FLAGS AND FLAG ETIQUETTE

IN THE WHEEL HOUSE OF EVERY SHIP WILL BE FOUND A NUMBER OF FLAGS KEPT INSIDE PIGEON
HOLES (FLAG LOKERS) WHICH ARE SYSTEMATICALLY MARKED TO INDICATE THE FLAG THEY
CONTAIN:

1. FLAGS OF NATIONS: SOME COUNTRIES USE ENSIGNS INSTEAD OF THEIR NATIONAL FLAGS.
2. HOUSE FLAGS: INDICATE SHIPS OWNERS.
3. ALPHABETICAL FLAGS: DENOTE LETTERS OF ALPHABET.
4. NUMERAL PENNANTS:DENOTES NUMBERS FROM 0 to 9
5. SUBSTITUTES FLAGS: TO ENABLE THE SAME SIGNAL FLAG- EITHER ALPHABETICAL OR
NUMERAL PENDANT.
6. CODE AND ANSWERING PENDANT: DENOTE DECIMAL AND INDICATES MESSAGE IS
UNDERSTOOD.

ALL FLAGS ARE MADE OF BUNTING.HALYARDS ARE ROPES USED FOR HOISTING FLAGS.WHEN
BENDING ON THE FLAG TO THE HALYARD, BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET GO ANY END OF THE
HALYARD.OTHERWISE, IN A STRONG WIND,THE END WILL FLY UP TO THE BLOCK.

‘‘AT THE DIP’’ MEANS THAT A FLAG IS HOISTED ONLY HALF WAY UP THE HALYARD. ‘’CLOSE
UP’’ MEANS FULLY HOISTED.

ON A SHIP, FLAGS ARE HOISTED AT THE FOLLOWING PLACES (LOCATION):

1) JACK STAFF: USED FOR HOISTING A JACK FLAG WHICH IS SMALL HOUSE FLAG? A JACK IS TO
BE HOISTED ONLY WHEN THE SHIP,IS AT ANCHOR OR MADE FAST TO THE SHORE OR TO
THE BUOY. THEREFORE IT IS HOISTED AS SOON AS THE FIRST LINE IS AWAY OR WHEN THE
ANCHOR IS DROPPED. SIMILARLY, A JACK IS LOWERED AS SOON AS THE SHIP,IS
UNDERWAY I.E. WHEN THE ANCHOR IS AWEIGH OR THE LAST LINE IS CAST OFF.
2) FOREMAST YARD ARMS; USED FOR HOISTING COURTESY FLAG AND SHIPS NUMBERS.
‘’COURTESY FLAG’’ MEANS THE FLAG OF THE FOREIGN COUNTRY WHERE THE SHIP,IS
BERTHED. ‘’SHIPS NUMBERS’’ MEANS A GROUP OF FOUR ALPHABETICAL FLAGS HOISTED
TOGETHER WHICH IDENTIFY THE NAME OF THE SHIP.
3) MAIN MAST HEAD: A HOUSE FLAF IS HOISTED HERE.
4) GAFF: USED FOR HOISTING THE ENSIGN WHEN THE SHIP IS UNDERWAY. ENSIGN ON THE
GAFF AND JACK, ON THE JACK STAFF DO NOT GO TOGETHER.
5) ENSIGN STAFF: AS SOON AS THE SHIPMAKES CONTACT WITH THE GROUND EITHER BY A
LINE TO THE SHORE OR TO A BUOY OR BY DROPPING ANCHOR, THE ENSIGN IS LOWERED
FROM THE GAFF AND PUT UP ON THE ENSIGN STAFF WHERE IT IS HOISTED THROUGH OUT
THE SHIP’S STAY IN PORT.
6) TRIATIC STAY: USED FOR HOISTING CODE FLAGS EASILY FROM THE BRIDGE E.G. PILOT
FLAGS AND QUARANTINE FLAGS ARE HOISTED HERE.

WHEN TO HOIST AND LOWER THE FLAGS:

WHEN A SHIP IS AT ANCHOR OR MADE FAST TO THE SHORE OR TO THE BUOY, THE FLAGS ARE
HOISTE AT 0800 HRS. (COLOURS), AND LOWERED AT SUNSET. BUT IF THE SHIP,IS ARRIVING OR
LEAVING A PORT DURING ANYTIME FROM DAWN TO DUSK, THE FLAGS SHOILD BE HOISTED EVEN
IF IT IS BEFORE 0800 OR AFTER SUNSET. WHEN AT SEA, AWAY FROM THE PORT, ALL FLAGS ARE
LOWERED. BUT IF A MAN-OF-WAR IS SIGHTED THE ENSIGN IS PUT UP ON THE GAFF.
  WHAT FLAGS ARE HOISTED FROM THESE
PARTS OF THE SHIP AND WHEN?

