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Looking forward to the upcoming sailing event at Dartmouth next week. The town will be buzzing with serious and not-so-serious sailing enthusiasts. With many vantage points to view the races, Dartmouth Royal Regatta is one of the sailing highlights of the year. Just an hour’s drive from Plymouth, this is already marked down on the calendar.

There will be numerous social events and activities for everyone to enjoy, including food stalls, ensuring a truly unforgettable experience. The event takes place from 23rd to 30th August.

Key events:

• Sailing and Rowing Races: Both on the River Dart and in Start Bay, with events for yachts, keelboats, gaffers, and dinghies. 
• Air Displays: A highlight of the regatta. 
• Fireworks Display: Saturday, August 30th at 9 pm. 
• Kontiki Raft Race: Saturday, August 30th, is a fun event where participants build and race their rafts.

Plym YC & Saltash SC hosts the J/24 World Championship in 2025

Plymouth, known as Britain’s Ocean City, is set to host the 45th edition of the J/24 World Championship in 2025.

Co-organised by the Plymouth Yacht Club, Saltash Sailing Club, and the UK J/24 Class Association, the event will take place from September 6th to 14th, 2025. Based at the Mount Batten Peninsula and supported by Yacht Havens Group and the Port of Plymouth Sailing Association, the racing event will be held over 5 days, just south of Plymouth Sound

We have been extremely busy over the last two months with our repeat orders for Yacht & Sailing Club Flags. During the lead-up to and midsummer, the sailing fraternity takes priority. Whether it is burgees, red & blue ensigns, or courtesy flags, we do our best to fulfil these orders as promptly as possible. If you are ordering from abroad, please note that, although the couriers provide us with a specific time in transit, this can be misleading. For example, a 3-5 day service we used recently took over two weeks to arrive in the Netherlands due to customs clearance, so please remember to give ample notice if you are ordering from abroad.

A list of sailing events for August 2025:

3-8 Aug 2025	Salcombe Gin SYC Regatta	Salcombe Yacht Club
3-8 Aug 2025	Eurocup, UK and Irish National Championships	Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club
9-16 Aug 2025	75th North West Norfolk Week	Snettisham Beach Sailing Club
9-16 Aug 2025	Falmouth Sailing Week 25	Port of Falmouth Sailing Association
11-15 Aug 2025	Salcombe Town Regatta	Salcombe Yacht Club
15-21 Aug 2025	National Championship	Hayling Island Sailing Club
16-22 Aug 2025	79th Anniversary National Champs	Lyme Regis Sailing Club
16-17 Aug 2025	TT7	Hythe and Saltwood Sailing Club
17-23 Aug 2025	AYC Regatta	Aldeburgh Yacht Club
17-22 Aug 2025	National Championships	Hayling Island Sailing Club
18-22 Aug 2025	Pelican Week (Under 18s)	North Devon Yacht Club
23-25 Aug 2025	Summer Regatta (inc K1 class)	Bala Sailing Club
23-25 Aug 2025	Bank Holiday Regatta	Stone Sailing Club
23-27 Aug 2025	Junior Race Week	Royal Harwich Yacht Club
25 Aug 2025	Bank Holiday Charity Pursuit	Hayling Island Sailing Club
28-31 Aug 2025	UK National Championship and International Open	Weymouth & Portland Sailing Academy
28-31 Aug 2025	UK&I Cup Round 5	Hayling Island Sailing Club
30-31 Aug 2025	Wayfarer Northerns	Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club
30-31 Aug 2025	Regatta	Royal Harwich Yacht Club

Click here for our Yacht & Sailing Club Flags page

Controversial or not!

After a significant increase in orders for the Devon Flag recently, a story in a recent news article caught our attention. It concerned the mixed feelings of some who argue for and against.

Part of the debate was about the flag being ‘just made up’ and ‘only dating from 2003.’ Well, perhaps the retort should be – are not all flags, originally, made up? Also, there has to be a starting date for all new flags, whether it be 1066 or 2025. Somebody else complained that it isn’t an ancient symbol. Again, the retort, one day in the very distant future, it will be an ancient symbol.

When Devonians started the crusade to have their county flag, the BBC took up the challenge and put it to the public. After many designs were suggested, the green, white and black design won by 49% of the vote.

The green represents the rolling hills and fields of Devon, while the white is for the salt spray of the sea and the black for wind-swept moors. Nearly every other flag or symbol uses the same principles, which is perfectly in keeping with the Devon Flag design.

