I've read in a bunch of places that you need to "dip" your ensign in salute - BUT - no where does it say what you actually do for that.
Is it even possible to dip an ensign that is on a flag staff on the stern?
At least here in Finland the procedure on small boats and small flagstaffs is to pick up the staff and lower it horizontal over your stern.
The US navy will dip the national ensign if another recognized national flag is dipped to it first. As a rule there is no reason to dip your US flag on a yacht.
Saluting with your flag is the most formal way of saying hello to another vessel. Usually performed only by the navy ships but sometimes excercised by yacht clubs during festivities.
Navy vessels, at least the finnish navy, are oblidget to reply a flag salute. They take the flag etiquette very seriously. Some people find pleasure from watching them scramble after a salution by a small yacht.
That's what I was thinking. My prospective son-in-law is serving on an aircraft carrier ....
This brings up the protocol regarding flying a flag at the gaff peak: Pretty, and fun, but is it proper? And would one then dip the flag by lowering the halyard some set distance?
And does one return pirate flag salutes? (with a broadside? ;P )
I always liked to fly the naval ensign at the gaff peak.
Mike
Gaff peak is proper in our waters if your boom is too long tomake a stern staff impossible. Stern is concidered to be the place of the highest value, but if impractical, gaff peak will do.
While in harbor or anchored the flag should be moved to the stern staff.
Gaff peak is proper on a gaff type boat/sail while underway. While at mooring on the transom is correct.
The proper position for a sloop or cutter is from the starboard spreader if the stern staff isn't available. As Timo has mentioned, the stern staff is most prominent (position of honor), second is the starboard spreader or masthead, third the port spreader.
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeohzt4/Seafl...stoms.html the traditions are usually very specific and I see constant inappropriate and misuse as a commonality, rather then the exception
The US navy flies the US ensign, not the naval ensign which is a branch flag and only decortive in nature. The Yacht ensign is actually incorrect here and disrespectful. It's down right inappropriate in foreign waters. The yacht ensign can be flown in the US, but typically by lubbers that think it looks cool.
Greetings,
For the rest of us, ( not in the US Navy ), you could buy the United States Power Squadron Learning Guide, âHow to fly Flags, Nautical Flag Displayâ and read all there is to know about properly flying flags on your vessels ...
![[Image: htff.jpg]](http://www.usps.org/national/fecom/images/htff.jpg)
... and you can get a flavor of it all at this page ...
http://www.usps.org/f_stuff/etiquett.html#updated-code
For you Canucks, the Norvan unit of the Candian Power Squadron gives the Canadian version of this information away for free ...
http://www.norvan-cps.org/documents/CPS/...0flags.pdf
... which I found on this page ...
http://www.norvan-cps.org/Navaids/flags.html
I chuckled a bit when I was reading the above "How to Fly Flags" .PDF file, where I quote ... "The international code flag Q (Quebec) (a yellow rectangle) when flown alone is prescribed as a quarantine flag ...". So many puns come to mind, I just don't know where to start.
Cheers,
Tom