Spain: Sailing Federations
Keywords: spanish sailing federation | catalan sailing federation |
Spanish Sailing Federation (Federación Española de Vela)
Spanish Federation of Nautical Clubs (Federación Española de Clubs Náuticos, 1875-1945)
Catalan Sailing Federation Flag (Federació Catalana de Vela)
Spain: Yacht clubs
Spanish Sailing Federation
Flag of the Spanish Sailing Federation, ca. 1977-1988 - Image by Željko Heimer
The flag of the Spanish Sailing Federation is identical to the yacht ensign, but carries a small blue anchor on the top hoist. This blue anchor is positioned within the upper red stripe diagonally (from upper hoist to lower fly).Most publications show this blue anchor in black, which is not correct.
Emil Dreyer, 25 June 2000
This flag, dropped away in 1988, is no longer in use. It used to be the flag of the Spanish Sailing Federation, and all yacht club members of the associated clubs were allowed to fly this special ensign. Currently only the special ensign for recreational boats is in use.
I am afraid I have no official texts either about the legal use of the flag, or about the abolishment of its use. I just know about it from the day to day sailing practice. The Federation came up with a new logo in 1988, instead of the flag, and the latter became more and more difficult to find in sailing stores, etc. I guess it made no sense to have members of the Federation using the flag with the anchor and members of not affiliated clubs using the plain blue crown flag. Unfortunately, in Spain most people just follow the general use, rather than following legal texts. The only ones who strictly follow the rules are Navy officers. It is curious to see Navy sailing boats - Hispania, Sirius, Aifos are the better known ones - flying the Spanish ensign (the same as the State and civil flag) at the stern, instead of the recreational boats ensign, even though they are racing boats.
José Carlos Alegría, 27 June 2000
Spanish Federation of Nautical Clubs
Flag of the Spanish Federation of Nautical Clubs, 1875-1945 - Image by Jaume Ollé & António Martins, 14 July 2003
The pre-war flag of the Spanish Federation of Nautical Clubs was the bicolour with natural crown [like the pre-1945 yacht flag] and a blue [slant] anchor on the top red corner. Most publications show this blue anchor in black, which is not correct. This umbrella organization of Spanish yacht clubs changed its name after the war to Spanish Sailing Federation.
Catalan Sailing Federation
Flag of the Catalan Sailing Federation, as seen in the port of Vendellos - Image by Jaume Ollé, 2 July 2000
P>Jaume Ollé, 2 July 2000