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Registered Cook Islands
Posted by TruthSeeker | 10/18/2007 @ 10:00 | Reply
Seems like the agents for the Cook Islands Yacht Register are trying to sell the "Blue Ensign" cachet as part of the attraction of the flag. Also, they have invented an imaginary yacht club (the "Cook Islands Yacht Squadron") to allow yachts (including commercial) to carry the letters CIYS on the stern instead of the Cook Islands port of registry - Rarotonga. At a distance it may be that many think the Cook Islands Blue Ensign is some form of "Euro - flag" ensign - you never know!
| Posted by Andy Lindy | 08/16/2006 @ 09:30 | Reply
Thanks for your interesting post about the Cook Islands register. In fact there are 15 stars in the Cook Islands national ensign, not 12. According to Wikipedia : "...the plain blue ensign is permitted to be worn, instead of the red ensign, by two categories of civilian vessel: First, British merchant vessels whose officers and crew include a certain number of retired Royal Navy personnel, or Royal Navy reservists. The number and rank of such crew members required has varied over the years, as have the additional conditions required, since the system was first introduced in 1864. Second, yachts belonging to members of certain long-established British yacht clubs, for example the Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club."
It's correct that the only flag that can be flown by a Cook Islands vessel is the Blue Ensign with 15 stars. On the other hand I don't think it's negative for vessels registered within the Red Ensign Group of ship registers :
http://www.redensigngroup.org to be "required to wear Red Ensigns". Even though it's sometimes called "the Red Duster", I think the British red merchant ensign is perfectly suited for yachts. I never had the impression that owners having yachts flying the Red Ensign would rather fly the Blue Ensign and were wearing the Red Ensign only as a "second best". Nor have I seen indications that Cook Islands ship registry is making any notable progress in promoting its registry because of the Blue Ensign. A flag state is much more than a flag!
For those yacht owners that really want to have the Blue Ensign flying from their yacht there are many yacht clubs entitled to the Blue Ensign (plain or defaced with a badge) :
http://www.crwflags.com/... Membership in one of these yacht clubs can be combined with Red Ensign registry (UK, CI, Bermuda, etc) for your yacht so you may fly the Red or the Blue Ensign thus getting the best of two worlds!
| Posted by Gross-Segler | 08/11/2006 @ 18:30 | Reply
In Monaco Monday 7 August for the Fireworks competition (China, excellent) I noted the M.Y Celine Ashley (1979 Feadship, 34.5 metres, formerly Karina-C, Mia Elise) wearing the Cook Islands ensign ? a regular Blue Ensign with ring of 12 stars representing the 12 islands. This is the first yacht I?ve seen registered there; does anyone know any others?
Cook Islands is a New Zealand dependency in the South Pacific, and no doubt the Registry offers great advantages to yachts. But so far the Government there has not designated a Maritime Ensign, which could be the same only red. I know the Australian Maritime Ensign is now blue, but generally a Blue Ensign is a privilege held by Warrant. Thus, yachts registered in the Cayman Islands, BVI, Turks & Caicos etc are required to wear Red Ensigns, and those administrations penalise yachts reported as wearing the blue, which is the National Flag of those countries, not for use at sea. Unfortunately not all shipchandlers (or even flag manufacturers) know this, therefore many American owners register under those flags in order to wear the coveted Blue!
More info on the Cook Islands register on Google. If not too expensive, it could be ideal for those who are otherwise not entitled to wear the Blue Ensign.
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