Flag Etiquette

1
Flag Etiquette

• Able Requirement 2

2
Able Requirement 2

• Demonstrate and explain the proper etiquette for
  boarding a Sea Scout vessel, landship, and naval
  vessels.
  
• Explain and demonstrate when and where to display
  the U.S. ensign, ship, and signal flags on a Sea
  Scout, Coast Guard, or Naval vessel.
  
• References
• Boat Etiquette" on page 303.
• http//www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-ststr.html
  
  
• http//www.usps.org/f_stuff/etiquett.htmlus-y-ens
  ign

3
Boarding a Landship

• Officer of the Deck boards ship from starboard
  gangway
  
• Boatswain boards ship from port gangway.
• At the rail they render the double salute, then
  exchange salutes before laying aboard.
  
• Upon boarding , the OOD enters the quarterdeck
  from the port side and takes his station on the
  port side of the bridge, just off the keel-line,
  facing the bow.
• If the assembled crews have not yet boarded the
  land ship, they do so at this time on the port
  side. The Boatswain returns the salutes.
  
• If the number of junior ship officers (mates,
  quartermasters, etc.) is very great, the officers
  lay aboard on the starboard side and render the
  double salute. Side honors are not given.
• The officers of the Flagship may board with the
  Skipper. Skippers are generally invited to join
  the Commodores party. Side Honors are given.

4
Boarding a Vessel

• Request permission to lay aboard
• The Double Salute
• Sea Scouts give the double salute at the rail
  honoring God (the mast or center of the ship) and
  Country (the National Ensign flown at the
  sternpost)
• This is the opposite of the Navy double salute
  honoring Country then Captain.
  
• Upon leaving the boat the double salute is
  rendered in reverse.

5
Flag Terminology

• Canton any quarter of a flag, but commonly
  means the upper left (hoist) quarter, such as the
  field of stars in the flag of the United States.
  
• Fly the half or edge of a flag furthest away
  from the flagpole. This term also sometimes
  refers to the horizontal length of a flag.
  
• Hoist the half or edge of a flag nearest to the
  flagpole. This term also sometimes refers to the
  vertical width of a flag.
  
• Length the span of a flag along the side at
  right angles to the flagpole.
  
• Width the span of a flag down the side parallel
  to the flagpole.

6
Flag Terminology

• Badge a coat of arms or simple heraldic symbol,
  such as a shield.
  
• Charge a figure or symbol appearing in the
  field of a flag.
  
• Emblem a device often used as a charge on a
  flag.
  
• It may be heraldic in origin or modern, for
  example the maple leaf on the Canadian Flag.
  
• Field the background of a flag the color
  behind the charges.
  
• Fimbriation a narrow edging or border, often in
  white or gold, on a flag to separate two other
  colors.

7
United States Flag or National Ensign

• The US Flag is properly referred to on a vessel
  as the US or National Ensign.
  
• The ensign consists of a field of 13 equal
  horizontal stripes of red alternating with white,
  with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing 50
  small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine
  offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating
  with rows of five stars.
• The 50 stars on the ensign represent the 50 U.S.
  states and the 13 stripes represent the original
  Thirteen Colonies.
  
• Nicknames for the flag include "Stars and
  Stripes" and "Old Glory"

8
United States Ensign

• The U.S. ensign is proper for all U.S. yachts,
  without reservation.
  
• 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.

9
United States Ensign

• On Marconi-rigged sailboats under sail alone, the
  practice 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.
• On boats with the boom end well inboard of the
  stern, it is possible to fly the ensign from the
  stern staff of a sailboat underway.
  
• If an overhanging boom requires that the staff be
  off center, it should preferably be on the
  starboard side.
  
• 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.

10
United States Yacht Ensign

• The US yacht ensign features a blue canton (the
  rectangle at the upper corner nearest the staff)
  having 13 white stars and a fouled anchor.
  
• Originally devised to identify documented yachts
  to relieve them of certain customs formalities,
  it is now flown on recreational boats of all
  types and sizes instead of the national ensign in
  domestic waters.
• Traditionally, the yacht ensign had a 1019
  hoist/fly ratio like the U.S. ensign. Today it is
  found with a 23 or 35 ratio.
  
• The yacht ensign must never be flown in
  international or foreign waters since it has no
  standing as a national ensign.
  
• Whenever a boat is taken into international or
  foreign waters, the 50-star U.S. ensign is the
  proper flag to display.
  

