sailboat burgee etiquette

Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

Boat flag etiquette: Everything you need to know about ensigns and burgees

• Andy Du Port
• April 20, 2022

Andy Du Port draws upon 50 years’ experience to share the customary way of doing things when it comes to boat flag etiquette…

Illustration by Jake Kavanagh

Almost everything we do, ashore and afloat, is governed by laws, which we must obey, and guidance, which we can accept or ignore.

When driving, we are governed by the Road Traffic Regulation Act and guided by The Highway Code.

At sea, we are bound by the Merchant Shipping Act and guided by advice from the likes of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA).

For example, the law requires us to wear our national ensign on specified occasions, but we are only advised to hoist it at 0800 and lower it at sunset.

And then we have etiquette, which may be somewhat perplexing but soon becomes second nature.

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It can be specific or it can simply reflect good manners, courtesy and common sense, thus avoiding awkward or embarrassing pitfalls.

Sport-specific

All sports have their etiquette, some of which is quite prescriptive. You only have to google ‘golfing etiquette’ or ‘football etiquette’ to see what I mean.

Sailing etiquette tends to be more relaxed but, nonetheless, you should be aware of it – even if you then decide to ignore it.

The dictionary description is along the lines of: The customary code of polite behaviour among members of a particular group.

Photo: iWebbtravel/Alamy

In other words, in this context, it is ‘what most people do’ when afloat in their boats. To add confusion to this somewhat prickly subject, boat etiquette is continually changing.

When I started sailing yachts in the late 1960s it was de rigueur to conduct Colours and Sunset, with due ceremony, when in harbour.

Many a snooty look would be directed at a yacht who was two minutes late or whose crew was not smartly turned out. Nowadays, the custom has all but disappeared.

Some etiquette is founded on tradition, but most is based on practicalities which, if observed by the majority, just makes life afloat even more agreeable.

Boats under 7m LOA are not allowed to wear special ensigns. Photo: Peter Alvey/Alamy

At one end of the scale you will meet yachtsmen or women who are sticklers for what they regard as inflexible etiquette.

If you don’t conform they will glower at you from under the peaks of their yachting caps and splutter into their gin.

At the other extreme are those who are quite content for their boats to resemble Steptoe’s yard while they themselves ignore all around them. Most fall somewhere in between.

Boat flag etiquette explained

Few topics generate more discussion, irascibility and confusion than boat flag etiquette. As far as I can determine, only one boat flag (the ensign) is governed by the rule of law; if you get it wrong, you could be prosecuted.

The flying of all others is either the subject of well-founded recommendations – usually for safety reasons or to avoid confusion – or simply by what has become common practice.

This is the flag you must get right. Almost every boat which puts to sea wears an ensign. The rules are strict and enforceable under the Merchant Shipping Act: the law requires that only the relevant national ensign may be worn, in the right position.

The law also requires the ensign to be worn on certain specific occasions, such as entering a foreign port or when asked to do so by a warship.

You would be breaking the law by hoisting any boat flag other than a national ensign at the ensign staff or other authorised position.

River Class Will O’ The Wisp with ensign on the Norfolk Broads. Photo: Anglia Images /Alamy

By all means fly regional flags elsewhere in the rigging. It is a nice custom, for example, to fly the Cornish flag in Cornwall or the Breton flag in Brittany – usually at the port spreader.

Should you hoist your ensign in the morning and lower it at night? This is not compulsory and most people now do not.

Theories abound about the origins of Colours and Sunset, the most likely being that all boat flags, not only ensigns, were taken in at night for two very logical reasons: no one could see them, and it saved bunting.

This then developed into the ceremonies of Morning Colours (usually at 0800 in the summer and 0900 in the winter) and Sunset (referred to as Evening Colours when conducted at 2100 if sunset is later).

Traditionally, an ensign is ‘worn’ while all other flags are ‘flown’. Photo: Stuart Pearce/Alamy

I can find no evidence to support the various beliefs that these ceremonies show veneration for those who have lost their lives at sea or that they demonstrate respect for the monarch.

However, etiquette also comes into play. Many yacht clubs conduct Colours and Sunset, and require their members to do so.

So if you find yourself berthed for the night in sight of such a club, or in the company of its members, boat flag etiquette suggests that you should follow their lead.

Similarly, it would be remiss of you not to lower your ensign at the same time as a nearby warship.

Lowering or hoisting the ensign on a short staff is not really practicable, so it is widely accepted that the staff may be removed, with the ensign attached, and stowed for the night.

Avoid wrapping the ensign round the staff and leaving it in situ; it looks scruffy and is neither one thing nor the other.

Most other boat flags demand no such angst, but the burgee comes a close second. If you are entitled to wear a ‘special ensign’ i.e. white, blue (plain or defaced) or red (defaced), your permit will dictate that the relevant burgee must be flown at the same time.

If this applies to you, you will know all about it. If not, don’t worry. Some clubs insist their members fly the burgee at the masthead. Otherwise, the starboard spreader is an acceptable alternative.

A defaced blue ensign

Courtesy flags

Standard practice is to fly a courtesy flag when in the territorial waters of another nation, usually hoisted at the starboard spreader (never at the masthead). Some countries require a courtesy flag to be worn, and you could cause considerable offence if you do not comply.

A tricky situation arises if you normally fly a burgee at the starboard spreader, as a courtesy flag should take precedence. A solution is to transfer the burgee to the port spreader.

If the country you are visiting also requires you to fly a Q flag, your problems just get worse. There doesn’t seem to be much agreement on this but I suggest you should leave the courtesy flag on its own to starboard, and fly the Q flag below the burgee to port.

The situation will resolve itself as soon as you have been cleared by customs and can put the Q flag away.

Other flags

Basically, you can do what you like but common sense indicates that you should not fly any boat flags which could be misinterpreted.

For example, almost all the International Code Flags (A-Z and 0-9) have specific meanings. If you decide to fly flag Juliet because its blue and white stripes match your topsides, you will also be signalling ‘On fire and have dangerous cargo on board; keep well clear of me’.

For much the same reason, there is a recommended order for boat flags when dressing overall. If you follow it, not only will the flags give a pleasing appearance, you can also be sure that you do not unintentionally spell anything which you may regret.

You often see boats flying all sorts of bunting. A common boat flag is the Jolly Roger (also known as the Skull and Crossbones), or those with young children may be seen flying a kite in the form of a fish from the backstay.

Does it matter? Not really, but boat flag etiquette suggests that too many flags is a bit sloppy and makes your boat look like a fairground.

As for burgees (again), I see no reason not to fly more than one (being careful to obey the special ensign rules if relevant), but too many could imply that you are either showing off or indecisive.

You can read more boat flag etiquette guidance on the official Royal Yachting Association website .

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BURGEES, ENSIGNS, FLAGS and PENNANTS

By Judy Hills, ACBS roving reporter, member of RDC Triangle Chapter

Have you ever given thought to the burgees, ensigns, flags and pennants that we fly on our boats?  Did you consciously select yours or did you just copy what you saw someone else doing?  What do you know about nautical flag etiquette and usage?  This article addresses this topic.

According to the US Power Squadron, “Flags are often too small…The national ensign flown at a flag staff on the stern of your boat should be one inch on the fly (long end) for each foot of overall length.”

Flag —One class of flags is called the “international maritime signal flags.”  According to Wikipedia, there is a signal flag “for each letter of the alphabet, and pennant for numerals.  Each flag (except the R flag) has an additional meaning when flown individually, and they take on other meanings in certain combinations.”  For more information on the meanings of international maritime signal flags click on this link:  http://www.marinewaypoints.com/learn/flags/flags.shtml   It is more common to see the international maritime signal flags displayed on sailboats than pleasure power boats.

Did you know?

• The word for the scientific study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags is vexillology.
• The position of honor on a ship is the quarterdeck at the stern of a ship, and thus ensigns are traditionally flown either from the ensign staff at the ship’s stern, or from a gaff rigged over the stern.
• The general rule that no flag is flown higher than the national flag does not apply onboard a ship.  A flag flown at the stern is always in a superior position to a flag flown elsewhere on the ship, even if the latter is higher up. (Wikipedia—maritime flag). 
• If you take your boat to international or foreign waters, the traditional United States ensign should be flown.
• You should avoid flying more than one ensign from a single halyard or antenna.
• Massachusetts and Maine are the only two states with their own maritime flags (special versions of the state flags for use afloat).
• There is an international burgee registry. http://www.burgees.com/burgeeframe.htm
• To learn more about maritime flag etiquette: http://www.usps.org/f_stuff/etiquett.html
• If you are into vexillology and want to see some really weird flag designs, check out https://www.reddit.com/r/vexillology/ or click here to see vexillology Youtube videos. Click here to check out the National Maritime Museum’s historical collection of flags.

So, having a little fun with our vexillology topic, if you or your ACBS Chapter were to design a flag, what would it look like? 

Send  your pictures, reports, announcements, and boat biographies to  [email protected]

Nice informative piece, thx. One concern: I recently ordered and attempted to fly the ACBS burgee on my ’55 Chris-Craft Continental 22′ and discoverd that the height measurement (~13″) is way too long for my canted mast (pins are about 9″ apart). Has ACBS considered a more “runabout” size for a burgee?

I contacted the company that we purchase the burgees from. The company offers a 10″ size which should place the grommet holes about 9″ apart. If you would like me to order one for you, let me know if you prefer cotton or nylon and slanted or straight. The cost is $39.

This added information came from Gene Porter: “Your yacht ensign info is inaccurate or remiss in that it fails to note that the yacht ensign must never be flown in international or foreign waters since it has no standing as a national ensign. [from the Power Squadron web site]

This is particularly applicable in such areas as the Thousand Islands where US boats frequent Canadian waters, too often flying illegal flags.

Thank you, Gene. One of the advantages of being in this organization is that information is shared from many sources. The website committee invites comments and discussions. It helps us all be more informed.

I fly the flag and ensign that was actually shipped from Century in June of 1959 when my Gray V8 powered 16 ‘ Resorter was delivered to Ithaca NY, she has only had two owners and moved 15 miles North still on Cayuga l and is now used mostly for sunset rides, she saw many hours as a competition ski boat as her original owner was a skier for many years she has also made the trip from Sodus Bay NY across Lake Ontario to the St. Lawrence seaway twice a year for many years to his cottage on the St Lawrence.