No matter what the subject is in this world, it appears that if somebody says white, the other will say black (excuse the pun).

The Devon flag is now well recognised for what it is. We do not think there is any danger of it being challenged any further.

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Read the full article https://www.torbayweekly.co.uk/news/home/1815045/kevin-dixon-devon-s-problematic-flag.html

See our full range of Devon Flags here

Latest Controversial News

We can’t help feeling slightly alarmed at the latest news from the Reform Party. The banning of all but the Union and St George Flags on state buildings in Reform Councils is already causing controversy. As flag makers, we are delighted that our beloved National Flags are, for once, having good press. However, perhaps it would be much better in our democratic country to put these proposed sweeping changes to the vote beforehand.

It appears that every single member involved in our politics lacks common sense. They make madcap policies that are not clearly thought through. Talk about ‘power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely!’

Since the statement was published only 24 hours ago, there has already been a backlash. Councils are hitting back at the decision, and rightly so. It could be argued that Reform is partially right in banning the Pride Flag and any others that are considered divisive. But surely, our county flags should be exempt. It appears that Reform has since backtracked on this and is allowing county flags to be flown on Reform-controlled buildings.

A word of advice to Reform: take heed of the Labour Party’s imminent downfall. Do not alienate the very people who voted for you.

See more here

Once again, Yacht and Sailing Club Flags are predominant in our current workload. These burgees and flags remain the bread and butter for us here at Alpha Flags. As sailing season gets underway, it is important to remember that we were and still are a great seafaring nation. You only have to look at our history of established sailing clubs, such as The Royal Thames Yacht Club, which is listed at being one of the oldest clubs in the world. Although we have these wonderful institutions, of old, we always have a new rush of blood to keep up the great tradition.

More recently, Starcross Yacht Club has been bestowed with the British Sailing Club Pathway status. This 250-year-old club has been recognised for its achievements, encouraging young people to take their skills to the next level. It is always a great honour to supply such clubs with flags, identifying their uniqueness and sense of fellowship.

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Star Cross Yacht Club Page

Find out more about how to order

St. George’s Day is approaching, and the sailing season has begun. It’s time to roll out the appropriate flags. We have received rolls of red and white fabric, signaling the start of an extremely busy period. Scissors are busy cutting, tailor’s chalk is disappearing quickly, and the sewing machines are working at full capacity.

Our national flags are an important part of our heritage, and it’s wonderful to see businesses and individuals ordering their pristine new St. George and Red Ensign flags. Over the past week, the cutting table has been covered in a sea of red and white fabric. While there are many cheap imports available, nothing matches the appeal of quality—especially when it’s offered at sensible prices.

Northern Ireland will be at the forefront of celebrations to commemorate St Patrick’s Day. Falling on 17^th March 2025, crowds are expected to gather for a festival of music, Irish culture, and dance. Belfast leads the way from 13.30 GMT with the parade starting from Belfast City Hall. The carnival will be awash with banners, pom-poms, and flags in a colourful trail throughout the streets, before returning to the hall

See a full list of events here to engage with the People of Ireland as they party in a plethora of dance, drama, pageantry and more.

Sailing and nautical flags:

Darker Blue used in the Union Flag

Lighter Blue standardised in 2003

Fabric printing technology has expanded at an alarming rate over the last decade. This has led to a flood of textile products being sold online. Most of these items, which include flags, are produced with disregard to any specific regulations. The St Andrew’s Cross or Saltire has had so many variations of blue that the Scottish Parliament voted, in 2003, to standardised the shade of blue to Pantone 300 c. However, it is difficult to implement this rule due to an abundance of overseas manufacturers. At the best of times, blue colouring is notorious for inconsistencies due to unstable pigments, application surfaces, and other various reasons. Regardless, most reputable flag manufacturers endeavor to get the best possible match within reason.

When produced per se (by itself), the shade of blue for the St Andrew’s Cross flag should be Pantone 300c (or as near as damn it). This is probably better implemented by a printing process when the values can be adjusted. When it comes to a fully sewn flag, there are limited shades of blue on the MoD specification chart. Again, a good flag producer will use the closest blue available on the colour chart.

It is worth noting that, when the Saltire is incorporated within the Union flag, the shade of blue is darker. This has become accepted over the years due to historical factors when the durability of dyes was important.