11
United States Power Squadron Ensign

• The USPS ensign has a red canton containing 13
  white stars surrounding a fouled anchor. The
  remainder of the flag contains thirteen vertical
  blue and white stripes.
• The USPS ensign has a 23 hoist/fly ratio.
• It is flown as a signal to others that the boat
  is commanded by an active member of USPS.
  
• The preferred location for flying the USPS ensign
  is the starboard yardarm or spreader halyard.
  
• It may be worn there day and night. While in U.S.
  waters, the USPS ensign may be flown instead of
  the national ensign, and in any position and at
  any time appropriate to fly the national ensign.

12
US Coast Guard Auxiliary Ensign

• The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Ensign may be worn
  on a boat that has been approved as a current
  facility by the organization.
  
• The facility must wear the national ensign
  whenever the Auxiliary ensign is worn
  
• It is flown both day and night.
• By mutual agreement, it may be flown with the
  USPS ensign by those who are members of both
  organizations.
  
• In this case, the USPS ensign is flown from the
  starboard spreader, not in lieu of the national
  ensign..
  
• If your boat has a signal mast, fly the blue
  ensign at the masthead, replacing any other
  signal.
  
• Fly it at the main truck if your boat has two or
  more masts. On the other hand, if your boat does
  not have a mast, fly the Auxiliary ensign at the
  bow staff or antenna.

13
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Operational
Ensign

• The USCG Auxiliary operational ensign is worn in
  place of the blue ensign on USCG Auxiliary
  vessels while under Coast Guard orders or on
  patrol missions.
• When under orders, only the U.S. national ensign,
  the USCG Auxiliary operational ensign, and one
  officer flag may be flown.
  
• All other signals must be removed. The dimensions
  of the operational ensign should not be greater
  than those of the national ensign.

14
Union Jack

• A rectangular blue flag with 50 stars-the upper
  quadrant of the National Ensign nearest the
  hoist, properly referred to as a canton.
  
• Worn most often by government vesselsrarely by
  private vessels.
  
• It may be flown only when not underway at the
  jack staff of yachts with more than one mast, and
  only on Sundays, holidays, or when dressing ship.
  
• The exterior dimensions of the union jack should
  be equal to the respective exterior dimensions of
  the union on the national ensign being flown.

15
Yacht Club Burgee

• Generally triangular in shape, although sometimes
  swallow-tailed, the yacht club burgee contains a
  unique design symbolic of the organization
  represented.
• If your boat is a mast-less or single-masted
  yacht, fly your burgee from the bow staff.
  
• Boats without a bow staff should wear a burgee at
  the truck of a single-master yacht.
  
• On the other hand, if the truck is occupied with
  instruments or other conflicting gear, a pigstick
  can be affixed to a halyard so as to carry a flag
  above the truck.
• Alternatively, the burgee may be worn at a
  spreader halyard.
  
• If your boat has two or more masts, fly your
  burgee at the truck of the forward mast.
  
• Do not display more than one burgee at a time. .

16
Association Flags

• Flag's of associations, e.g., Sea Scouts, a
  cruising club or a USPS district, are generally
  rectangular and may be worn on a spreader
  halyard.
• Many flags or signals are flown from the spreader
  halyards butusuallyonly one should be worn on
  each halyard.
  
• If your boat is rigged with one starboard halyard
  and one port halyard, fly the signal of superior
  dignity on the starboard side and the signal of
  lesser dignity on the port side.
• If you have more than one halyard on each side of
  your boat, fly the superior signal form the
  outboard starboard halyard, with other signals to
  its left, in order of decreasing dignity.
• They may be balanced, insofar as possible,
  starboard and port.

17
Courtesy Flags

• When you visit foreign water, your boat should
  display a courtesy flag (the civil ensign of the
  country you are visiting) whenever your U.S.
  national ensign (the USPS ensign or the yacht
  ensign should not be displayed in foreign waters)
  is displayed. (The USPS ensign and U.S. yacht
  ensign should not be worn in foreign waters)
• If your vessel is mast-less, it should wear this
  "courtesy flag" at the bow, in lieu of a squadron
  or club burgee, or on a starboard antenna strong
  enough to support it.
• If your vessel has one or more masts, display it
  single-hoisted at the outboard signal halyard of
  the main starboard spreader. Move any flag
  normally flown there to the inboard starboard
  halyard or, if your boat has only one halyard per
  side, to the port spreader halyard.
• The customs observed in various foreign waters
  differ from one another. Try to learn the correct
  procedure for the country you are entering.
  