Great article but I believe you left out an important fact about the U S ensign. Congress in 1914 or 1916, please don’t hold me to the dates, pasted a law that made the United States Power Squadrons flag an official flag for U S yachts. Bob Korts Member USPS since 1960.

Did you know original ensign flags had sewn stars not embroidered stars like we see today. The stars were cut out of fabric and sewn around the edges.

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• Regulations

Flag etiquette

Flag etiquette is a combination of law (what you must do) and maritime tradition (expectations of behaviour within the sea faring community).

Being ill-informed of your obligations could lead you to cause insult at home or abroad by giving a signal you do not intend to give, or could lead you to a fine for breaking the law.

For many who go to sea, flag etiquette and flag rules are an essential part of the overall sailing process. Only with the right flag, correctly positioned, can you to be sure that you are giving the correct message and that any signal you are giving is clear.

For RYA members

The original RYA book (C4/01) has been reorganised into 3 parts for publication on the RYA website and is available to RYA members to download .

For all website users

A brief overview designed to demystify the basics of flag etiquette follows:

What to put where

The most senior position for a flag on a vessel is reserved for the Ensign - this is as close to the stern of the vessel as possible.  The Ensign shows the country of registry of the vessel and indicates its nationality. A UK flagged vessel must wear her ensign as required by the Merchant Shipping Act, which includes when entering or leaving a foreign port and on demand. It is recommended that the ensign is worn at all times in daylight, especially when near to or in sight of land or another vessel.  A UK registered vessel should wear the national maritime flag, the Red Ensign, unless entitled to wear a special Ensign . Wearing anything other than an authorised Ensign is a violation of British and International Law.

As the Ensign takes the senior position on a vessel, the order of precedence for positions for flying other flags is: 2) masthead, 3) starboard spreader, 4) port spreader. This assumes a simple plan of one halyard per spreader; other combinations including motor boats are discussed in the Members’ section.

Traditionally, the burgee is flown at the main masthead. A burgee must match a special Ensign if one is worn and it should always be higher than the Ensign. Flag etiquette states that only one burgee is flown at a time, but it is not uncommon nowadays to see yachts flying more than one burgee. Although this might cause offence to some, there is nothing legally wrong with this practice provided the rules governing the wearing of a special ensign are adhered to.

The starboard spreaders are used for signalling. This is where both a courtesy flag and the Q flag , as signals, should be flown. These days it is becoming increasingly common for yachts to fly a burgee from the starboard spreaders because of instrumentation sited at the main masthead. Again, legally there is nothing wrong with doing so but this practice presents a number of problems for those who wish to adhere to the traditions of flag etiquette.

More than one flag may be flown on a halyard except that flag etiquette states that no flag can be above the burgee on the same halyard and no flag can be worn above the courtesy flag. If you fly a burgee at the starboard spreaders and are sailing in the territorial waters of another country this presents something of a dilemma, particularly if you must fly a burgee to match a special Ensign. Unless the burgee is in its traditional position at the masthead, you risk flouting one or another element of flag etiquette. How you choose to resolve this is a matter of choice.

A word on courtesy flags, most countries use their national flag at sea and it is therefore not uncommon to see a foreign visitor flying a Union Jack as a courtesy flag when visiting UK waters. This is wrong; the correct flag is always a Red Ensign. There is no legal requirement to fly a courtesy flag; it is a courtesy that acknowledges that the vessel will respect the laws and sovereignty of that country. However, if one is not flown or it is tatty or faded, it may cause grave offence and in some countries can lead to a fine.

The port spreaders are used for house flags . A house flag is normally but not always a small rectangular version of a burgee. It may indicate membership of an association (e.g the RYA) or society or may be to indicate membership of another club should that club have a house flag.  More than one house flag may be flown on the port halyard, but with caution as too many might appear vulgar to some.

The Union Jack, Welsh Dragon, the Crosses of St Andrew, St George and St Patrick and the EU flag are primarily land flags and must not be flown at sea as an Ensign by cruising yachtsmen. At sea the cross of St George is the flag of an Admiral and it should therefore not be flown by anyone else, without special dispensation. A vessel flying the St Andrew’s Cross could be mistaken as saying "my vessel is stopped and making no way through the water" as this is the meaning of code flag M which has the same design and the St Patrick s Cross could be misinterpreted as code flag V "I require assistance".  

Union Jack or Union flag?

There is often a lively debate about which term is correct. In fact both terms are acceptable having been given parliamentary approval in 1908 when it was stated that "the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag".

Sizing your flags

The sizes and condition of flags are important. They should not be tatty and should not hang in the water, but should still be large enough to be seen.

The best advice is "what looks right" but a rough guide is:

The general guideline for the size of Ensign used to be an inch per foot of yacht, but on many modern yachts this is found to be a little on the small side for the vessel to look "well dressed". Roughly speaking a 3/4 yard Ensign should look right on a boat of 21-26 ft, 1 yard for 27- 34 ft, 1 1/4 yard for 35 - 42 ft, 1 1/2 yard for 43 - 50 ft and 1 3/4 yard for 51 - 60 ft, but some discretion may need to be applied.

A burgee of 15" in the fly (the horizontal measurement) should look appropriate on vessels up to 34ft. This increases to 18" for up to 42ft, 24" for up to 50ft and 30" up to 60 ft.

Courtesy Flag

Having an undersized, faded or tatty courtesy flag in many places is worse than having no courtesy flag. Again as a guide only, 12" in the fly should look appropriate for 21-26 ft, 15" for 27- 34 ft, 18" for 35 - 42 ft, 22" for 43 - 50 ft and 30" for 51 - 60 ft. Availability may however end up dictating the size of the flag.

House flags

A house flag of a similar size to those listed for the courtesy flag will generally be appropriate.

Special Ensigns

In addition to the national maritime flag, the Red Ensign, there is a White Ensign, a Blue Ensign and there are a number of Red Ensigns with a badge, Blue Ensigns with a badge and a light blue Ensign with a badge. These additional Ensigns are special or privileged Ensigns may only be worn with permission, which is granted ultimately by the King.

A warrant grants this permission and the Ensign must be worn in accordance with the warrant, which will in most cases require the corresponding burgee to be displayed. In most cases the warrant is granted to a Yacht Club, which in turns gives its members permission to wear the Ensign under the conditions of the warrant, by issuing the members with a permit.

The RYA has no power to police the wearing of ensigns or prohibited flags other than by spreading the word about flag etiquette and encouraging good practice.

The RYA flag etiquette book C1/04 has been re-written and is published online for the benefit of RYA Members.

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• Boat flag etiquette

Flag etiquette has been transmitted to us by generations of mariners. Although not often appropriately respected these days, especially not by charterers, we might add, observing flag etiquette can provide some pride of perpetuating a very old tradition as well as some fun. We will not get into deep details and purist fanaticism. However, we will try to show charterers the minimum that is expected for basic respect of rules.

Therefore, we will only talk here about 4 main flags, potentially used by charterers and charter boat owners: the Ensign or the National flag; the club burgee; the Private Signal; and the Courtesy Flags.

Boats should fly the National Flag. Most pleasure boats in US waters have a choice of 2.

The yacht ensign, with its fouled anchor over a circle of 13 stars, the "Betsy Ross" flag. Originally restricted to documented vessels only, it is now commonly flown on recreational boats of all types and sizes instead of the National Flag (see picture).

The 50-star flag "Old Glory" you are familiar with.

The appropriate time to fly the ensign is from 0800 to sunset, except when racing. It is also important to take the flag down prior to leaving the yacht if the ship will be unmanned at the time of sunset.

However, whenever a boat is taken into international or foreign waters, the 50-star U.S. ensign is the proper flag to fly and the yacht ensign cannot to be displayed . In other words, if you own a US boat in the British Virgin Islands, you should not fly the Ensign, but the National Flag.

Boats today fly the ensign from the stern, which provides the best visibility, but it can also be flown from the leech of the most aftersail. When flown from the stern, it should be on a staff (pole) that is sufficiently long and angled, and that is offset to one side (traditionally the starboard side), so the flag flies clear of engine exhaust and rigging.

It is a small flag displaying the symbol of the skipper's yacht club or other sailing organization. It may be flown day and night.

Most people opt to fly the burgee lower in the rig, hoisted to the end of the lowest starboard spreader on a thin flag halyard. While purists rail this practice, it is an accepted adaptation of another tradition, which is that the starboard rigging is a position of honor (when you visit a foreign port, that's where we fly the host country's flag). Besides being reasonable, flying the burgee in the starboard rigging is such a widespread custom that to try to end it would be close to impossible.

Private Signal

It is a small, custom-designed and custom-made flag that carries symbols standing for the owner, so it can basically be anything. The signal may be flown day or night, but is not displayed when another sailor is in command. (The rule is: the private signal and burgee follow the sailor, not the boat.)

On a multi-masted boat, the private signal is flown at the head of the aftermost mast. On a sloop, the private signal may be flown from the starboard rigging, either below the burgee or alone.

Courtesy Flags

As a matter of courtesy, it is appropriate to fly the flag of a foreign nation on your boat when you enter and operate on its waters. There are only a limited number of positions from which flags may be displayed. Therefore, when a flag of another nation is flown, it usually must displace one of the flags displayed in home waters. However, it is hoisted only after the appropriate authorities have granted clearance. Until clearance is obtained, a boat must fly the yellow "Q" flag . All charter boats should carry the national flags of neighboring islands as well as the yellow flag, in case charterers want to visit those islands.

The courtesy flag is flown at the boat's starboard spreader, whether the United States ensign is at the stern staff, or flown from the leech. If there is more than one mast, the courtesy flag is flown from the starboard spreader of the forward mast.

As a side note, some authorities are not amused at all if you fly their courtesy flag using an old, raggy flag. Some will even fine you for disrespect! It happened to a friend of mine who was chartering in Turkey.

Lastly, it is also a common courtesy to fly the national flag(s) of your guest(s) on board, if they have a different nationality than the ensign is showing.

Flags' Dimensions

Flags come in standardized sizes, but there are guidelines about selecting the proper size for your boat.

The size of a nautical flag is determined by the size of the boat that flies it. Flags are more often too small than too large. So in the rules below, round upward to the nearestlarger standard size.

The flag at the stern of your boat: U.S. ensign or national flag should be about one inch for each foot of overall length. For example, on a 40ft. boat, the ensign should be 40 in. i.e. about 3.5ft.

