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See Supplement 2007 A-17 WHEN FLAGS ARE FLOWN All flags which a member is entitled to fly may be displayed day and night when his vessel is in com- FLAG ETIQUETTE mission, except that the national ensign, yacht ensign and courtesy flags ordinarily are exhibited CUSTOMS AND COMMENTS only 0800 to sunset. A vessel should show her ensign at night only when entering or leaving port, for a length of time sufficient for authorities to establish her nationality. COURTESY FLAG TIME OF MAKING COLORS When a yacht cruises in the waters of a foreign coun- Morning colors are made at 0800 or immediately on try, it is customary that she wear, from 0800 to sun- boarding thereafter. Evening colors are made at down, the civil ensign of that country at the foremost sundown, or earlier if disembarking without cer- starboard spreader or at the bow staff of power tainty of returning by then. yachts without signal halyards. For specifications on civil ensigns, which are often different from the state Copyright 2007, Great Lakes Cruising Club ORDER OF MAKING COLORS flag, members are referred to Whitney Smith’s Flags When all flags to be raised cannot be broken out and Arms Across the World (McGraw-Hill). together, they are raised in order of seniority (see FOREIGN VISITORS below). They are taken-in in reverse order. When a distinguished foreign visitor is on board, FLAG SENIORITY the civil ensign of his country may be flown from In making colors and choosing the correct position- the bow staff of power yachts or the foremost truck ing of flags, the following order of seniority should of sail yachts, in lieu of the club burgee. When the be observed: (1) National ensign, (2) courtesy ensign, President of the United States is on board an (3) club burgee, (4) association flag(s), (5) officer flag American vessel, his personal flag is worn at the or private signal, (6) other signals such as guest and foremost truck of all masted yachts and at the bow owner absent, and (7) code flags for dressing ship. staff of others. (Note: When the “club” is a subsidiary of the “asso- Senior Officers ciation,” as in squadrons of USPS or flotillas of the USCG Aux, the latter’s flag is superior.) When a flag officer makes an official visit to the yacht of a member, the former’s flag should be flown from HALF-STAFFING the bow staff on power yachts and from the foremost During periods of national mourning, the national truck of sail yachts, in place of the club burgee. ensign is carried at approximately two-thirds its CLUB BURGEE WITH OFFICER FLAG normal height. All other flags remain two-blocked. On Memorial Day in the United States, the U.S. It is traditional that an officer flag be flown only ensign is half-staffed till 1220 local time (the hour with the burgee of that officer’s club. However, 1220 corresponds to the final gun of a 21-minute- when the officer flag is uniquely identifiable with a gun salute, as at Arlington National Cemetery). specific association, as for GLCC, it may be flown with the member’s yacht club burgee. The Great Lakes Cruising Club, its members, agents, or servants, shall not be liable, and user waives all claims, for damages to persons or property sustained by or arising from the use of this report. When half staffing, the flag is first two-blocked, then lowered to its two-thirds position. It is again PRIVATE SIGNALS two-blocked before lowering. On the death of an It is the privilege of a yachtsman to devise his own owner, his private signal is half-staffed until per- private signal. These are customarily tapered swal- manently secured following his funeral. lowtail in shape and should be designed to be unique yet readily identifiable at some distance. DIPPING THE ENSIGN Inasmuch as private signals and officer flags are By statute and by tradition, the US ensign is never both personal flags, they both are assigned the dipped to initiate a salute and is dipped in response masthead position and one who is eligible to fly only by government vessels. The US yacht ensign both must choose which he desires to display at may be dipped. any given time. Great Lakes Cruising Club — A-17 _____________________________________________________________________ Page 1 Page 2 Page 2A-17 / GREAT LAKES CRUISING CLUB FLAG CODE AT A GLANCE _____________________________________________________________________ Where Worn — Sail Yachts Where Worn — Power Yachts Flag When Flown Single Masted Yawls & Ketches Schooners With Mast Without Mast National Ensign 0800 to sunset When under sail: (a) Peak of the gaff (if fitted) of the aftermost mast Stern staff, except if Stern staff (U.S. or Canadian as or (b) two-thirds up the leach of the aftermost sail, or from the mast has a