Blue Ensigns

Who can fly the Blue Ensign?

Any yacht registered in the UK, whether motor or sail, must fly a Red Ensign, the British National Maritime flag, unless entitled to fly a special or privileged Ensign.

Entitlement to fly the plain (undefaced) Blue Ensign:

• Members of certain clubs are entitled to wear the plain blue ensign at the stern of their yachts, provided that they have a permit issued by that Club.
• Those certain clubs include the Royal Cruising Club (RCC), the Royal Naval Sailing Association (RNSA) and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Yacht Club (RNVRYC). This list is not exhaustive. We advise you to check whether your club can issue a permit.
• These clubs grant this special permission to their members under a warrant granted by the Admiralty. The permit lasts as long as the yacht registration and must be renewed with the registration every five years. There are also other conditions attached.

Defaced Blue Ensigns, i.e. blue ensigns with an additional motif/design on the blue bunting, are either:

• Courtesy flags, e.g. Australia, New Zealand - Courtesy Flags
• Specific Yacht Club Ensigns - members should apply to their club directly

Jimmy Green are delighted to offer two ranges of sewn Blue Ensigns from one British and one Italian manufacturer.

The most senior position for a flag on any motor or sailing yacht is at the stern and should be reserved for the National Ensign.

An Ensign denotes nationality, reflecting the country where the yacht is registered.

Jimmy Green Standard Sewn Blue Ensigns are manufactured in our modern Supplier Partner Factory in Italy from top quality UV resistant 100% polyester woven bunting.

Jimmy Green Premium Blue Sewn Ensigns are machine sewn and hand-finished in the UK by our British supply partners using only the best quality MoD Heavyweight Woven 100% Polyester.

What Size Ensign do I Need?

Please consult our Flag Size Guide to establish a suitable yard measurement for your yacht

Traditional Yard Sizing for Flags

The yard sizing (traditional diagonal measurement) is nominal and may vary slightly due to the nature of the production/sewing process.

• The Yard Size refers to the outside diagonal measurement, e.g. from the top corner of the hoist to the bottom corner of the fly end.
• The fly is measured along the horizontal length, top or bottom.
• The hoist is measured down the vertical length of the left-hand side next to the staff.
• The Fly end is the opposite end to the hoist = the end that flies in the breeze.

The yard sizing (traditional diagonal measurement) is nominal and may vary slightly due to the nature of the production/sewing process.

Nominal length and height measurements are tabled in the guide below.

Top-quality wooden toggles are reasonably priced and can be fitted to the loop at the top of the hoist if required: Wooden Flag Toggle.