Other flags, such as club burgees, private signals and courtesy flags used on sailboats should be approximately 1/2 inch for each foot of the highest mast above the water. For example, on a 30ft. boat, with 50ft. between the masthead and the water, the burgee should be about 25 in. The shape and proportions of pennants and burgees will be prescribed by the organization which they relate to.

Raising and Lowering Flags

Fly the ensign from morning (8:00 a.m.) to evening (sunset) whether the boat is at rest, under sail, or under power. The exception to this rule is: The ensign is not flown by a boat in a race, which signals to other boats that you are racing.

To prevent wear and tear, the flag may not be flown when out of sight of other vessels or when nobody is aboard. The flag is flown while entering or leaving a port, even at night. For purists: In the morning, the ensign is hoisted rapidly before other flags. In the evening, it is lowered slowly and with ceremony after other flags come down.

Additional sources:  Seaflags http://www.usps.org/f_stuff/etiquett.html

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Sailboat Flag Etiquette: What You Need to Know

Sailboat flag etiquette is steeped in maritime tradition and enshrined in law. If you're new to the world of sailing, you may have wondered about the various flags that you see flying on other sailboats or that you are expected to fly on your own. What do they mean? How should they be displayed? What are the rules and traditions that govern them?

An experienced sailboat skipper will know that flag etiquette is a way of showing respect, courtesy and recognition to other vessels, countries and organizations.

It also helps you communicate important information, such as your nationality, your club affiliation, your intentions or your distress.

For the less experienced we'll explain the basics of sailboat flag etiquette and how it should be applied in practice:

• The types of flags that you can fly on your boat;
• The sizes and positions of the flags;
• The occasions and situations when you should fly certain flags;
• The common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid when flying flags.

The skipper of the Bowman 57 staysail ketch shown here is correctly flying a burgee (the Flying Fish burgee of the Ocean Cruising Club ) from the port spreader, and a courtesy ensign (of Spain in this case) from the starboard spreader.

The ensign, in this case that of the Republic of Ireland, is flown from a flag halyard from the mizzen mast to the end of the mizzon boom. Alternatively the ensign could be flown from a staff attached to the taffrail.

The Types of Flags

There are many types of flags that you can fly on your boat, but the most common ones are:

• The ensign: This is the flag that shows the country of registry of your boat and indicates its nationality. It is usually flown at the stern of the boat, as close as possible to the waterline. It is the most senior position for a flag on a boat and it should always be larger than any other flag. A UK flagged boat (sail or power) must wear the national maritime flag, the Red Ensign, unless entitled to wear a special ensign.

• The burgee: This is the flag that shows the yacht club or association that you belong to. It is usually flown at the main masthead of the boat above any other flag, but can be flown from the port spreader unless otherwise stipulated under a special warrant. 
• The courtesy flag: This is the flag that shows the national flag of the country that you are visiting or whose waters you are sailing in. It is a sign of respect and goodwill to the host country and it should be flown at the starboard spreader. It should be hoisted as soon as you enter foreign waters and lowered as soon as you leave them.
• The Q flag: This is a yellow flag that indicates that you are requesting clearance from the local authorities when entering a foreign port. It is also flown at the starboard spreader of the boat, below the courtesy flag if there is one. It should be hoisted before you enter the port and lowered after you have been cleared.
• The signal flags: These are flags that have specific meanings in the International Code of Signals. They can be used to spell out messages or to convey information such as your position, your course, your speed, your intentions or your distress. They can be flown individually or in combinations at various locations on the boat.
• The private signal: This is a personal or family flag that has no official meaning or recognition. It can be flown at the port spreader of the boat, below any other flag. It is optional and purely decorative.

The Sizes and Positions of the Flags

The sizes and positions of the flags on your boat are important for both aesthetic and practical reasons. They should be proportionate to your boat size, visible from a distance and clear from any obstruction.

The general rules for sizing and positioning flags are:

• The ensign should be one inch on the fly (the length) for every foot of overall length of your boat. It should be flown on the stern staff or on a gaff if there is one.

• The burgee should be half an inch on the fly for every foot of overall length of your sailboat or five-eighths of an inch for every foot of overall length of your powerboat. It should be flown at the main masthead or on a pigstick (a vertical extension) if there is one.
• The courtesy flag should be the same size as the burgee or slightly smaller. It should be flown at the starboard spreader, preferably on its own halyard.
• The Q flag should be the same size as the courtesy flag or slightly smaller. It should be flown at the starboard spreader, below the courtesy flag if there is one, on its own halyard.
• The signal flags should be sized according to their function and meaning. They can be flown individually or in combinations at various locations on the boat, such as the masthead, the yardarm, the bow or the stern of the boat.
• The private signal should be the same size as the burgee or slightly smaller. It should be flown at the port spreader, below any other flag, on its own halyard.

The Occasions and Situations When You Should Fly Certain Flags

The occasions and situations when you should fly certain flags on your boat depend on where you are, what you are doing and who you are with. Some flags are mandatory, some are optional and some are forbidden.

The general rules for flying flags are:

• You must fly your ensign at all times in daylight, especially when near to or in sight of land or another boat. You must also fly your ensign when entering or leaving a foreign port and on demand. You can fly your ensign at night if you wish, but it is not required.
• You can fly your burgee at any time, but it is customary to hoist it at 0800 and lower it at sunset. You can also fly your burgee at night if you wish, but it is not required.
• You must fly the courtesy flag of the country that you are visiting or whose waters you are sailing in as soon as you enter their jurisdiction and until you leave it. You must also fly the Q flag when entering a foreign port until you have been cleared by the local authorities. You can lower the Q flag after you have been cleared, but you should keep the courtesy flag until you leave the port or the country.
• You can fly signal flags whenever you need to communicate with other boats or shore stations using the International Code of Signals. You can also fly signal flags for decorative purposes, such as dressing your boat for a special occasion, but you should avoid using flags that have specific meanings or that could cause confusion.
• You can fly your private signal whenever you want, but it has no official significance or recognition. It is purely a personal or family emblem.

The Common Mistakes and Pitfalls to Avoid When Flying Flags

Flying flags on your boat can be fun and rewarding, but it can also be tricky and challenging. There are some common mistakes and pitfalls that you should avoid when flying flags, such as:

• Flying an incorrect, damaged, wrongly sized or otherwise invalid ensign. This is a breach of law and etiquette and could lead to fines or penalties.
• Flying a special ensign without being entitled to do so. This is a privilege granted by a warrant from the Admiralty or by an Act of Parliament and it requires certain conditions to be met.
• Flying a burgee that does not match your ensign or that is higher than your ensign. This is a sign of disrespect and ignorance and could offend other boats or authorities.
• Flying more than one burgee at a time. This is considered sloppy and excessive and could imply that you are showing off or indecisive.
• Flying a courtesy flag that is larger than your burgee or that is above your burgee on the same halyard. This is a sign of subservience and inferiority and could insult your own country or club.
• Flying a Q flag when you have already been cleared or when you are leaving a port. This is unnecessary and confusing and could cause delays or misunderstandings.
• Flying signal flags that have specific meanings or that could cause confusion for decorative purposes. This is irresponsible and dangerous and could lead to accidents or incidents.
• Flying a private signal that resembles an official flag or that has an offensive meaning. This is misleading and rude and could provoke anger or hostility.
• And you should never, ever, fly a skull-and-crossbones flag. There is nothing amusing or glamorous about pirates.

Sailboat Flag Etiquette: A Few FAQs...

Why do some British sailboats fly a White or Blue Ensign rather than the traditional Red Ensign?

Some British sailboats fly a white or blue ensign because they belong to certain yacht clubs or organisations that have special permission to use these ensigns.

The white ensign is a variation of the national flag that is normally used by the Royal Navy, but it can also be worn by yachts owned by members of the Royal Yacht Squadron , which is a privileged yacht club with a long history and close ties to the monarchy.

The blue ensign is another variation of the national flag that is normally used by government vessels, but it can also be worn by yachts that belong to one of the 32 yacht clubs or associations that have a warrant from the Admiralty or the relevant authority to use the undefaced blue ensign.

Additionally, some yachts can wear a blue ensign defaced with the badge of their club or association, if they have a warrant for that as well. There are 57 yacht clubs or associations that have this privilege.

These special or privileged ensigns are considered a mark of distinction and honour, and they should only be flown with proper authorisation and following the rules and regulations of wearing them.

What is the difference between an ensign and a burgee?

An ensign is a flag that shows the nationality of the vessel and must be worn at the stern or as close to it as possible. A burgee is a flag that shows the membership of a yacht club or sailing association and can be worn at the masthead or the port spreader.

What is a special ensign and how can I get one?

A special ensign is a variation of the national flag that can be worn by certain yachts that belong to a privileged yacht club or organisation. To get one, you need to apply for a warrant from the Admiralty or the relevant authority and follow the rules and regulations of wearing it.

How big should my flags be and how should I hoist them?

The size of your flags depends on the length of your vessel, but as a general rule, your ensign should be about one inch for each foot of overall length. Your burgee and courtesy flag should be smaller than your ensign, but not too small to be seen. You should hoist your flags using halyards or staffs and make sure they are not tangled, faded, or torn.

When should I raise and lower my flags?

You should raise your flags at 0800 hours or when you leave harbour, whichever is later, and lower them at sunset or when you enter harbour, whichever is earlier. You should also lower your flags when out of sight of other vessels or when nobody is aboard.

Can I fly more than one burgee or other flags on my vessel?

Traditionally, you should only fly one burgee at a time, but some yachts may choose to fly more than one to show their affiliation with different clubs or associations. However, you should always make sure that your burgee matches your ensign if you are wearing a special one. You can also fly other flags, such as signal flags, house flags, or personal flags, but they should not take precedence over your ensign, burgee, or courtesy flag.

How should I salute other vessels or authorities with my flags?

You can salute other vessels or authorities by dipping your ensign, which means lowering it halfway down the staff or halyard and then hoisting it back up. You should only do this if you receive a salute first or if you are passing by a naval vessel, a Coast Guard vessel, or a foreign warship.

What are the rules for flying flags in a race?

The rules for flying flags in a race may vary depending on the organising authority, but generally, you should not fly your ensign during a race, as this signals that you are not racing. You should also follow any instructions given by the race committee regarding signal flags, class flags, or protest flags.

What are the consequences of not following flag etiquette?

Not following flag etiquette may result in fines, penalties, or even confiscation of your vessel if you break the law or offend the host country. It may also cause confusion, misunderstanding, or disrespect among other sailors or authorities. Therefore, it is advisable to learn and follow the proper flag etiquette whenever you go sailing.

