Flying a Burgee

[osd9]

In all my years of boating, I've never flown a burgee before. Well....this weekend, now that I have my nice new CSR Burgee, I felt compelled to fly a burgee.

So, I installed my nice shiney new burgee staff from the bow rail. I decided to hang the staff so that it pointed "down"...the burgee would fly between the rail and the bow.

I come out of my development, come up on plane, and that flag was a movin'. It was flapping every which a way...so much so, that I thought..."hey, this thing ain't gonna last long up there".

I came off plane, had the admiral take the wheel, and removed the burgee...

Is this normal....am I supposed to fly the burgee on plane...???

 

[goblue]

If you boat about 150 hours per year, a burgee lasts about two seasons.

 

[Four Suns]

I had a Sea Ray burgee on my front bow rail and it lasted about 6 months of running around before it fell apart. It was not the quality of the CSR burgee though.

Good gosh Dominic!! Fly the flag!!!! Get another when it gets all beat up! (better order it now seeing how long they take)

 

[Pirate]

Chapman's says the only proper place for a burgee is from the bow rail or pulpit.

 

[Petep]

Fly it proud, When it wears out (usually only 1 1/2-2 years, get an replacement. What I do many times when I going for a long cruise is wrap it around my bow staff one-or two times to "shorten" it up slightly, seems to protect them better, then my wife always unwraps it when setting bow lines. I purchased several sets of the clips for my Helm Products Bowstaff, I swap them out depending on where we are going-ie different yacht-clubs/ cruising clubs etc.
Also, have your canvas guy make you a burgee cover and use it every day when you leave the boat, It will help keep you burgee from sunfading.

 

[H2ONUT]

If I'm going to make a long run, I usually roll it up and put a small bungee or rubberband around it while traveling.

 

[Asureyez]

Burgee hint

The tip of the burgee takes a real beating. It whips sometimes at the speed of sound! They will wear rapidly due to the entire force of the "Fly" in the wind is popping out of the teip.

Top prevent pre mature fraying I devised a work around that has allowed me to get several years from a triangle burgee.

Take some clear RTV sealant and using a small wooden or plastic spoon press a layer of RTV as wide as the folded seam into the fabric from the tip back towards the hoist about 1 1/2 inches, on both sides of the seam and top and bottom. Keep pressing the RTV into the fabric until it looks wet on both sides of the thread. Then spead a light coat of RTC over the threads like a coat of paint and then let the RTV cure.

The coating is nearly invisible, is flexible and will keep the fly in the burgee for years. Actually unless you remove of cover your burgee, it will fade beyon recognition beofre the RTV allows the tip to begin to fray. But if it does, just slather on another coat and hoist'er up!

Some might say its too much about too little, but its not in my book. A club burgee should be flown with pride or not at all.

 

[Petep]

Another great tip Chad....Help me out-what is RTV Sealant?? I'm going to try this one out. I don't like my club burgees all ratty looking either. I have had some of the old ones mounted and framed in large shadow boxes for hanging up at the house but I can only put up so many burgess in my home bar..... We also keep an old one on board to "swap" out when cruising to another city, good yacht club bar conversation and I know a few cruising spots that have a few of our burgess flying proud in exchange for one of theirs that flys at our house (my wife relegates all this stuff to our basement bar-if you know what I mean).

 

[mikestein]

My problem with my burgee is the noise. Since I'm in a 185, the folks sitting in the bow can't stand the flapping noise. I want to fly it, but they won't let me! Would some sort of fabric stiffener work? Or is that just something I'll have to live with?

 

[Nehalennia]

......... Or is that just something I'll have to live with?

Yeah unfortunately, Play the music louder :thumbsup:
You won't be able to stop it from 'aflappin'

 

[mikestein]

one more reason to upgrade!