1. WHEN ENTERING A PORT DURING DAYLIGHT

HOURS A SHIP SHOULD FLY THE FOLLOWING
FLAGS:--
I. SHIP’S NUMBER ON THE FOREMAST YARDAM.
II. COURTESY FLAG ON THE FOREMAST YARDAM,
IF IT IS A FOREIGN PORT.
III. HOUSE FLAG ON THE MAINMAST HEAD.
IV. ENSIGN ON THE GAFF.
V. ANY CODE FLAGS (GOLF, HOTEL, OR QUEBAC
AS ORDERED ON THE TRIANTIC STAY.
AS SOON AS THE SHIP DROPS THE ANCHOR OR THE
FIRST ROPE IS ASHORE THE JACK IS HOISTED ON THE
JACKSTAFF AND THE ENSIGN IS CHANGED FROM GAFF
TO ENSIGN STAFF.
2. WHEN LEAVING A PORT DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS
A SHIP SHOULD HOIST FOLLOWING FLAGS BEFORE
GETTING UNDER WAY :--
I. JACK ON THE JACKSTAFF.
II. COURTESY FLAG ON THE FOREMAST YARDAM.
III. HOUSE FLAG ON THE MAINMAST HEAD.
IV. ENSIGN ON THE ENSIGN STAFF.
V. FLAG GOLF IF PILOT IS REQUIRED . AS SOON
AS SHIP PILOT COMES ON BOARD LOWER GOLF
AND FLY HOTEL(H).
AS SOON AS SHIPP ANCHOR IS AWEIGH OR THE LAST
ROPE IS CAST OFF THE JACK IS LOWERED AND THE
ENSIGN STAFF TO GAFF.
3. FOLLOWING FLAG TO BE HOISTED WHEN SHIFTING
BERTH.
I. JACK WHEN NOT UNDERWAY ON THE
JACKSTAFF.
II. COURTESY FLAG IF IN A FOREIGN PORT
FOREMAST YARDAM.
III. HOUSE FLAG ON THE MAIN MAST HEAD.
IV. THE ENSIGN.
V. FLAG HOTEL(H) IF NECESSARY.
4. FLAG TO BE HOISTED WHEN AT ANCHOR OR MADE
FAST IN A PORT:--
I. JACK ON THE JACKSTAFF.
II. COURTESY FLAG ON THE FOREMAST YARDAM.
III. HOUSE FLAG ON THE MAINMAT HEAD.
IV. ENSIGN ON THE ENSIGN STAFF.
V. FLAG HOTEL(H) IF NECESSARY.
5. SALUTE ANOTHER SHIP:--
I. WHEN TWO SHIPS OF THE SAME COMPANY
PASS CLOSE TO EACH OTHER THE SHIP WHOSE
MASTER IS JUNIOUR SALUTES THE OTHER SHIP.
ALSO ALL MERCHANT SHIP SALUTE A MAN OF
WAR OF ANY NATIONALITY.
SALUTES ARE EXCHANGED WHEN THE BRIDGES
OF THE SHIPS ARE ABRAST OF EACH OTHER.
TO SALUTE A SHIP LOWER YOUR ENSIGN HALF
WAY AND KEEP IT LOWERED UNTILL THE OTHER
SHIP HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE SALUTE i.e
DIPPING AND RENOISTED ON HER OWN ENSIGN,
THEN RENOIST YOUR ENSIGN.
6. MOURNING :--
i. ENSIGNERS ARE FLOWN HALF MAST WHEN A
SHIP IS IN MOURNIN.
AT COLOURS (0800) THEN ENSIGN IS HOISTED
CLOSE UP FIRST AND THEN LOWERED TO HALF
MAST.
ii. AT SUNSET THE ENSIGN IS HOISTED CLOSE UP
FIRST THEN LOWERED AWAY COMPLETELY.
THE ENSIGN
AN ENSIGN IS A NATIONAL FLAG WHEN USED
AT SEA. IT IS A DISTINGUISHING FLAG USED TO
INDICATE NATIONALITY.THERE ARE 3
COLOURED ENSIGNES. THESE ARE RED,
WHITE AND BLUE.
TYPES OF ENSIGN:--
1. RED ENSIGN
2. WHITE ENSIGN
3. BLUE ENSIGN
RED ENSIGN: --THIS RED ENSIGN IS
ONLY SEEN ON MERCHANT VESSELS. ALL
MERCHANT SHIPS ARE FLYING A RED
ENSIGN AT OR NEAR THE STERN. SOME
OF THE BRITISH COLONIES HAVE ALSO
ADOPTED IT AS THEIR OFFICIAL FLAG BY
INTRODUCTION OF A BADGES IN THE FLY.
WHITE ENSIGN: --WHITE ENSIGN AND
THIS COLOUR HAS CONTINUED AS THE
NAVAL ENSIGN SINCE 1846 THE ROYAL
NAVY HAVE HAD THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT
TO FLY THE WHITE ENSIGN SINCE 1846.
INDIAN NAVAL SHIP’S FLY THE WHITE
ENSIGN. ALL NAVAL SHIP OF DIFFERENT
NATIONALITIES ALSO FLY THE WHITE
ENSIGN.
BLUE ENSIGN: --THE BLUE ENSIGN IS
FLOWN BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.
EACH HAVING DISTINCTIVE BADGES IN
THE FLY.
 DIRECTORATE GENERAL SHIPPING AND
T.S. CHANAKYA FLY BLUE ENSIGN. SOME
BLUE ENSIGN IS ALSO FLOWN BY
MERCHANT VESSELS COMMANDED AND
MANNED BYA CERTAIN PROPORTION OF
NAVAL RESERVE RATINGS.
FLYING THE ENSIGN: -- ENSIGNES ARE ONLY FLOWN
ON A GAFF, AT SEA AND ON THE ENSIGN STAFF IN THE
PORT. THEY ARE ALWAYS CHANGED OVER AT THE
MOMENT OF ARRIVAL OR DEPARTURE.