I wrote this article using GPT-4, OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model, as a research assistant to develop source material. I wrote the final draft in its entirety and believe it to be accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Dick McClary

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Flag Etiquette

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• The Ensign . Sailors may display one of two national flags. One is the yacht ensign, with its fouled anchor over a circle of 13 stars, and the other is the national ensign which is the familiar 50-star flag. The yacht ensign may be flown only in territorial waters.When not under way, the ensign is flown from the stern staff. When under way, power boats fly the ensign from the stern staff (or from the gaff if they are so rigged). Sailboats have several choices: all sailboats may fly the ensign from the stern staff; gaff-rigged yachts may fly the ensign from the peak; marconi-rigged yachts may fly the ensign from the leech about two-thirds of the way up.The ensign may be flown from morning (8:00 a.m.) to evening colors (sunset) whether the boat is at rest, under sail, or under power. There are exceptions to this rule. The ensign is not flown by a sailboat that is in a race. To prevent wear and tear, the flag need not be flown when out of sight of other vessels or when nobody is aboard. The flag is flown while entering or leaving a port, even at night. At morning colors, the ensign is hoisted smartly before other flags. At evening colors, the ensign is lowered slowly and with ceremony after other flags come down.
• Burgee . The burgee is displayed whenever the ensign is hoisted but may also be displayed separately between morning and evening colors or by day and night, at anchor or underway.On sailboats, the burgee is flown only at the "truck" (or top) of the (forward-most) mast. We see fewer masthead burgees these days because flying them risks damaging expensive equipment and destroying the flag with chafe. Many sailboat owners install (or adjust) their electronics and the placement of their antenna so that the burgee flies freely. In any event, the burgee is not to be flown from a spreader halyard. On power boats, the burgee is displayed at the bow staff.
• Private Signal . A private signal is a custom-designed flag that carries symbols standing for the owner. The private signal may be flown day or night, but is not displayed when the owner is not in command. (The rule is that the private signal and burgee follow the sailor, not the boat.)On split-rig (multi-masted) sailboats, the burgee is flown at the head of the forward mast and the private signal is flown at the head of the aftermost mast. On power boats with a mast, the burgee is flown from the bow pulpit and the private signal from the truck, or mast head.
• Flag Officer's Flags . A flag officer may display his/her flag day and night in the place of and instead of his/her private signal, or in the case of a single-masted yacht instead of the burgee.
• Union Jack . The U.S. Union Jack carrries 50 white stars on a blue field (the canton of the Naval Ensign). The jack may be displayed at the bow staff between morning and evening colors and only while not under way on Sundays, holidays, or when dressing ship.
• Colors . When colors are made, it customary for members to observe in silence until the senior officer present signals that all may stand at ease.When making colors short handed, the ensign shall be hoisted first, followed as rapidly as possible by the club burgee and private signal. Flags are lowered in inverse order. Colors are hoisted smartly but lowered ceremoniously.
• Ensign : On the fly, the ensign should be a minimum of one inch for every one foot of the boat's overall length. The hoist is two-thirds the length of the fly.
• Burgee : The burgee's dimensions for sailboats are, on the fly, approximately ½ inch for each foot of distance between the water and the top of the tallest mast; and for power boats ½ inch for each foot of overall length.
• Private signal : The private signal is sized according to the rule for burgees.

Last updated 9:28am on 5 February 2021

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Etiquette & Traditions

Yachts and yacht clubs are great users of flags. They are colorful, festive and informative. Every yacht owner and yacht club member should be familiar with the customs that apply to all the types of flags typically flown on a vessel.

Unlike buildings and houses ashore, a vessel has a limited number of places from which to fly flags, and thus the yachtsman must be selective in the flags that he or she flies afloat. A yacht will ordinarily display three flags: one announcing her nationality, one announcing her owner’s club affiliation, and one announcing her owner’s status (private signal or club officer’s flag).

Yacht clubs traditionally follow nautical rather than shore practice. Their flagpoles have gaffs like the ones on a ship’s mast, and the flag is flown from the peak of the gaff, as it is properly done onboard ship. PYC follows this tradition with its gaff rigged flag pole.

National Ensign (50-Star US flag)

The familiar 50 star “stars and stripes” flag is also known as the national ensign afloat. It is the most important flag on board and identifies her national character. A vessel’s character is determined by her registration, which may differ from that of her owner. This is especially important abroad and on the high seas. SomePYC members’ vessels are federally documented or state registered and thus should fly the national ensign.

A ship’s national ensign is immediately recognizable because it flies farthest aft (the place of honor), but not necessarily from the highest point in the rig. With the possible exception of battle flags, it should be the vessel’s largest flag.

Normally the national ensign is flown from a staff on the vessel’s stern. No other flag may be flown from this position. However, it is also permissible on a sailboat to fly it from the leech of the aft-most sail about two-thirds of the way up; or from the peak of the gaff on a gaff-rigged vessel. Sport fishing boats, which cannot fly the ensign from the stern when underway because of interference with fishing lines, fly the ensign from the aft end of the tuna tower on the centerline; and often leave it there when not underway. When not underway, the national ensign is only flown from the stern staff on all vessels.

Club Burgee

Yacht and sailing clubs have flags to distinguish them, called a burgee. Most yacht club burgees are pennant (three sided) shaped like the PYC burgee, but a few clubs use swallow-tailed flags, while a very few use rectangular flags. Our club has a collection of burgees from many other clubs around the United States and World that are displayed in The Upper Deck.

Flying the burgee is an important part of belonging to a yacht club and a vessel owned by a member of PYC should fly our burgee with pride. Our burgee has appeared in its present form since 1890.

The burgee is flown from the bow staff on a powerboat, while most sailboats fly the burgee from the starboard spreader. The traditional position at the top of the mast is no longer used because of interference with wind sensors and antennas. Normally a vessel displays only one burgee at a time. Exceptions are made for opening day and other special occasions when owners will string together all burgees of clubs to which they belong, with the PYC burgee at the top of the string for PYC functions.

Officers Flags

The yacht ensign’s circle of 13 stars surrounding an anchor forms the basis for the officer flags used by PYC and many other yacht clubs for the commodore, vice commodore, rear commodore, and fleet captain with the background being blue, red and white respectively. Other officers, such as secretary, treasurer, and past commodore, etc., have their own flags. The 13 stars represent the original 13 colonies found on the “Betsy Ross” flag with a fouled anchor in the union. The medallion configuration, was entered into official use in 1848, following an act of Congress that made it the official signal for U.S. pleasure sailing vessels. On sailboats the officer flag is flown immediately below the burgee. On powerboats, the officer flag is flown from the mast, with the club burgee keeping its place flown at the bow staff. Officer flags are flown only when the officer is aboard.

PYC tradition provides that when an officer is on the PYC premises or is aboard their vessel in local waters, the officer’s flag shall be flown on the PYC Yacht Club Mast. All officer flags shall be flown during national holidays (such as 4 th of July) and Regatta’s during the boating season.

PYC has 4 Flag Officers; Commodore, Vice Commodore, Rear Commodore and Fleet Captain, plus 2 other Officers, Secretary and Treasurer,each of which has their own Flag of designation that flies in accordance with PYC tradition.

The club burgee should be flown at the masthead, ensign on the gaff, and when you add additional flags, you start with the halyard on the right (from the land side, facing pole) and move inward with flags of lower status.

  Commodore’s FlagVice Commodore’s Flag  

Rear Commodore’s FlagFleet Captain’s Flag  

Treasurer’s FlagSecretary’s Flag  

PYC Gaff-Rigged Flag Pole  

“What is the proper way to fly flags on a gaff-rigged pole?” That is probably the most frequently asked question received by the USPS Flag & Etiquette Committee. Gaff-rigged poles are used by navies,boaters and yacht clubs around the world. Onshore, the”yacht club style flagpole” with a gaff represents the mast of a ship. A gaff-rigged pole may, or may not, have a yardarm or cross tree. A gaff-rigged pole with ayardarm is illustrated above flying the Ensign, PYC club burgee and an officer flag. (Gaff-rigged pole flyingUSPS flags)

  Many people are confused about the proper way to fly the national ensign from a gaff-rigged pole. As depicted in the drawing above, the national ensign should beflown from the gaff and the club or organization burgee should be flown at the masthead.

  The gaff-rigged pole had its origins at sea. Because of all the sail carried by the rigging of these vessels, the flag of a nation could not be clearly viewed if it was placed at the top of the mast. The stern of the vessel was the position of command and the captain’s quarters were located aft. Early boats also had the nobleman’s banner,king’s banner, or English ensign staff fixed to the stern rail. As sails changed, long booms sweep across the stern rail every time the ship tacked, so the ensign staff had to be removed when the ship was under way. Since the captain and other officers were still aft, the nearest position from which they found it practical to fly the ensign was the gaff. Over time, this became the place of honor to display the national flag.When the ship was moored, the ensign staff was set up again on the stern rail.

This was the practice in the eighteenth century, when the U.S. Navy was created. Now that warships are made of steel and thesignal mast no longer carries a boom, our navy still flies the ensign at the gaff peak when under way and at the ensign staff when not underway. There is no law specifying how a flag should fly on a gaff-rigged pole, instead it is based on longstanding nautical tradition.

The usual argument given by those that think it is wrong to fly the national ensign from the gaff is that the national ensign is flying below a club burgee or other flag contrary to the Flag Code. Notice that even when the national ensign is flown from the stern of a ship, it is lower in height than other flags flying on the ship. When the ensign is flown from a gaff-rigged pole, a flag flown at the top of the mast is not considered above the ensign because it is not being flown directly above the ensign on the same halyard.

  The ensign should be flown from the highest point of honor, and over time, that has become the peak of the gaff. Flying the national ensign from the top of the mast while flying another flag at the gaff would be flying another flag in a position of superior honor since the peak of the gaff is the highest point of honor.

  Colors  (the raising &lowering of our American flag)  

When making morning colors, the ensign is hoisted first, then the club burgee, officer’s flag, and private signal; at evening colors, the reverse is followed with the ensign being lowered last. Colors are hoisted smartly and lowered ceremoniously.  

