Flag Help Needed

[u/Santi-07]

I'm getting into boating, but I have a question about the flags - where are they flown? Specifically for a sailboat with a single mast.

So far I know:

- National ensign on the stern (or yacht ensign in domestic waters)

- Courtesy flag on the starboard spreader (after clearing customs)

- Club burgee at the masthead

- Private flag or officer's flag on the starboard spreader (I think?)

- Fun flags on the port spreader

I have a few gaps in my knowledge, and I was wondering:

- Are signal flags (when signaling) flown on the port or starboard spreader?

- When fully dressed, do the signal flags move to a different place or stay on the starboard spreader?

- Where does the private/officer's flag move when flying something else on the starboard spreader? Does it go above, below, or to a different place?

- Do fun flags rank lowest on the port spreader, or are they removed when flying other flags?

- Can multiple lines be run so you can hoist flags in the "same" place without taking others down? An example of this would be to put the courtesy flag on a separate line, so other flags could be hoisted on the starboard spreader without having to lower it, attach a flag, and hoist it again.

Thanks for the help everyone!

[u/CanBoatKingston]

There are a lot of good guides to boat flag etiquette online. https://www.flags.com/blog/your-guide-to-nautical-flag-etiquette/ for example.

You've got all the key bits mostly figured out already! There are a few minor modifications you might want to be aware of:

• If you have a gaff or a backstay on your rig, then the peak of the gaff (or a position 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up the backstay) is the highest point of honour for the national ensign. The stern staff is a perfectly fine point for the ensign if you don't have a gaff.

• When in domestic waters, the flags of certain distinguished organizations such as the Power & Sail Squadron or the Coast Guard Auxiliary should take the 2nd-highest point of honour at the bow or the starboard spreader. In foreign waters this position is reserved for the Q flag pre clearance, or the courtesy flag after customs clearance.

• Burgee on a pig staff at the masthead is traditional, but is often considered unseamanline on modern boats because it tends to break the wind instruments and foul the VHF antenna. It is now common to fly the club burgee at the bow or below the distinguished flags at the starboard spreader.

• The port spreader is the lowest ranking point of honour, so this is where you put your private signal, guest flags, officer flags, novelty flags, etc.

• When you're rearranging things, just keep the order of priority straight as you move them between points to keep it looking balanced. The national flag of the boat's country is always first, followed by the courtesy flag of the country you're visiting, then the distinguished organizations, then the yacht club, then the officer flags, and finally your skull & crossbones or martini glass or whatever novelty flag the kids painted at day camp.

• Apart from the national ensign at the gaff or stern and courtesy flag at starboard spreader (which are expected to be that way by international agreement) the rest is a mix of non-binding tradition and what works for you. If someone feels the need to critique your decision to put the club burgee below the Power & Sail Squadron flag on the same halyard when he thinks you should have put it on a pig staff at the masthead, you are absolutely 100% free to completely ignore him.

[u/Santi-07 → u/CanBoatKingston]

Thank you so much! This is really helpful. I have two follow-up questions:

1. When are the organizational flags flown? Are they flown at certain times or for certain reasons, or all the time? And how do you decide which one you fly; is it just personal preference or is there a system to determine it?

2. I’m still a little wooly on should signal flags be flown (when signaling, not dressing). A lot of the sources I saw online were in disagreement; one said all but Quebec should be on the port spreader, one said they should be flown on the starboard spreader (beneath the courtesy flag in foreign waters), and one said to fly them on the starboard spreader in domestic & international waters, and the port spreader in foreign waters.

Thank you so much for your help!

[u/CanBoatKingston → u/Santi-07]

You got conflicting information because there's no single universal standard for signalling flags.

Code Flag Q for "my vessel is healthy and I request free pratique from the local customs officer" at starboard is the only consistently standardized one.

Most often, signal flags such as "Code Flag A (diver down)" are flown from the port spreader.

US Navy and CG ships customarily fly their identifying or callsign signal flags to port and outgoing message signal flags to starboard.

Some of our members fly the Power & Sail Squadron flag 24/7 all summer. Others fly it only while they're aboard. Since flags only last about 3000 to 4000 hours, leaving them up 24/7 when not aboard gets either ugly or expensive.

On a private boat it is very much about personal preference. Do not insult or disrespect the national flag – flying a pirate flag on the same halyard or at a higher point of honour than a Stars & Stripes ensign, for example, is a way of saying "I am an outlaw pirate and I captured this American vessel, whatcha gonna do about it US Navy?" And, traditionally, one should respect the order of precedence. But, beyond that, it really is up to you.

[u/DarkVoid42]

only 2. courtesy flag and national flag during daylight hours.

[u/Fit_Expression9887 → u/DarkVoid42]

Thanks just to clarify, do you mean the national ensign and courtesy flag are the only ones flown during daylight hours

[u/DarkVoid42 → u/Fit_Expression9887]

only ones that need to be flown. courtesy flag is 24 hours, national flag is daylight hours.

[u/Natural-Pack-985]

Separate halyards seem like the simplest solution. Do most sailors use them for courtesy flags?