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FAST FACTS

February 14, Say Hello to the Stars and Stripes

By: KATHERINE CLEMENTS

UNITED STATES— On Feb. 14, 1778, the continental ship, The Ranger, commanded by John Paul Jones, an American naval hero in the American Revolution, was the first ship to officially receive a salute to a U.S. Stars and Stripes flag by a foreign government (the French) in Quiberon, France.

Although many historians believe Betsy Ross, a seamstress from Philadelphia, was the first to create the American flag, it is unknown who originally designed the first Stars and Stripes flag. The flag is decorated with thirteen stars and thirteen stripes and was adopted by the new United States government in 1777. Congressman Francis Hopkins also claimed to have been the designer of the flag.

John Paul Jones was born Jul. 6, 1747, in Kirkcudbright, Scotland, and came to America as a merchant sailor when the revolution broke out. Jones chose to side with the colonists and joined the Continental Navy. Jones’ most remarkable victory was his against-all-odds defeat over the British warship, Serapis, on Sept. 23, 1779.

Earlier that month, after receiving news of the victory at Saratoga, New York, France recognized the independence of the American colonies and signed a treaty of alliance with the United States. In 1898, American artist Edward Moran painted a depiction of the Continental Navy Ship, The Ranger, with Captain John Paul Jones in command while receiving his salute from the French fleet. The original painting by Moran is in the U.S. Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis, Maryland. For reasons unknown, in this lithograph, the other ships of the French fleet have been removed, leaving only a ghost of their image. Ranger is flying an American flag with eleven stripes and a circle of stars.

The USS Ranger was an 18gun Continental Navy ship sloop, originally to be called Hampshire, and was launched on May 10, 1777, by James K. Hackett, the master shipbuilder.

After fitting out, the USS Ranger sailed towards France on Nov. 1777 ,1, carrying dispatches recounting General Burgoyne›s surrender to the Commissioners in Paris. On the voyage over, two British prizes of war were captured. Finally, Ranger arrived at Nantes, France, on Dec. 1777 ,2, where Jones sold the prizes and delivered the news of the victory at Saratoga to Dr. Franklin. These events led to the first official salute to the new American flag, the "Stars and Stripes," given by the French fleet at Quiberon Bay, while Jones sailed upon the USS Ranger.

Captain Joh Paul Jones aboard the USS Ranger representing the role of the fi rst Captain in the U.S. Navy.

Shutterstock image

On Board With Johnson by J.R. Johnson Reader Q&A

By: JORDAN B. DARLING

RE: Dates Announced for 2022 Sailing Convention for Women

(MAY 28-JUNE 10, 2021)

QI heard the date has changed to April 2, 2022. Can you please confi rm? Thank you!

ADue to COVID-19 restrictions, the Sailing Convention for Women has been moved to April 2-3. There is a $250 registration fee from Feb. 12-March 26; late registration and walk-ins will have a $275 fee from March 27-April 2. The convention’s website was set to be updated on Feb. 1 with the new details. Instructional staff and participant details will be updated on March 1 at the latest.

The convention is a two-day series with on-the-water instruction and shore-based workshops for sailors of all skill levels. The event will be hosted at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club in Corona del Mar, which has hosted the event for the past 28 years. The convention will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with networking events held after classes. Zuzana Prochazka, freelance travel and boating author and photographer, will step in as the guest speaker this year.

For more information and any questions, reach out to Gail Hine at gail@sailingconventionforwomen.com.

Letters/Online Comments

RE: In Memoriam: Sheila

Wood (JAN. 7-JAN. 20)

“Sheila was always the light in the room… and the wind behind your back. Her joy was giving joy to others. Earth Angels live for eternity.”

—David Frizzelle

RE: In Memoriam: Donald

Keith Hansen (JAN. 21-FEB. 3)

“Don was a wonderful community servant. I’m forever thankful for his mentoring at-risk youth through free fi shing. My sincere condolences to his loved ones.”

—Teri Steel

RE: CARB Addresses Public Comments and

Concerns (JAN. 21-FEB. 3)

“These CARB regulations affect 300 or so vessels in CA like that is going to make a difference in air quality in a state with 40 million vehicles! Also, all the container ships sitting off the coast right now are a bigger problem than the fi shing vessels. This proposal would kill the recreational fi shing fl eet, not that CARB gives a hoot. This is an all-out assault on recreational fi shing! However, this is all probably just window dressing, as we found out with the MPLA process. The sanctimonious government offi cials just did what they wanted to anyway.”