Flag Etiquette on Boats

[grantmc]

Drafting an article about yacht flags for our web site. I',m intending it as a straightforward overview of flag etiquette, honouring maritime tradition but without overwhelming detail. Whether for practice on a private yacht or chartered yacht, adhering to these flag practices can add to the enjoyment and respectfulness of the experience.

And so interested in your thoughts about this. Thanks in advance. Here goes:

Flags and their Use on Boats

Flag etiquette is a tradition carried on by generations of mariners. Although not always rigorously followed today—especially by some charterers—it remains a source of pride and connection to nautical heritage. We’ll cover the essentials here without getting into exhaustive detail, so even casual sailors and charterers can display proper respect for flag traditions.

This article will focus on five types of flags most relevant to charterers and boat owners: the Ensign or National Flag, the Club Burgee, the Courtesy Flag, the Private Signal, and the House Flag.
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The Flags

Ensign (National Flag)

The ensign, or national flag, should be flown by all boats, regardless of their country of registration. There are generally two options:

1. The yacht ensign or recreational ensign, if this option exists in the country of registration.
   
2. The national flag representing the country where the boat is registered.

The ensign is typically flown from the stern, where it’s most visible, ideally on a pole offset to the starboard side to prevent it from interfering with the boat's rigging or engine exhaust. In some cases, it may be flown from the leech of the aft-most sail.

• Timing: The ensign should be raised at 0800 and lowered at sunset, or whenever the boat is unattended at night.

• When Abroad: In foreign waters, only the national flag (not the yacht ensign) should be flown to signify the boat’s nationality in compliance with international protocol.
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Burgee

A burgee is a small flag that displays the emblem of a yacht club, sailing organization, or association to which the skipper belongs. Tradition holds that burgees should be flown from the masthead or, more commonly today, from the starboard spreader.

• Location: The starboard spreader has become a widely accepted place of honor for the burgee, especially for modern sailboats with spreader-based flag halyards.

• Timing: The burgee may be flown day and night as long as the owner or a club member is onboard.
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Courtesy Flag

When sailing in foreign waters, it’s courteous (and often legally required) to fly the national flag of the host country. This flag, known as a courtesy flag, should be hoisted after customs and immigration authorities have cleared the vessel. Until clearance is granted, the vessel must fly a yellow "Q" flag to signal that it is in quarantine.

• Location: The courtesy flag is flown from the starboard spreader. On multi-masted vessels, it may be flown from the starboard spreader on the forward mast.

• Maintenance: In many countries, a worn or frayed courtesy flag is considered disrespectful, so it’s wise to carry a new, high-quality flag when visiting foreign ports.

Additionally, as a courtesy to guests on board, it’s common practice to fly the national flag(s) of any guests’ countries if they differ from the boat’s ensign.
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Private Signal

The private signal is a custom-designed flag unique to the boat's owner, often displaying symbols or colors representing family heritage or personal identity. It’s traditionally flown on yachts owned by individuals rather than charter companies.

• Position: On a single-mast boat, the private signal may be flown from the starboard spreader, either below the burgee or alone. On multi-masted boats, it’s traditionally flown from the aft mast.

• Timing: The private signal may be flown day and night, but only when the owner is onboard or in command, as it represents the owner specifically.
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House Flag

House flags are used by commercial operators, yacht charter companies, or families who own fleets to represent their business or family on the water. These flags display a unique design or logo, allowing for easy identification of the vessel’s ownership or charter affiliation.

• Position: The house flag is usually flown from the starboard spreader or another forward position on the rigging. On a multi-masted vessel, it may be flown from the forward mast.

• Timing: The house flag can be flown whenever the boat is in service or under charter. It is a sign of company pride and often a subtle branding element for charter companies.
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Flags' Dimensions (Yard Size)

Flag sizes are generally determined by the size of the vessel (up to a 60 footer):

• National Flag (Ensign): Should be about one inch flag foot for every foot of the boat's overall length. For example, a 40-foot boat should fly an ensign about 40 inches long (roughly 3.5 feet).

• Other Flags: For burgees, private signals, courtesy flags, and house flags, the recommended size is half an inch for each foot of the mast height above water.

The yard sizing (traditional diagonal measurement) is nominal and may vary slightly due to the nature of the production/sewing process.

It’s usually better to choose a slightly larger flag than a smaller one to avoid appearing under-dressed.
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Raising and Lowering Flags

The ensign should be raised briskly at 0800 and lowered slowly at sunset. The ensign may also be displayed at night when entering or leaving port but should be taken down if the boat is left unattended.

• When Racing: The ensign is generally not flown during races to signal to other vessels that the boat is actively racing.

• Order of Flags: If multiple flags are raised or lowered, the ensign is hoisted first and taken down last as a sign of respect.
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Printed or Sewn Flags
Printed courtesy flags are generally accepted everywhere you may visit.

Sewn courtesy flags may prove far too expensive on an extended voyage.

Printed courtesy flags are lighter and therefore fly better in a light breeze.

However, there are two distinct schools of thought regarding your Ensign (or national flag), and either is acceptable.

Printed - is less than half the cost and ‘will soon be blown out anyway'.
Sewn - is the only proper flag to fly, will last longer and is worth 'every penny.'

[ChrisJHC]

Useful. I assume you’ll add some images to the actual article?

[Bowdrie]

Everybody should have a copy of "Chapman Piloting & Seamanship".
Nobody seems to care much anymore, but in the "old days" the flying of the "yacht ensign" was only for documented vessels.

