A Flag Question

[Tall Paul]

I am in the process of making the pirate flag for my group, the Colchester Historical enactment society (C.H.E.S.) (See picture.

I remember from my cubscout days that flags were attached to the host line with a loop and a toggle.

But for the life of me, I cannot remember if the loop was at the top of the flag, and the toggle was at the bottom.

Or is the Toggle at the top, and the loop at the bottom?

Can Anyone please help?

[Captain Jim]

If memory serves, the toggle goes at the top of the flag and the loop at the bottom. I have no idea why this is so, as it should make no difference until someone who did it the other way wants to fly theirs with yours (beneath, of course.) Also known as a "toggle and beckett" and as "running eye and toggle."

So call the local Scouts and find out for sure. That's why we keep the litttle buggers about for anyway.

[Patrick Hand]

in "The Art of Knots" by Marc P.G. Berthier, shows the toggle at the top...

Folding a flag

A flag (1,2,3 and 4) is folded in half, fly against fly. It may be folded once more if it is big. Then roll it up to the hoist.

Furling a Flag

After folding the flag, make a turn around it with the rope that has a spliced eye at the end and pull a loop through (5 and 6) When the flag is big and heavy, you can improve the system according to drawings 7, 8 and 9. Then the flag is ready to be hoisted.

Hoisting a Flag

First stick the toggle of the flag through the eye of the halyard, then tie the free end to the halyard to the eye of the flag rope using a becket hitch, single (1 and 2), or double (3). All you have to do then is to haul on the halyyard and, once the top of the flag is in place, you only have to pull the halyard taut so that the flag unfurls and flies in the wind ((4), if there is any , of course.

The illistrations 1 through 6 show most of what he's writting about.... if anyone is interested, I can scan and send that page to you.... (my photobuckets account is starting to get kinda full.....)

[Tall Paul]

Thanks for the info,

looks like I will be making toggles tonight.

[Cpt. Alva]

Paul, I'm still stoked about how cool your flag is, honestly......

chances are, that's what the authentic Pirate Flags looked like....

[Tall Paul]

Well, After High prase from Captain Alva, I thought that I had better post a couple of pictures of the finished item.

I am afraid that these picturs are not very good as they were taken with a camera phone on a gusty day, but they will give you an idea of what the finished item looks like.

I have already posted these pictures in the "Post Your Colors" thread, but I thought I would stck them in here also as a thank you for the help given.

By the way Patrick, I would be inerested in seeing those pictures, especially if they show the correct knots for attaching the flag to the halyard.

Thanks again for the help.