The time-honored naval tradition of Evening Colors each day at sunset is followed by PYC. Evening Colors at PYC begins with the ringing of a ships bell and the command, “Attention to Colors” followed immediately thereafter by a cannon shot. Upon hearing the cannon shot, or the command “Colors,” all those on Club property in sight of the flag will stand and face the flag, in silence, with their right hand over their heart, until the flag is fully lowered. At that point, the command, “Carry on” will be given.

The tradition is naval; it began with the British Royal navy, and continues with the U.S. Navy. Cannons or guns are fired at sunset when the flag is taken down, as a sign of respect. In the days when sailing ships were armed with cannon, it could take as long as twenty minutes to load and fire a gun. When a ship fired her guns in salute, she rendered herself powerless for the duration. By emptying their guns, the ship’s crew showed shore batteries and forts that they were no threat. Over time, this gesture became a sign of respect, with both shore and ship gun batteries firing volleys.

Member Boats

Members and visiting yachtsmen are encouraged to follow the Flag Etiquette and Traditions that apply to their respective vessels. For more information, we suggest researching the book “Chapman Boating Etiquette”.

Source: Some information in this article was borrowed from the Houston Yacht Club website, http://www.houstonyachtclub.com/  for history and more detailed information, see Yachting Customs and Courtesies by J.A. Tringali.  Other sources are United States PowerSquadron (USPS), Wicked Local Article 7.19.2016 – Marblehead 101: The Tradition of sunset cannons and the Plymouth Yacht Club Handbook.

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• Yacht Club Flag Etiquette—Time To Get Over Ourselves

Over the years I have belonged to several “prestigious” yacht clubs and I still belong to a couple. Nothing particularly meritorious in this. When you grow up around an old and established yacht club junior sailing program and then race a bunch, both inshore and offshore, these memberships come your way as long as you have put in the required miles and have the required experience.

And, although I’m not really much of a joiner, and, as the years go by, tend to prefer small gatherings around meals more than the larger cocktail parties that clubs seem to thrive on, I do still value my membership in the two clubs remaining.

But, having said that, there is an aspect of these clubs that is really starting to annoy me. And, as regular readers know, I’m not one to suffer in silence, so here goes. The subject of today’s rant is burgee etiquette.

You see, both clubs would prefer members to fly the burgee at the top of the mast on one of those totally impractical devices that are generally referred to as “pig sticks”. And the senior (in age) of the two clubs is…well…just plain rabid about this.

To the point that one of the first interactions a friend of mine had with another member after joining was being read off publicly on VHF radio for having the nerve to fly the revered bunting at the port spreader, as has become common practice among less snooty clubs.

Luckily, said friend is a far nicer person than I am, and so quietly complied rather than telling the officious jerk to shove his pig stick you know where, as I would have.

I mean really, in this age of paraphernalia covered mastheads, flying the burgee at the top of the mast on a stick that must be run up on a halyard is about as practical as mandating that every member should, upon election, re-rig his or her boat with a gaff.

On our own boat the mast is crowded with:

• an obscenely expensive wind sensor;
• a Hawk wind indicator;
• a horrendously expensive LED array tri/anchor light;
• a VHF antenna;
• and last, but probably most important, a lightning rod.

Pray tell, how the hell am I supposed to fly a burgee in amongst all of that stuff, much of which is not only expensive but fragile and just waiting to get broken by an errant pig stick. And even if I could, I value my sleep too much to haul something up there that is inevitably going to tap against the mast all night.

Yes, I know, there are ways to get around all this. In fact, in a moment of uncharacteristic conformism I even spent a silly amount of money building a sort of sheppard’s crook device to get the burgee away from the other stuff—you can see it in the opening photo.

But this spring, when I was putting the mast back together, I looked at said device that takes a 15 minute epic struggle in a bosun’s chair to take off prior to unstepping and the same to reinstall after stepping (it will get in the way of the crane) and rebelled.

Screw it, if I can’t fly the burgee at the port spreader, like any sane sailor of the 21st century, then I won’t fly it at all.

Now all of that may seem like much ado about nothing from a curmudgeonly old bastard, but actually, I think there’s a larger point here: Both clubs are constantly bemoaning the difficulty of attracting younger members. There might be a clue to the root of that problem in the flag thing.

The next time you see a cruising boat with people under 40 on it, take a look at the port spreader. In many (maybe most) cases you will see not just one but several club burgees there and maybe a couple of state or province flags as well. Kind of like social media. Flag-Facebook if you like.

And really, isn’t that what yacht clubs are really about? A way to meet and spend time with nice people that share our interests?

Wait, let’s think a little more. Is this burgee thing the only place where our clubs project an out of touch from the last century vibe?

Want young members? Might be time to think about a lot of stuff: Do we really need to wear pink pants, blazers and club ties? Time to look at the dress code too, I would suggest.

And as for those captain’s hats that the flag officers of some clubs are wont to sport…wait John, don’t go there—one thing at a time.

Let’s at least make a  start at becoming more approachable and relevant by getting rid of the burgee at the top of the mast rule and just be grateful and welcoming when qualified—both clubs have qualification criteria that I would not dream of diluting—sailors want to join us and show our flag, no matter where they fly it.

By the way, the Commodore of the junior (in age) of the two clubs I’m still a member of said pretty much the same thing as the last paragraph in a recent letter to the membership—good on him, I say.

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Those of us who sail Freedoms don’t even have a spreader. Not having a good place to fly a burgee, I instead fly the battle flag of the nuclear carrier Harry S Truman (CVN 75). Sending photo via email.

Yes – I am a member of couple yacht clubs and a couple of sailing associations. Flying their burgee and where to fly it, is something else. Burgee etiquette brings you quickly into flag etiquette. A mind field in some part of the world.

From my yacht master theory, I remember that courtesy flag, and the Q flag must be flown on the starboard side under the speeders. The port side is for your bungee and other private flags. This keeps it simple. I would not keep flags anywhere else – except for the ensign that got its teak pool at the stern.

Keep your burgee flag under port spreader – period. I keep my RORC flag under the port spreader. Normally, I know the director of wind by heart. A quick look at the bungee quickly tells me direction and an indication of strength of the wind. To help me with the wind direction I only need one bungee.

Your snob, you might be thinking. An RORC member over 50! Terje

We have had several club burgees. We have a private signal. We have a house flag. We have found they make an annoying racket from either the pig stick whacking the mast or the halyard doing a rumba to the wind’s tempo. In forty years of cruising, one person has approached our boat (socially) because of a pennant in the wind.

We found the best solution is to not fly any of them except the national ensign and a courtesy ensign — if required. One less thing to get down in a blow.

Dear John, First of all, suffering in silence is vastly over-rated. I very much second all you said. Archaic and tradition bound practices have their place in the world, especially when their function is connecting us with our heritage through ritual, but when they undermine function (flags as communication devices) by not having members fly their flags and potentially do masthead damage, common sense should prevail. Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Call me whatever, but as a Yank, I’ve enjoyed belonging to two yacht clubs with a Royal prefix. I must say that the burgee of each one looked splendid flying from the masthead. Moreover, I always felt I was paying proper homage when I, a nonresident, sailed in and moored with the burgee flying in the proper spot. Especially when hardly any local members of “my” clubs followed tradition.

I managed this with a pig stick fashioned from the tip of a carbon fiber fishing rod. It had a dedicated halyard, and was long enough, barely, to clear the antenna array. It was a bear to set this. It had to be done in little or no wind and typically took a half dozen tries before pig stick and burgee poked through the masthead gear and flapped, triumphantly, above it all.

You’ll notice this is written in past tense. Last year, one of said handsome burgees, slightly frayed from months aloft, had a thread become tangled around an antenna. No amount of gentle pulling from various angles would dislodge it. After many tries, the attachment with the pigstick gave way and the burgee was left dangling from the antenna, no better than a piece of red rag. Shocking! Out came the bosun’s chair. Amazing how long it took to cut it away.

I think now, that each burgee will look fine tucked beneath the port spreader. If you’re OK, I’m OK.

Well that’s interesting. I expected to get a lot more push back. Given that (so far) I have not, it really does seem as if this is an idea that’s time has come.

Thanks to all for the input.

Please keep it coming, the more we opinions we get, both for and against, the better.

Morning John & Phyllis: You know we are not “joiners” either, but in this case, we have to respectfully disagree. Re-visit the book NOWHERE IS TOO FAR and tell us those adventurers and their stories aren’t inspiring? Observing proper burgee etiquette is simply a way of connecting us to a few of the powerful traditions of the past (and the achievements of past members). We do not care for officious rule enforcement…but it’s nice to see it done right. Anchor properly? Stow your lines properly? Sail off your mooring with a flourish? Then you’d probably enjoy investing in flying your burgee properly and not like some vehicle that looks agricultural . Now. Want to talk about supercilious Yachties? Let’s discuss those overfed overgrown adolescents with a drink in their hand firing off those @#$ cannons at sunset?! ?

Faithfully,

Pete & Kareen Worrell S/V PATIENCE Portsmouth, NH USA

I totally agree that if someone wishes to fly the burgee from the top of the mast they should be allowed to do so, and even applauded for their efforts.

But, on the other hand, mandating that difficult and out of date position for the burgee in the written club rules, as some clubs still do, and worse still berating a new member for non-compliance is simply silly in my view.

By the way, I’m totally with you on the cannons…might make me jump and spill my sundowner.

What about an AAC burgee to join the collection?

Crossed that bridge a decade ago. I just don’t fly anything unless I’m in foreign waters. Sailing to me is is about freedom. The prestigious yacht clubs are about status, snobbery, and exclusivity. The prime rib is great, but the social complications are mind numbing. A) the snobs are soul-sapping and B) if the vessel hasn’t marked you as Mr. Deep Pockets, the burgee surely will.

What a coincidence…yesterday, I saw an Alberg 30 with a wooden mast hoisting a club pennant (long and skinny compared to our YC’s isosceles triangle-shaped spreader burger) on a pigstick. Of course, it looked great, because there was NOTHING (no VHF, not even a Windex or a light) up there. In such cases, it does create a festive effect, and you can even hoist it in moderate breezes. But for a modern vessel requiring trilights, anchor lights, weather equipment, wind indicator equipment and one or more antennas, dissapators, and maybe a strobe? Forget it.

I organized a 2 week OCC rally this year in Southern New England and for the occasion I decided to rig a pig stick. I also bought myself a slightly bigger burgee – wanted to make a splash with the 18 attending boats!

