Flag Etiquette

The United States flag is the senior flag and is flown on the ensign staff. Sailboats may sew their national flag to the leach of the mainsail on sloops or the mizzen on ketches or yawls. They may also use the after backstays of same.
 

 

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The United States yacht ensign (the 50-star field replaced by a fouled anchor in a circle of 13 stars) may replace the United States flag ONLY on U.S. Coast Guard-documented vessels and ONLY upon the territorial water of the U.S.
The above colors are only made during daylight hours. Morning colors are made at 0800 hours March through October and are struck at sunset.

 

The next most senior flag is the yacht club burgee. The burgee is flown at the
main masthead or starboard halyard. Where there is no mast, then from the bow staff or over the wheelhouse. It may be left in position day and night. If the yachtsman is a member of more than one yacht club, it is customary to fly the burgee of the club at which his yacht is moored. It is incorrect for a yacht to display more than one club burgee.

 

Next in order of seniority to be flown from the starboard halyard is the flag officer’s flag, past officer’s flag, the Power Squadron and/or Coast Guard Auxiliary flags, personal flags & signals and the foreign courtesy flag. In foreign waters it is a mark of courtesy (not required) to fly the ensign of the country being visited in the position described above.

Note: The foreign courtesy flag is flown only in foreign waters and is struck immediately upon returning to U.S. territorial waters. It is NEVER proper to fly any foreign ensign below the United States flag. Flag officer’s flags may be flown continuously day and night when the officer is on board or absent for short periods ashore.

 

The port spreader is reserved for signal flags such as “pilot aboard,” “fueling,” “quarantine,” “dragging anchor,” etc. 

* The above information was condensed from the Yachting Signal Book by J.R. Collier, Canadian Yacht Flags and Ensigns by Dr. McKenzie and the April 1992 Main-Sheet published by The Royal Victoria Yacht Club.