under way. They were flown on an ensign staff sticking up from the poop when anchored. There will be a pair of blocks tied to the tip of the gaff where the ensign halyards attach. The halyards belay right in the center of the rear of the poop on most square riggers along with the signal halyards. When the boom swings, it's a simple matter of belaying the halyards somewhere else. Some ships had double sets of halyards leading down from the gaff to the side rails near where the boom vang attaches. Some ships belayed the ensign and signal halyards directly to the boom when the boom is moving and then belay them to the center of the poop afterwards. The poop is where the officers stood, so they would be constantly making some poor swabbie adjust the halyards to their liking. Running rigging is constantly changing and each ship worked out the best way to rig the lines. As in all rigging, there are two of everything. One on each side of the ship. In modern times, the ensign is flown on the starboard end of the mizzen yard. Other flags are flown on the port end, and signal flags are flown from the top of the gaff. Most of the paintings you see of famous napoleonic sea battles are incorrect. The will have the ensign just about anywhere on the ship.


This is wrong. The ensign staff would only be used in port. You wouldn't fly a big flag from the main topgallant mast either. It would probably break the mast in any kind of gust.



This is right.

[Iron Outlaw]

Hi Kentop

I knew someone in this group would have the answer. Many thanks for your post.

Cheers

[Union Jack]

Here are 3 examples I found it seems the ensign is hoisted high and clear either side of the sail and boom.