gaff, then appropriate, includ- stern staff. When under power, at anchor or moored: From the from the gaff when ing U.S. Yacht stern staff. underway. Ensign1) Courtesy Flag (Civil 0800 to sunset when Starboard spreader3 Starboard main Starboard foremast Starboard spreader3 Bow staff (in lieu of ensign of country in foreign waters2 spreader3 spreader3 burgee) or starboard being visited radio antenna U.S. Union Jack 0800 to sunset on Jack staff4 Jack staff4 Jack staff4 Jack staff4 (Not flown) (American vessels Sundays and holidays only) when not underway Yacht Club Burgee Day and night5 Truck Main truck Fore truck Bow staff Bow staff Private signal Day and night5 Truck (in lieu of club Mizzen truck Main truck Truck (Not flown) burgee or officer flag Officer Flag Day and night5 Truck (in lieu of club Mizzen truck (in lieu Main truck (in lieu Truck (in lieu of (Not flown)6 burgee or private of private signal) of private signal) private signal) signal) GLCC Port Captain Day and night5 As for association flag or in lieu of burgee As for association flag or in lieu of burgee flag7 Association Flag Day and night5 Starboard spreader3 Starboard main Starboard main Starboard spreader3 Bow staff (in lieu of GLCC8, LMYA, USPS, spreader3 spreader3 burgee) CPS/ECP, etc.) U.S. Coast Guard Per Auxiliary Guide Truck Main truck Main truck Truck Bow staff (in lieu of Great Lakes Cruising Club—A-17 Auxiliary Ensign burgee) Absent Flag Day and night5,9 Starboard spreader3 Starboard main Starboard main Starboard spreader3 (Not flown) when owner is absent spreader3 spreader3 Guest Flag Day and night5 when Starboard spreader3 Starboard main Starboard main Starboard spreader3 (Not flown) owner absent and a spreader3 spreader3 guest is in command Quarantine Flag Day or night on first Where best seen Where best seen (“Q” Flag) entering foreign ter- ritorial waters.10 Dis played until entry for- malities are completed Traditional yachting etiquette dictates that only one flag be worn per halyard except for signalling or dressing ship. Great Lakes Cruising Club—A-17 NOTES— 1. The U.S. yacht ensign was designed in 1849 by the New York ior flag to port. Where multiple halyard are rigged on each side, Yacht Club at the request of the U.S. Customs Service to pro- the superior flag is worn outboard to starboard with other flags vide a signal by which documented American yachts could be to its left in descending order of dignity. (See Flag Seniority in identified. Never intended to be a substitute for the national main text.) Never fly another flag on the same halyard as a ensign, this signal gradually worked its way to the gaff, leach courtesy flag. and flag staff and was adopted even by undocumented craft 4. A yacht is seldom fitted with a jack staff, which is distinctly dif- when its original purpose disappeared. Today it is recognized ferent from a bow staff. A jack staff is mounted in a vertical posi- as the equivalent of the U.S. ensign for all pleasure craft, tion at the bow, usually on deck. The union jack should not be although there are many purists who eschew its use on undoc- worn on a common bow staff. (The British national flag is also umented vessels. Because it is not an official U.S. national referred to as the “union jack”. _____________________________________________________________________ ensign, it is not flown in foreign waters. Nor is it flown by non- 5. Some yachtsmen continue to prefer the custom that essentially American vessels as a courtesy flag. (By statute, the organiza- all flags except an officer flag be displayed only from 0800 to tional ensign of the United States Power Squadrons is permit- sunset; however, major yachting organizations-including the ted to be flown by members as a substitute for the U.S. ensign New York Yacht Club, United States Power Squadrons and the in domestic waters, although the preferred location is as an U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary-now permit all but national ensigns association flag.) to be exhibited day and night while the boat is in commission. 2. In some countries, it is customary not to fly the courtesy flag 6. GLCC officer flags, being unique to the organization and thus until the vessel and her personnel have completed customs and identifying affiliation (similar to those of the New York and immigration formalities and the “Q” flag has been secured. Chicago Yacht Clubs and USPS), may be flown by eligible offi- Many countries, notably former British Commonwealth coun- cers in lieu of the Club burgee at the bow staff of power boats tries, have up to six forms of national flag. The two most com- without signal mast. mon are for civilian land use and for civilian maritime use.

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