[boatman61]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_e8PGP...dGggZmxhZ3M%3D

[Hobby]

Boatman,
I love it.
Thanks for my “laugh of the day”

[5BTM]

At my club flag etiquette is practically non-existant, which really bothers me.

What offends me are flags displayed to show support for countries at war, flags of countries of birth of the current owner and provincial flags in lieu of national flags.

In 77 we picked up the pilot that was going to brings us into Rangoon harbor.
He almost had a heart attack when he saw we were flying the pre- 74 flag.

We were on anchor off Algiers when Houari Boumediene died, so we had to fly the Algerian flag at half mast. My watchman, being superstitious, would first raise it full mast and then lower to half mast to show the gods that everything was OK on board.

[boatman61]

When I collected an old Americas Cup 12metre in Denmark for a delivery (American buyer) I had no national flag for the boat so flew the Coimbra flag of the old Portuguese kingdom off the stern..
Caused a mass of interest and had lots of German skippers trawling the net trying to identify it between Kiel and Cuxhaven..

[psk125]

You may want to rework or drop the section on where the ensign staff should go. Our engine exhaust is on the starboard side.

[Enfant Du Vent]

Courtesy flag:
" Additionally, as a courtesy to guests on board, it’s common practice to fly the national flag(s) of any guests’ countries if they differ from the boat’s ensign."
I spent a winter in St. Thomas, USVI and occasionally saw boats flying multiply flags on the port spreader. The boat I remember most was a 55' sailboat flying 3 European flags and 1 American flag--up side down.

Since someone was on deck, I hailed her and said, "I'm sorry to see the American is in distress.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by grantmc

Drafting an article about yacht flags for our web site. I',m intending it as a straightforward overview of flag etiquette, honouring maritime tradition but without overwhelming detail. Whether for practice on a private yacht or chartered yacht, adhering to these flag practices can add to the enjoyment and respectfulness of the experience.

And so interested in your thoughts about this. Thanks in advance. Here goes:

Flags and their Use on Boats

Flag etiquette is a tradition carried on by generations of mariners. Although not always rigorously followed today—especially by some charterers—it remains a source of pride and connection to nautical heritage. We’ll cover the essentials here without getting into exhaustive detail, so even casual sailors and charterers can display proper respect for flag traditions.

This article will focus on five types of flags most relevant to charterers and boat owners: the Ensign, the Club Burgee, the Courtesy Flag, the Private Signal, and the House Flag.
________________________________________
The Flags

Ensign

The civil ensign, or the national flag, or the recreational/yacht ensign should be flown by all boats, regardless of their country of registration. Note the civil ensign and the national flag are different in many countries but usually hold similar respect. There are generally two options:

1. The civil ensign or recreational/yacht ensign, if either of these options exist in the country of registration.
   or
2. The national flag representing the country where the boat is registered.

The ensign is typically flown from the stern, where it’s most visible, ideally on a pole offset to the starboard side to prevent it from interfering with the boat's rigging or engine exhaust. In some cases, it may be flown from the leech of the aft-most sail.

• Timing: The ensign should be raised at 0800 and lowered at sunset, or whenever the boat is unattended at night.

• When Abroad: In foreign waters, only the civil ensign or the national flag (but never the recreational/yacht ensign) should be flown to signify the boat’s nationality in compliance with international protocol..........

I understand your wish to keep it simple and without overwhelming detail however......the national civil ensign is not the same as the national flag in many countries but they are interchangeable for us recreational cruisers.
Being as the ensign is the most important flag (and the one that can cause most offence if unwittingly disrespected, I have made an edit for your consideration which is hopefully closer to the accepted flag etiquette.

[CaptTom]

Thanks! Good discussion for those of us who aren't really "into" flags so much. Maybe someone can clear up a couple of points of confusion for me.

1) My understanding was that the "yacht ensign" was originally used to distinguish a private vessel from a warship. Apparently showing up in another country's harbor with a warship is very different, politically, from showing up as a private citizen.

So, my understanding was the yacht ensign should be flown in a foreign nation's waters, to make this distinction. The above seems to suggest the opposite.

2) I never heard that bit about offsetting the staff to starboard. I've been on a number of military vessels and cruise ships, and the staff is always dead center. I went through hundreds of photos to confirm this, trying to find one off center. Even the QMII, which I'm quite sure follows proper flag etiquette, flies her ensign from a centered staff.

I have heard that there's the option to fly it off-center, if the configuration of the vessel doesn't allow proper placement at the stern or from a gaff. Presumably engine exhaust would be a good reason, although I'm quite sure I've see dry exhaust on the starboard sides of vessels, too. That whole issue of flag vs. exhaust placement seems much too specific for a general guide like this, as it only impacts a very small percentage of vessels.

[Auklet]

Private signals when registered with one’s yacht club may substitute for the yacht club burgee, from my experience.

[carstenb]

for more on this subject



https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...tte-13125.html


carsten

[Johan Leopard51]

Our yacht name is “PS”.

As it turns out, Papa Sierra alphabet flags would actually look quite nice together being P = blue rectangle white inner and S = white rectangle blue inner.

Would it be improper to paint/vinyl those onto the hull? “PS” in flags as I have it means ‘don’t come any closer’ which might be a great way to have some peace

[Johan Leopard51]

I would venture very few of us do the up at 8 down at sunset routine. Unless that is accompanied by an official drink it all sounds too official for me. Our first light in tropics is around 4:45AM - by 8AM we are well into activities.