While I thought about making my own stick, I found a local guy that actually sold them – so I went for it – $75. The new burgee arrived shortly after – $38 and with the new halyard $65, I was ready to go – since fortunately there was already a suitable block in place at the top of the mast.

I have to say, when rigged, she looked great! I do think that the effect of a good looking burgee at the top of the mast is great – really dresses the boat nicely!

Being a nice long pig stick (to clear all the masthead paraphernalia), I found that I had to keep massive tension on the halyard to ensure it kept everything vertical. We now had a slapping halyard to tie back at night! However, the stick itself would tap tap away against the mast and since the mast comes right into our berth, it was, to say the least, rather annoying. Still we persevered…

The windex was the first casualty. She got entangled and lost an arm. No big deal – the arm was never set right anyway. When we unstep this winter, we’ll put a new one up there ($47).

The VHF was the next casualty and the last straw… I noticed the antenna off to a 45 degree angle one day – the following day it was altogether gone.

So, having suffered through 2 weeks cruising with a splendid burgee atop the mast the Admiral called it! We brought the pig stick down and replaced the VHF antenna ($65).

I think you’ll agree, $290 is enough of an effort made to justify flying the flag from it’s rightful spot – the spreader!

(Anyone interested in a lightly used pig-stick, please let me know!)

Yikes, what a story…well told too!

But having said that, you are only a silver medal winner in the most-money-to-fly-burgee-competition. I claim the gold medal for what I spent on the damned shepherd’s crook in the picture.

Maybe we could make someone a bundled offer: pig-stick and shepherd’s crook.

I’m with Brian. Flags are almost as useless as neckties. I never fly one, unless I really have to – a Q flag, or the UK flag in foreign waters only, and even then, only if I’m persuaded to.

I loath them just as much as corrupt politicians that drape their offices with them. Much easier to show “patriotism” this way while lining their pockets than actually doing something meaningful for their countries.

Neither could I be bothered with silly flag rules, salutes, considering it a “living thing” (honestly now), dipping of or burning flags – be it for protest or for disposal (“The approved method of disposing of unserviceable flags has long been that they be destroyed by burning.”). The latter would be easy – if I actually owned a flag, which I currently don’t, where a I live, garbage is incinerated anyways. Never mind the carbon footprint ….

In short, if people derive happiness from such things, good for them. For myself, the less I see them, the better.

Hence my question to all of you?

While ensign, host county and Q flags must be flown, what is the bare minimum in size to remain legal? Would the size of half a sheet of paper be enough to stay out of trouble? Can it be painted on metal, permanently put on the backstay and then forgotten about it?

Many thanks

Hi all, Just to be clear: from my perspective flags are just communication devices. As such they can convey the range of information that any communication is capable. Some communication is required: courtesy flags, quarantine flags and ensigns when in foreign waters. Flying burgees are (generally) just a social invitation and I have met some wonderful people and had some great opportunities with people who recognize a flown burgee and approached Alchemy. But like all communication, it can be encumbered with dis-agreeable meaning and trappings. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

If a club of old men in silly suits wants to alienate young sailors and slowly die off, then that works for me. I wouldn’t dream of joining a club that would insist on a pig stick or a dress code.

The problem to me is that they then tarnish all of sailing with this elitist image and drive new sailors away.

I raced with the Royal Victoria Yacht Club in Canada for years and didn’t have to put up with any of that nonsense. They were a very down to earth and accepting group of people. Sounds like I just got lucky or maybe things are better in the colonies.

Perhaps it’s Freudian…the old men in silly suits who can’t “fly the burgee” anymore insist on “proper hoisting”?

John — You wanted more push back. Here you go. For the record: I am guilty of being old. I’m decidedly not guilty of being an old man in a silly suit who rues the invention of Fiberglas, thinks it’s been all downhill since the Gilded Age, and feels that no yacht without a club burgee displayed in the proper manner is worthy of hanging on a mooring anywhere near the Clubhouse. In my experience, such fussbudgets are more likely to be seen in a New Yorker cartoon then anyplace I sail.

I have, until recently (see above), chosen to fly a club burgee from the masthead. I don’t do it out of some sense of entitlement. I don’t feel it marks me as an elitist with deep pockets. One look at me and my beloved but very utilitarian sloop will dispel that thought.

I do it partly because it looks terrific. More important, I do it because, in a small way, it ties me to tradition. As a youngster, I had endless lessons in the proper way to do things on boats; rules on how to stay safe at sea. They were taught to me by my sailing mentors. I try to pass them on. And yes, something as innocuous as the proper way to display a flag is part of the mix. Without tradition, great and small, the sailing life would be shallow indeed.

Well argued, and your comment brings up an interesting point: the role of tradition in seamanship.

I guess my thoughts on that are a bit different: while I agree there is a lot to be learned from the past, I also believe that the best seaman are those that constantly evaluate the ways we have done things in the past in the light of new information, knowledge, and technology.

In fact I would go so far as to say that paying too much homage to tradition is undesirable. For example we all used wire reel winches for halyards—one of the most dangerous pieces of sailing gear ever invented—for years after they no longer made sense (if they ever did) just because the traditionalist told us that was the right way to do things. Ditto boom roller reefing and CQR anchors.

hello all. I agree a lot with Eugene. I belong to a “royal” club in Australia where there is no rule to fly the burgee from the masthead but I am one of the few who do so ( most choose the starboard spreader here) because I think it looks fantastic. It shares the masthead with tricolour, vhf antenna and TV antenna (sorry about that one) , doesn’t interfere with any of them, is a nuisance to hoist unless the wind is over the starboard bow a bit, (it’s on the port side), doesn’t rattle (much) at night because the halyard is led to the toe rail and in any case we are centre cockpit and sleep aft, and I subscribe to the view that it is up when the owner is on board, day or night. I love it.

Quick last words from me. John — Wire halyards weren’t traditional when I learned to sail, which just shows I’ve got some years on you. It was an “improvement” on tradition that eventually hit a dead end, thank the Lord. You’re right about boom roller reefing and CQRs. You could add in-mast reefing to that list.

I certainly don’t feel like a slave to the past, burgee fetish notwithstanding. I’m glad I learned celestial but it’s been a long time since I’ve taken a sextant out of the box. Boy, do I love my chart plotter. I could go on.

Let me say, BTW, how grateful I am for AAC. It’s the smartest, most informative forum I know on boating lore, old and new. A wonderful mix of common sense and new ideas. I’ve learned a ton. Thank you.

Clive — I’ll bet your Royal burgee does look fantastic. It’s worth the effort, isn’t it. Maybe I should try again, with a slightly longer pig stick.

Older than me? Wow you are old! 🙂

Thanks for the kind comments on the site, makes it all worth while.

I think a traditional daysailer looks smart with the burgee at the masthead. On our live-aboard cruising boat we (sometimes) fly our burgees at the port spreader: less windage aloft and no rattling halyards.

In many places we don’t fly burgees. When visiting a country where the average annual income is roughly the price of a new tender, it feels inappropriate to display yacht club memberships.

A very good point on the keeping a low financial profile in many places.

Thanks for the great comments and civilized discussion.

I guess the bottom line is that burgee position should be optional, and not mandated, at least if a club wants to make itself more approachable, particularly by younger people.

On the other hand, I agree with those that say that a burgee at the mast in a pig-stick looks best, and if you can figure out how to do that, well then more power to you—I should have made that more clear in my post.

I agree that people should be able to do whatever they feel is most appropriate. While I don’t have a ton of experience with the issue having never been asked to join a yacht club, I have had a few bad experiences with flags beyond silly stuff like annoying noises. One of my most memorable was having a long name pennant on a pigstick jam in the peak blocks of a 2000ft^2 main that really needed to come down in a building breeze. Climbing out on the peak halyards in a strong breeze to try to free them up is not an experience I will forget anytime soon. One time while racing in light airs, we were sailing alongside another boat who took down all of the flags that they were flying and proceeded to sail away from us. A good pigstick and short flag can do wonders for keeping birds off of your masthead though.

I have no problem with people who fly flags and actually think that they look great. However, just like wood on deck, you won’t normally find them on our boat. For that matter, when I took down the Q flag after clearing US customs on Friday night, I also took down the American flag which won’t go up again until we are back in foreign waters (hopefully this doesn’t offend anyone).

to watch people complicate their lives for small returns is an endless wonder to me

I go sailing to get away from that kind of crap! Good on you John for calling it the way it is and to all the old brigade…wake up…it is 2015.

I have sailed on biggish boats since I was 16 and often as the youngster aboard. Guess what duty I had every morning and evening (yes, we took down the burgee every evening). Now as an oldster, I wouldn’t think of sailing without a burgee at the masthead. It just looks so darn great up there. It’s like the last stroke of the brush on a beautiful painting. I must admit, after 50 or so years of pigsticking, I am pretty good at getting the darn stick by the back stay in any kind of wind. Long live the pig stick.

I can see that. That said, even for those of us that are on your side of the debate, do we want to give people on my side a hard time? I say not—live and let live.

I was away from sailing(rock climbing) through my twenties and thirties, so when I tried racing again it was torturous. An acquaintance had an etchells, and invited me to crew, so I thought it would be fun. During pre start, I suggested a trick for checking favored end of the line, and he was interested, but after lingering past the committee boat for too long he got caught barging, yelled a lot, then throughout the whole windward leg he very solemnly explained why it was my fault. After suffering through the post race social, when I was driving home, he pulled over in front of me and beckoned. I pulled over and he ran to my window with a watch he borrowed from another member. He was leaving town in the morning and wouldn’t be able to return it. I agreed to take it to the club the next morning, and so I did first thing. The next day I was unable to check my phone in the morning, and there were several messages from him that went from a friendly reminder to not so friendly. Throughout the day he kept calling and I never picked up, more curious how far he’d go than anything. By the end of the day he was very disappointed in me, and how disrespectful it is to not return the watch. I think I just picked up in the end and told him I returned it that morning, and said goodby. It’s too bad, I know I probably got unlucky, but on the other hand, most racing I’ve done has been with very unpleasant people. I know that interacting with people who are better than you is how you get better at anything, but I can’t bear it.

Hi Michael,

Wow, what a terrible story. Please don’t let one, or even several a-holes put you off racing. While I agree that racing does attract some real jerks, some of the best fun with the nicest people I have ever had occurred while racing.

One tip, it’s very often the people who are not very good at racing that behave that way, so it’s worth seeking out better sailors and being totally up front about what a rotten experience you have had to date. If you do that I’m betting that someone will make it their business to turn things around for you.

