Brian Robinson Is in The Details

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BABY CHICK The more I dig, the more I am blown away.

Today, we are going to go deep into one simple detail. And you will get to wander into the depth of it all. I love the way you can look at something in an overall way, and then dive deep into it. Like at a flea market, you can go into one booth and dive deep to find that one original screw.

She is so all there I cant stand it. every detail. THERE! AHHHHHHH

Lets get closer.

Okay, today, is brought to us all from the deep dive brain of Brian Robinson, with a mix of my “feelings” Note, my feelings may be a little too deep. But hey. I am 100% feelings. So thats what you get.

BABY CHICK’s Burgee flag pole was found in a pile in the barn and delivered to me. At first glance. Okay..

Lets get closer. Yes, she should be blond. But is the original mast? I question the top of the mast. See original photo? BTW this isnt the detail.

See the slope at the top, where as the pole on BABY CHICK is not sloped?

Factory image 1948. See the pole has a slope at the top, which from a design POV is much more attractive

This is from the 1947 Brochure. Blonde and sloped top. But is it my old man eyes?

The Burgee is ratty and torn. I LOVE IT. Oh thats the ELVA C getting ready to deliver Santa to the Museum.

ELVA C and MISTER B.

Okay okay, back to the Burgee pole. Here we go, deep… you are getting sleepy.. Go deeper.. Deeper.

See it

You sure you see it? Oh you think you see it. But wait.Here is a note from Brian on it.

“The pole itself must have been stained at some point because they were blonde originally. But the brass screw eyes holding on the pennant are original, they are the same still sold at hardware stores today, you have to open and close them over the flag grommets with needle-nose pliers. It makes for a good, secure connection keeping the flag tight to the pole the way the factory wanted it. It caught my eye because most boats at boat shows today have a ‘middle man’ between the flag and screw eyes like split rings or, even worse… Skipper Clips”

Thanks Brian, Now this is my Feeling part. I warned you, I am going deeper.

This is the top hook on the Starboard side. See how it is open ish, as in this is where its crimped. I opened it a tad to show.

And closed on the same side. So, my deep thought is this.

We all have issues with this stuff, and before Eye hooks and Skipper clips. These hooks were it. So. If they are installed in opposite, as the crimp side is different. It locks in the flag. And as small as a detail is, it kinda makes sense. And old trick to close the loop in securing the flag on these little hooks. BTW, no other holes etc. My guess is the flag was not used after a bit. And that saved it. And we shall end with Brian Robison’s final quote on the subject. “Yeah I don’t know if that is intentional or not”

/18 Comments/by
18 replies
  1. Greg Lewandowski
    Greg Lewandowski says:

    I love the burgee itself. Talk about patina. That shedded old flag can tell the story of all the travels and storms that Baby Chick experienced with her beloved skipper and crew!

  3. Syd
    Syd says:

    Those are some things that some times we will never know thoughts to ponder
    Is that what it left the factory with. We’re they short the right one and grabbed something that worked or it was discovered as missing as it was being readied for shipping and someone grabbed a flag pole or did anything like that happen at the dealership. Maybe the customer buying it said they wanted something different for it.
    Trust me this stuff happens

  4. Chad
    Chad says:

    You cannot deduce originality simply on the presence of brass eye hooks. I’d guess a prior owner lost or broke the pole and cobbled together a replacement. Would not take long for a new set of eye hooks to tarnish or turn green.

    What is going on at the base? Is it slanted? Is there a peg at the base? What is the bump on the left?

  5. Ollon
    Ollon says:

    Crap. Now I have to go down to the garage and check my flag poles. Its cold down there. Thanks Matt and Brian.

  6. Mark
    Mark says:

    Nothing like sending Jim Staib a picture of your flag pole and asking a simple question and get back “oh that is a Century pole – not a Chris Craft”. You need a new pole.

    The simple task turns into a new pole purchase, re-finish and re-wire etc. and the advice is priceless.

  7. Dick Dow
    Dick Dow says:

    Looks to me to be a replacement pole, perhaps from a different boat, cut down to replace a lost or broken original… As for the hooks, those are common items. On my boats, I orient them opposite as Matt found on the mast, but rather than pinch them, I rotate the top one so the opening is at about 45 degrees from tdc and the bottom just the opposite. Part of this is because I’m always swapping burgees between ACBS, builder and yacht club and pinching the hooks will eventually fatigue the metal and another hook will be needed.

  8. Art
    Art says:

    I have never seen a stained bow flag pole of this style and yours looks, to me, like it has been replaced. Yes the top should be angled. This pole appears to have semi flat sides, where the originals were rounded. JMHO, BWTFDIK.

    If the brass rings in the flag showed “some”wear, (which it doesn’t appear too), it would suggest that it wasn’t used much.

  9. Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U P)
    Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U P) says:

    Bow Flag, it doesn’t matter how they are fastened on. Or what angle they are at. The important thing is they are flying, on wood.

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