Flag Etiquette
The U.S. ensign is proper for all U.S. yachts, without reservation. This is "Old Glory," with 50 stars and 13 stripes. All boats, when at anchor, fly it from the stern staff, if so equipped, only while occupied. It is flown from the stern staff of powerboats underway on inland waters. If the powerboat has a mast and gaff, the proper display is at the gaff. On a sportsfisherman, where a stern staff would be in the way of the action, the practice is to fly the ensign from a halyard rigged just behind the tuna tower.
On Marconi-rigged sailboats under sail alone, the practice for many years had been to fly the ensign from the leech of the aftermost sail, approximately 2/3 the length of the leech above the clew. This puts it in about the same position it would occupy if the boat were gaff-rigged, and on gaff-rigged sailboats it is proper to fly the ensign from the peak of the aftermost gaff.
The advent of the modern high-aspect-ratio rig, with the boom end well inboard of the stern, has made it is possible to fly the ensign from the stern staff of a sailboat underway, and this is now an accepted practice. However, the ensign should never be displayed while the boat is racing. Under power alone, or at anchor or made fast, the ensign should be flown from the stern staff of all sailboats. If an overhanging boom requires that the staff be off center, it should preferably be on the starboard side.
This is the 13-star "Betsy Ross" flag, with a fouled anchor in the union. Originally restricted to documented vessels of a specific classification, it is now flown on recreational boats of all types and sizes instead of the National Flag. Many yacht clubs now follow bylaws requiring that the Yacht ensign be flown reguardless of boat size or documentation status. Whenever a boat is taken into international or foreign waters, however, the 50-star U.S. ensign is the proper flag to display and the yacht ensign is not to be displayed.
Known as the "blue ensign," the USCG Auxiliary flag is flown on a boat that has been approved as a "Facility" by the organization for the current year. It is flown both day and night.
On a vessel without a mast, the blue ensign is flown at the bow staff; if there is one mast, it is flown at the masthead. On a vessel with two or more masts, the USCG Auxiliary ensign is displayed at the main masthead. It is never flown in place of the national ensign.
When this ensign is displayed, it is improper to hoist a guest, owner absent, meal, cocktail, or novelty flag.
The United States Power Squadrons (or USPS) is a non-profit educational organization, founded in 1914, whose mission is to improve maritime safety and enjoyability through classes in seamanship, navigation, and other related subjects.
Generally triangular in shape although sometimes swallow-tailed, the yacht club burgee may be flown by day only, or day and night, as determined by the individual yacht club. It is flown from the bow staff of mastless and single-masted motorboats, at the foremost masthead of vessels with two or more masts, and the main masthead of ketches and yawls. The burgee may be flown while underway (but not racing) and at anchor. You may substitute the owner's private signal for the burgee on single-masted yachts without bow staff, when the boat is underway.
A distinguishing USPS Squadron burgee which has been authorized by USPS may be flown in lieu of a club burgee and from the same positions. This burgee may be flown by day only, or both day and night.
This is generally swallow-tailed in shape, but may be rectangular or pennant-shaped. It is flown from the masthead of a single-masted motorboat or sailboat, or from the aftermost mast of motor or sailing vessels with two or more masts. It may be flown by day only, or day and night.
A mastless motorboat may fly this signal from the bow staff in place of a club burgee.
Flags designating yacht club are rectangular in shape, blue (with white design) for senior officers; red for next lower in rank; and white (with blue design) for lower ranks. Other officer flags may be swallow-tailed or triangular in shape.
An officer flag is flown in place of the owner's private signal on all rigs of motor and sailing vessels except single-masted sailboats, when it is flown in place of the club burgee at the masthead. On smaller motor boats without a signal mast.
The flag of a USCG Auxiliary officer flies day and night when the officer is on board. On a vessel without a mast, it is flown at the bow staff in place of the USCG Auxiliary ensign; on a vessel with a mast, it is flown at the starboard spreader. Past officer burgees are displayed in the same manner.
Only one officers pennant may be flown at a time, and an incumbent officers pennant invariably takes precedence. When the Auxiliary ensign is displayed, it is considered improper to hoist a guest, owner absent, meal, cocktail, or novelty flag.
Although flags come in a fixed, standardized series of sizes, there are guidelines which will help in selecting the proper size for your boat.
Keeping in mind that flags are more often too small than too large, use the rules given below, and round upward to the nearest larger standard size.
The flag at the stern of your boat-U.S. ensign, yacht ensign,should be one inch on the fly for each foot of overall length. The hoist will normally be two-thirds of the fly, but some flags such as the USCG Auxiliary ensign have different proportions.