One other thought, suggesting a new technique during the high stress pre-start your first time on the boat might not have been the best approach to setting up a good relationship. When new on a boat it’s often best to just keep your head down and access the personalities until you have made your bones.

second that!

Normally, it is a seller’s market for crew, and good skippers will happily take them on and treat them very well. Don’t be discouraged by a rotten egg!

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• Sailing Anarchy

Burgee protocol / etiquette

• Thread starter v15frenchie
• Start date Jul 17, 2012

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v15frenchie

• Jul 17, 2012

What's the protocol for presenting your YC burgee to another club? Let's say I'm a member of the Royal Afghani YC and I'm traveling to Iraq for a week, and plan on visiting the Iraqi National Yacht Club. There's no reciprocity between the two -- how would I go about to present my burgee (and hopefully get one back in return)? I know I could probably get a member of the Iraqi National YC to buy a burgee for me and I could give him mine, but then who knows if my burgee will fly there afterward.  

Snaggletooth

Sa's morrelle compasse.

Oxygen Mask

Super anarchist.

Pin your bar tab to it and hand it to the Commodore with a smile.  

Sailing My Cubicle

Slightly off-topic, but I was going through my grandfather's effects several years ago and discovered that he had a private signal. Besides burgees.com, does anyone know of any private signal registry? It may have been listed in the defunct Lloyd's Register of American Yachts books. What are the rules for private signals?  

Oxygen Mask said: Pin your bar tab to it and hand it to the Commodore with a smile. Click to expand...

Sailing My Cubicle said: Slightly off-topic, but I was going through my grandfather's effects several years ago and discovered that he had a private signal. Besides burgees.com, does anyone know of any private signal registry? It may have been listed in the defunct Lloyd's Register of American Yachts books. What are the rules for private signals? Click to expand...

Nope. Single masted vessel they are flown from the masthead.  

http://www.usps.org/f_stuff/etiquett.html#y-c-burgee  

jerseyguy said: Oxygen Mask said: Pin your bar tab to it and hand it to the Commodore with a smile. Click to expand...

Lottsa people don’t know I’m famous

V-15_Frenchie said: What's the protocol for presenting your YC burgee to another club? Click to expand...

You guys are so lame. This is how it works: a Board Member or member designee visits the club, with a letter of intent to reciprocate and a burgee. The club reciprocates with a letter and burgee either immediately or after a Board meeting. It might be doable by mail. Why? Each club delineates in their letter the privileges the recip club acquires. This can range from a so-what courtesy right (you're just another yacht looking for a transient slip), to near full privileges, use of facilities, purchase of meals, parking and bar tabs, and deeply discounted transient slip fees. This matters. For example, a while ago I contacted LBYC on VHF comms asking for a slip and they said no way. Once in cell phone range, I called the front desk, rapped with the gal and listed my recip clubs; after she looked it up she said the first night is free, after that it's $15 a night, but ya gotta move if the slip owner returns. Come to the desk after you tie up to get a key to the showers, ice machine and 'fridge-freezer, and a parking pass. OTOH, I've pulled in to clubs where I've got recip rights and paid as a transient, with no power or shore rights. It all depends on what's in the letter. It makes sense; if your club has no shore facilities or slips, why would Saint Francis recip with your club?  

• Jul 18, 2012

I don't have any burgees. Anyone wanna swap spit? Espo?  

ZM-73 said: Nope. Single masted vessel they are flown from the masthead. Click to expand...

• Thread starter

axolotl said: This is how it works: a Board Member or member designee visits the club, with a letter of intent to reciprocate and a burgee. The club reciprocates with a letter and burgee either immediately or after a Board meeting. It might be doable by mail. Click to expand...

Don'tCallMeJudge

Attachments.

SailAR said: ZM-73 said: Nope. Single masted vessel they are flown from the masthead. Click to expand...

does arranging reciprocal privileges really matter anymore? there are a few clubs that basically don't offer reciprocal privileges to anyone..., and at all the rest, they don't seem to care anymore where you are from. some clubs want your club to be a member of some association - but i think most clubs are members.  

It would be most right if when presenting your burgee, you also brought your club's best drink. That would be for ceremonial purposes only.  

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Flag ang burgee etiquette

• Thread starter kpgraci
• Start date Jun 19, 2013
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

Kermit said: I guess I'm flying mine wrong. But dang I think this looks nice. Click to expand

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani

Many cruisers, on sloops, fly the ensign from the back stay because it then does not interfere with the backstay itself, OR a topping lift. I've flown my there for many years on sloops. On my no backstay, no topping lift Sharpie, it flies from the leech of the after most sail Courtesy flag, when in another country, flies from starboard spreader. In US waters, a club flag can fly there. Lets be pragmatic here- we don't sail the boats Chapman's wrote about.  

TSBB 2 said: Lets be pragmatic here- we don't sail the boats Chapman's wrote about. Click to expand

Winkfish said: Every party has a pooper... Click to expand

see attached  

Attachments

• Flag%20Etiquette.pdf 23.7 KB Views: 620

captcoho said: see attached Click to expand

Except- flown from staff should be(used to be) under motor only- not when under sail. not that it makes a huge amount of difference. Personally, I think the intent, and the respect, is what counts.  

In US waters wherever it suits you. You could fly an ensign, the national flag or nothing at all. In International or foreign waters the national flag should be flown from the stern. I have lost care for etiquette fanatics, have seen to many be overly concerned about location but disregard taking it down in the evening.  

Hello all. Some years ago being an academic as well as a power squadron member, I did extensive research on flags, burgees, signals, colors and other identifications used aboard marine small craft. As far as I know having consulted with the Library of Congress there are no present day laws or rules for flying identification signals upon your boat. EXCEPT for many of us, we follow Military rules (which would include the US Navy) which are in existence--it just doesn't always apply to us civilians. Chapman's has been in existence since approximately 1915 from the urging of the then Secretary of the Navy, F. D. Roosevelt who asked Chapman to put together a small booklet to assist private citizens "...interested in fitting himself to be of service to his Government in time of war." (World War I) That request included flying flags and signals from your boat. Most of our flag etiquette has been borrowed, so to speak, from Europe and their great fleets of ships both military and private. The reason we fly the burgee (a signal of identification) is that it was traditional to dock a ship on the port side and so to let others know who they were they would fly a flag from starboard side facing out into the harbor.,,,hence flying the yacht club burgee from the starboard spreaders. Flying a national (or company) flag at the stern, often off the gaff of the main sail was that was the most obvious place to fly it. I am curious as to the remark that it was because it was over the captains quarters. I'll have to follow up on that thought. And you didn't have to fly the flag of your nation--it could be an owner's flag or the flag of another nation just to get close to it to engage it in battle. An interesting bit of history--ports along the east coast of the United States would tax commercial vessels coming into their port however private vessels of leisure were not taxed. So as to not have the port come out to greet (tax) you, the private mariners sought a signal that would make them tax exempt and that was the American flag but with a fouled anchor in the blue field (this law was established about 1849). It was discontinued if my memory serves me sometime in the 1930s. But we yachtsmen liked it and so it has remained a flag of choice. You can fly it anywhere you want but it doesn't represent anything except you like the flag....and foreign countries don't recognize it anyway. Flying the American flag (the Ensign) from the stern of your boat is a tradition but you could fly it from the bow--as long as you could put up with fellow boat owners suggesting your ancestry. In recent years a practice of flying it from the aft shroud about three quarters up has come into practice. The problem most skippers remark is that when anchored and no breeze the flag droops around the shroud. But it is duable and there is no law against it. Unless, of course, you have a modern day Marlow-Hunter which has no back stay. Ah, the ironies of it all. Can you leave the American flag up all night? Go ahead, particularly if you are sailing (or powering) through the night. And you don't have to have a light on it. I haven't been able to find out where that thought came about. Probably the military. Tradition rules the waves in yachting (boating) and so we can fly a variety of signals from wherever we want. When I first started sailing we flew the yacht club burgee from the top of the main mast using a "pig stick." (I've never been able to find out where that term came from) It was a longish stick with eye screws situated in a manner that the most the pig stick went above the mast allowing the burgee to fly in any direction which was a help to the helmsman to find out which way the wind. But with the advent in the early sixties of electronic gear (wind direction and speed, VHF radio antennas, etc) the burgee was moved to the starboard spreaders and seems to be the main position to this day. As someone in this discussion remarked, there are speciality flags (the Martini--raise your glass high) over the years that we yachtsmen like to fly. The pirates flag is popular and the beer mug. In the first Chapman's book there is a Church Pennant, Guest flag, and my favorite, crew's meal pennant! I suspect that would announce that no servants were available. I wonder if Bill Gate's yacht has that burgee? Another signal that has baffled me over the years is the Night Pennant. Why would they fly that? In my part of the country (Pacific northwest) for those of us "crossing the border" (going into Canada or coming in the US), we tend to fly a courtesy flag of the country we are entering. For the most part we fly it from the starboard spreader. I've talked to several customs officials from both countries and they really don't know about the quarantine flag. In ancient days a ship would fly the "Q" or quarantine flag until processed into that country or port. In today's modern world, we use a phone or the VHF radio to contact the customs officials. At times I fly from my starboard spreader my yacht club flag, then underneath it, the Princess Louisa burgee. From my port side spreader I fly my 12th Man flag (if you not from the Northwest--don't ask). I live in the Puget Sound area with a fleet of large ferry boats which fly two American Flags during daylight hours, one from each end. At least one is at the stern. And yes, some yacht clubs are quite officious in their regulations. The Seattle Yacht Club has done of good job of putting together a good list of requirements. The New York Yacht Club as well as the American Yacht Club (Rye, NY) also have suggestions as to how and where to fly your signals. Please take my comments with a grain of salt. My memory is not as good as it ought to be and my notes are long lost in my basement. But in summation there are really no laws that say you have to fly any flag in any position....just custom. And remember, all those flags, buntings, burgees, etc. are just signals telling someone else a bit about you and your boat. My best to you all. Les  

Nice work, Les ! Thanks for a good read !  

