Flag Flying

Maybe it is the west coast upbringing, where Opening Day is a ceremonial tribute to tradition, and an opportunity for local dry cleaners to get some blue blazer business. Regardless, there are matters of etiquette that we just don’t know, and since being ignorant is no excuse, we publicly accept the indignation that comes from the Scuttlebutt community when we cross the line. Here is a recent letter:

I know you guys are Californians, but I was still shocked, shocked I say, to see your usually excellent web site's ‘Holiday Greetings’ card posted showing an undersized national ensign flying from a port spreader.

Here is the card:

Now knowing that we messed up, we asked for help. Here was the reply:

Ensign should approximate a minimum of one inch on the fly per foot of overall length, with a hoist of two-thirds of the fly (a 36-foot boat would have no less than a two foot by three foot ensign).

The national ensign is displayed between morning and evening colors:

* When at anchor, at the stern staff.

* When underway in inland waters and when meeting or passing other yachts on the high seas, weather and rig permitting:
> By gaff-rigged sailing yachts, at the after peal;
> Sailing yachts, when not racing, at the stern staff, except marconi-rigged yachts may fly the ensign at the leach of the aftermost sail, approximately two-thirds the length of the leach above the clew.

And there you have it. New York Yacht Club yearbook, Yacht Routine.

P.S.: The New York triangular club burgee shall never be flown from a spreader, but I would opine that each individual club's yacht routine might allow their own burgee to be flown differently.

(The New York club has designed a special flag which may be flown from the starboard spreader for members who charter yachts with interfering mast-top electronics preventing the burgee from being flown on a pig stick at the truck.)