Other flags such as club burgees, officer flags, and private signals for use on sailboats should be approximately 1/2 inch on the fly for each foot of the highest mast above the water. For flying on powerboats, these flags should be roughly 5/8 inch on the fly for each foot of overall length. The shape and proportions of pennants and burgees will be prescribed by the organization to which they relate. A union jack should be the same size as the corresponding portion of the national ensign.
"Colors are made" each morning at 0800; as mentioned, at yacht club and similar organization docks or anchorages, this may be signaled by a morning gun. The national ensign or yacht ensign is hoisted at the stern (or set in place on its staff). Then comes the club burgee or Squadron burgee at the bow, and the private signal at the masthead. (An officer flag, if flown in place of a private signal, would be flown continuously.)
If the boat bears a valid USCG Auxiliary Facility decal, it would be flying the Auxiliary ensign at the masthead day and night. The USCG Auxiliary officers pennant or burgee may be flown day or night. On smaller craft, the same sequence should be followed, with the flags on their staff being set in the appropriate locations.
At sunset, colors not properly flown on a day-and-night basis should be lowered in reverse sequence, the ensign at the stern always being the last to be secured.
On national holidays, at regattas, and on other special occasions, yachts often "dress ship" with International Code signal flags. The ship is dressed at 0800, and remains so dressed until evening colors (while at anchor only, except for a vessel's maiden and final voyages, and participation in a marine parade or other unique situation).
In dressing ship, the yacht ensign is hoisted at the stern staff, and the Union Jack may be displayed at the jack (bow) staff. A rainbow of flags of the International Code is arranged, reaching from the water line forward to the water line aft, by way of the bowsprit end (or stem if there's no bowsprit) and the masthead(s). Flags and pennants are bent on alternately, rather than in any indiscriminate manner. Since there are twice as many letter flags as numeral pennants, it is good practice, as in the Navy, to follow a sequence of two flags, one pennant, two flags, one pennant, throughout. The sequence recommended here provides a harmonious color pattern throughout:
Starting from forward: AB2, UJ1, KE3, GH6, IV5, FL4, DM7, PO Third Repeater, RN First Repeater, ST Zero, CX9, WQ8, ZY Second Repeater.
As a matter of courtesy, it is proper to fly the flag of a foreign nation on your boat when you enter and operate on its waters. There are only a limited number of positions from which flags may be displayed, and consequently when a flag of another nation is flown, it usually must displace one of the flags commonly displayed in home waters. It is not hoisted until clearance has been completed and the yellow "Q" flag has been removed, and the vessel has been granted pratique by the appropriate authorities.
The following are general guidelines to follow reguarding courtesy flags:
Although these points serve as protocol in most waters, keep in mind that customs observed in various foreign waters differ from one another; in case of doubt, inquire locally or observe other craft from your country.
As noted previously, U.S. vessels while in international or foreign waters must fly the U.S. ensign (50-star flag) at the stern or gaff or leech, rather than the yacht ensign. When the starboard spreader is used for the "courtesy ensign" of the foreign country.
The U.S. ensign, club burgee, officer flag, and private signal are flown as in home waters.
Don't fly a foreign courtesy ensign after you have returned to U.S. waters. Although this may show that you've "been there," it is not proper flag etiquette.
A flag is flown at half-mast (or half-staff) in respect for a deceased person. Although there are no laws governing the half-masting of flags on private vessels, or at private homes and clubs, most citizens follow the flag display customs that are used on U.S. Government buildings and ships.
The only authorities who can direct that the U.S. ensign be flown at half-mast are the President and the governor of a state, territory or possession. The duration varies from a day or so up to 30 days, determined by the deceased person's position. It is not correct for a yacht club commodore, or official of a similar organization, to order the U.S. ensign to be flown at half-mast to honor a deceased member -- only the burgee or organization flag may be half-masted. On Memorial Day, the U.S. flag is flown at half-mast until 1220, the time of the final gun of the traditional 21-gun salute commencing at noon.
On a simple flagstaff-as at the stern of a vessel or a flagpole ashore-the "half-mast" position is approximately three/fourths the way up to the top. If the flagpole has a yardarm, or yardarm and gaff, the half-mast position is that which is level with the yardarm.
When the U.S. flag is displayed at half-mast on a vessel, other flags remain at their normal position. When it is half-masted ashore, fly only a private signal or club burgee at masthead of a gaff-rigged mast with it.
When the U.S. ensign is to be flown at half-mast, it should be hoisted fully and smartly, then lowered ceremoniously to the half-mast position. Before lowering, it is again raised to full height and lowered from there.
Some yacht clubs follow the practice of flying the burgee at half-mast for a period of mourning on the death of a club member. A private signal may be flown at half-mast on the death of the owner of that vessel.