One point- on entering Mexico or the Bahamas, best have that Q flag showing until cleared in. THEN replace with the country courtesy flag. And some countries are very particular about how that courtesy flag looks. I have a friend who made their own flags, and hers wasn't exactly right. Customs made her get a new one. Forget which country- in the Caribbean though.  

just be careful in setting up your burgee line that you don't use some kind of metal clip thingy..... that's what was on our boat when we got it, never though too much of it.... (attached to the starboard spreader) and a few years ago our brand new jib caught a little tip on that clip and a nice expense tear resulted. Lesson learned.......we removed the entire line and will replace it (someday) with a tie on system only.:cry:  

LuzSD said: just be careful in setting up your burgee line that you don't use some kind of metal clip thingy..... that's what was on our boat when we got it, never though too much of it.... (attached to the starboard spreader) and a few years ago our brand new jib caught a little tip on that clip and a nice expense tear resulted. Lesson learned.......we removed the entire line and will replace it (someday) with a tie on system only.:cry: Click to expand

Stu Jackson

They make shroud cleats for just this purpose. I used to have it on our upper shroud, but moved it back to the aft lower to avoid conflict with the jib. The Johnson shroud cleat has a big loop in the upper part of the cleat, so it does double duty: for the flag halyard and for holding the main halyard off the mast when the day is done.  

Thank you, Les. That was both entertaining and enlightening. So the rule-of-thumb for the US Flag is 1 inch of fly for every foot of boat length (rounded up). Does that also apply when flying from the backstay? Or would it be bigger?  

Stu Jackson said: The Johnson shroud cleat has a big loop in the upper part of the cleat, so it does double duty: for the flag halyard and for holding the main halyard off the mast when the day is done. Click to expand

Brian D said: Thank you, Les. That was both entertaining and enlightening. So the rule-of-thumb for the US Flag is 1 inch of fly for every foot of boat length (rounded up). Does that also apply when flying from the backstay? Or would it be bigger? Click to expand

Nice work Les, but I found it did not address sailing in International or Foreign waters. It is the current practice to fly the National Flag in the stern and a courtesy flag on the starboard spreader to indicate you have cleared customs and are no longer under quarantine.  

Scott T-Bird

Back in September, 2008, I put my Chicago Cubs flag at a position of honor on the backstay. They were in 1st place but went into a tailspin for a week, so I took it off. They won the Division but lost 3 straight to the Dodgers in the 1st round that year and I haven't had that flag out since. I have my SBO burgee on the port spreader ... should it be moved to the starboard?  

I am flyin a 6' x4' american beauty off 7' starboard staff, looks awesome. I have a running burgee line from port spreader to rail, I hang all sorts, yacht club burgee, martini glass, and pirate burgees, whatever mood strikes.... Red  

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Invited on the boat? Safety tips, advice for being invited back

With summer in full swing, boating season has begun, making it essential for both boat owners and guests to brush up on their boating etiquette.

Understanding proper boating etiquette can make the difference between being welcomed back by your boat-friends or left ashore next time.

Boating involves both safety rules and the unspoken rules of courtesy. These guidelines apply whether you’re on a fishing boat, canoe, or yacht, whether on oceans, lakes, or rivers .

Here are some key etiquette tips to keep in mind before you hop on board and set out on the water.

Here are some rules before you hop on the boat and get into the water.

When pulling into or out of the marina, go slow. It will give you time to react if something comes up. Moving too fast through the marina can cause wakes , which can capsize other vessels or cause damage to docked or moored boats.

Lend a hand

Look out for other boaters. If your see another boater that's in distress, the proper thing to do is to pull over and help. It could be something minor or serious, like calling the Coast Guard for help.

Fueling and dock manners

Be considerate of your neighbors and the environment. Sound travels and so will your conversations or music. Do not throw trash in the water; hold on to your garbage till you get to land and can dispose of it properly.

Fuel, pay and go. Don't hold up the line if you need to buy groceries or supplies. Don’t drain, clean, or unload your boat while in line or sitting on the ramp to launch either, just move and relocate your boat.

Anchoring and mooring

Head into an anchorage or mooring slowly; again slow down so not to create a wake that would impact other boaters.

Follow the lead of other boats in how you tie off, how much line you use and how much distance to leave between boats. Also be considerate of your neighbors while parked next to them.

Right of way

A sailboat under sail always has the right of way over a power boat , and human powered boat , like kayaks or canoes have the right of way over any vessel, including sail boats.

The stand on vessel , which comes from the port or stern side, has the right of way. When it approaches from the starboard, it's the give-way vessel.

Being a good boat guest

Know what kind of boat you are getting on and what to expect and don't be afraid to lend a hand. Dress for the elements and wear the right shoes or no shoes at all. Bring enough snacks and sunscreen to share. If you are prone to seasickness, prepare for it.

Make sure everyone knows the safety procedures and where the life jackets are and how to use them.

There should be at least one other passenger that should know how to take over for the captain in case of an emergency, including the use of VHF radio

You are responsible for your wake as much as your boat. Even if your boat doesn't cause any damage, you can be legally liable if your wake does.

The waves created by your wake can cause a possible collision or knock a person overboard.

French election projections show voters punishing Macron’s centrists, boosting far right

Snap legislative elections could end French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist political experiment and bring Marine Le Pen’s far-right party to power.

PARIS — French voters appeared to have boosted the prospects of the far right while potentially shattering the centrist alliance of President Emmanuel Macron, according to projections released after polls closed in the first round of French legislative elections on Sunday.

Projections by France’s public broadcaster showed the far-right National Rally, guided by Marine Le Pen and her protégé, Jordan Bardella , comfortably securing the top spot with 33 percent of the national vote. An alliance of leftist parties, the New Popular Front, was in second, projected to garner 28 percent. Macron’s Together alliance lagged behind, with 21 percent.

The projections showed National Rally narrowly falling short of a majority of seats. If it can expand its lead in the second round of voting on July 7, it could form the country’s first far-right government since World War II, with 28-year-old Bardella as prime minister, and replace Macron’s pro-Europe, pro-business agenda with its populist, euroskeptic and anti-immigration platform.

Alternatively, a second-round result that doesn’t produce a clear majority could paralyze French politics.

“The French crisis has only just started,” said Gérard Araud, a former French ambassador to the United States.

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Bardella pledged Sunday night to become “the prime minister of all French people” and promote “unity of the nation.” He then lashed out at the left and far-left, now his main competition, saying they “would lead the country to disorder, to insurrection and the ruin of our economy.”

Le Pen declared in a speech Sunday night that voters had conveyed a “desire to turn the page after seven years of contemptuous and corrosive power.”

Macron did not acknowledge defeat. In a statement, he hailed the unusually high vote turnout and called for “a broad, clearly democratic and republican rally for the second round.” But the projected results suggested that his gamble in calling snap elections had backfired spectacularly and that his influence over French politics is rapidly waning.

Araud compared him with Napoleon Bonaparte when the French emperor launched his failed campaign to invade Russia in 1812. Many politicians who have supported Macron for years face the possibility of losing their seats, leaving him politically isolated.

Macron could stay on as president until his term expires in 2027 — and he has said he will not resign. But he wouldn’t be able to do much to prevent the adoption of laws passed by a far-right majority or enact new policies in the case of a hung parliament.

Sunday’s projected results are likely to cause alarm in many European capitals. France is one of the European Union’s original members, its second largest economy and a driving force in E.U. affairs. The National Rally party no longer advocates leaving the bloc, but many of its proposals are out of step with E.U. policies.

Another concern is whether the French far right might undermine Europe’s support for Ukraine and its stance on Russia. Le Pen is already challenging Macron’s hold on French foreign policy and defense, suggesting the president play a more honorary role as commander in chief of the armed forces.

A hung parliament in France could unsettle European politics. France looks like it is heading for “deadlock and confusion with an irreconcilably blocked National Assembly,” said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group, a political risk consulting firm. “This spells bad news for France, the E.U. and Ukraine.”

In many ways, Sunday’s vote was a referendum on Macron, who founded a movement in his own image and upended French politics when he became the first modern president elected from outside the center-left and center-right parties that had dominated French politics for decades.

Having twice fended off Le Pen for the presidency, in 2017 and 2022, Macron was seen by his supporters as a masterful political strategist and perhaps the only French politician capable of derailing the rise of the far right.

But in the coming days, Macron’s centrist alliance could “explode,” said Pierre Mathiot, a political scientist at Sciences Po Lille.“The center right will reorganize itself without Macron,” he said.

Some of Macron’s critics accuse him of an imperial governing style and of decimating the traditional political parties in a way that made extreme parties the only viable outlets for anyone frustrated with his program.

The National Rally party grew out of a fringe movement co-founded by Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who repeatedly called the Nazi gas chambers a “ detail ” of history and reinforced the toxicity of the far right in many circles. But efforts by Marine Le Pen and Bardella to make the party more broadly appealing have yielded significant gains, and the party served Macron’s coalition a humiliating defeat in European Parliament elections on June 9.

While Macron wasn’t required to dissolve France’s National Assembly, he said he had little choice. If he had not called the vote, he told reporters, “you would have told me: ‘This guy has lost touch with reality.’”

He seemed to be betting that the possibility of a far-right government would mobilize his supporters and reinforce his party’s mandate. But he appears to have both underestimated the far right and the French left, which — despite deep divisions — was able to cobble together a broad alliance, unified at least in part by opposition to Macron.

Although turnout on Sunday was more on par with a presidential election than a legislative first round, it appeared to primarily benefit the National Rally and the leftist alliance.

“It’s possible that he underestimated the hate that he generates in a part of the population,” said Chloé Morin, an author and political analyst.

Racist and antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy theories spread by National Rally candidates came under scrutiny during the campaign sprint — and amplified questions about whether the party’s rebranding was merely window dressing. Almost 1 in 5 of National Rally’s candidates for parliament have made “racist, antisemitic and homophobic remarks,” French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said in a televised debate Thursday.

Many voters appeared undeterred by these concerns.

On Sunday, far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon cast his New Popular Front coalition as “the only alternative” to National Rally, amid the Macron alliance’s losses.

He said leftist candidates would drop out of races where they had placed third and risked splitting the vote in the second round, helping National Rally candidates win. That vow put pressure on Macron and his allies to promise the same.

Projections show that up to 315 second-round races could be between more than two candidates.

Attal said, vaguely, that the centrist alliance would withdraw candidates if their presence could prevent the victory of “another candidate — who, like us — defends the values of the Republic.”

But Macron has at times portrayed the far left as equally dangerous as the far right.

Mathiot, the political scientist, said the number of races with more than two candidates could be decisive next Sunday. "If there are many triangular races, the National Rally will have an absolute majority,” he said.

Rauhala reported from Brussels and Timsit from Nice, France.