• For example, is some countries it is customary to
  fly the courtesy flag only after the quarantine
  flag (the yellow 'Q' flag) and the vessel has
  been granted pratique by the appropriate
  authorities.
• Do not fly a foreign courtesy flag after you have
  returned to U.S. waters. It is not to be used as
  a badge of accomplishment for having cruised to
  another country.

18
Foreign Guest Flags

• When a foreign guest is aboard, you may display
  the ensign of the guest's country from the bow
  staff or outboard port spreader.
  
• Should more than one such guest flag be
  appropriate, wear them on spreader halyards from
  port to starboard in the alphabetical order of
  their countries' names in the English language.

19
Alternative Display Locations

• Avoid flying more than one ensign from a single
  halyard or antenna.
  
• When the preferred positions for an
  organizational burgee or officer flag are not
  available, you may fly these from the spreader
  halyard, with more than one on a hoist if
  necessary.
• In such instances however, you must observe the
  proper order of precedence.
  
• If you must multiple-hoist these flags, no more
  than one flag of the same type or stature may be
  flown from the same halyard.
  
• Each flag must be senior to the one below it,
  except that the officer-in-charge pennant may be
  placed above the officer flag when it is
  appropriate to do so.
• When neither the preferred location nor a
  spreader halyard is available, a radio antenna
  may be used.
  
• Never fly any other flag on the same halyard as,
  or on a halyard to starboard of, a courtesy flag

20
Size of Flags

• The national ensign flown at a flag staff at the
  stern of your boat should be one inch on the fly
  for each foot of overall length of the boat.
  
• All 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 above the waterline of the tallest mast
  on the boat.
• That is, if the tope of the mast is 30 feet above
  the waterline, these other flags should be 15
  inches on the fly.)
  
• On powerboats, these flags should be 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.
• Many foreign ensignscourtesy flagssold in
  stores are not manufactured to correct
  proportions.
  
• For instance, the flags of all former British
  Commonwealth countries, including Canada,
  Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the British Virgin
  Islands, are correctly proportioned 12, i.e.,
  the fly is twice the length of the hoist.

21
Making Colors

• Colors are made each morning at 0800
• 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).
  
• This is followed, as applicable, by a foreign
  ensign (courtesy flag), a club or squadron
  burgee, organizational flags, an officer flag or
  private signal and then by any other signals not
  already flying, such as a guest flag.
• At sunset, colors not properly flown on a
  day-and-night basis should be retired in reverse
  sequence, the ensign at the stern always being
  the last to be secured.
• If you fly the yacht ensign (or other authorized
  ensign) in lieu of the U.S. ensign, raise and
  lower it as if it were the U.S. national ensign.

22
Half-Staffing Flags

• The President of the United States or the
  governor of a state are the only authorities who
  may direct that all national ensigns be flown at
  half-staff
• The length of time at which the ensign is to be
  flown at half-staff is determined by the deceased
  person's position and the directive of the
  president or governor.
• This normally lasts from 1 or 2 days to as many
  as 30 days.
  
• A commodore, commander, civic association
  president, or corresponding official of a similar
  organization may order his organization's flag
  flown at half-staff to honor a member who has
  died.
• A club burgee on a sail or signal mast is a
  half-staff when it is even with the man spreader
  or yardarm.
  
• On Memorial day, the national ensign is properly
  flown at half-staff until 1200.

23
Half-Staffing Flags

• When you fly your national ensign at half-mast,
  hoist it smartly as high as you can (sometimes
  referred to as "chock-a-blocked") or
  "two-blocked").
• Then lower it ceremoniously to the half-mast
  position.
  
• When you are taking it down at the end of the
  day, smartly two-block it again and then lower it
  ceremoniously from there.
  
• When the ensign is at half-mast, all other flags
  remain two-blocked.

24
Folding the flag

• To fold the flag correctly, bring the striped
  half up over the blue field.
  
• Then fold it in half again.
• Bring the lower striped corner to the upper edge,
  forming a triangle.
  
• Then fold the upper point in to form another
  triangle. Continue until the entire length of the
  flag is folded.
  
• When you get near the endnothing but the blue
  field showingtuck the last bit into the other
  folds to secure it.
  
• The final folded flag resembles a cocked hat with
  only the white stars on a blue field showing.
  

25
Dressing Ship

• On national holidays, at regattas, and on other
  special occasions, yachts often "dress ship" with
  International Code of 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 national ensign is hoisted
  at the stern staff (and the Union Jack may be
  displayed at the jack (bow) staff on government
  vessels).
• 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.