Nautical Flag Meanings

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Flag	Name & Phonetic Pronunciation	Meaning
	Alfa AL-fah	I have a diver down; keep well clear at slow speed.
	Bravo BRAH-voh	I am taking in, discharging, or carrying dangerous cargo.
	Charlie CHAR-lee	"Yes" or "affirmative". Change of Course (Sailing Regatta)
	Delta DELL-tah	I am maneuvering with difficulty; keep clear.
	Echo ECK-oh	I am directing my course to starboard.
	Foxtrot FOKS-trot	I am disabled; communicate with me. On aircraft carriers: Flight Operations underway
	Golf GOLF	I require a pilot.
	Hotel hoh-TELL	I have a pilot on board.
	India IN-dee-ah	I am directing my course to port. (International) Coming alongside. (Navy) Round the Ends Starting Rule (Sailing Regatta)
	Juliet JEW-lee-ett	I am on fire and have dangerous cargo; keep clear.
	Kilo KEY-loh	I wish to communicate with you.
	Lima LEE-mah	You should stop your vessel immediately. Come Within Hail or Follow Me (Sailing Regatta)
	Mike MIKE	My vessel is stopped; making no way. Mark Missing (Sailing Regatta)
	November no-VEM-bur	No or negative. Abandonment and Re-sail (Sailing Regatta)
	Oscar OSS-kur	Man overboard.
	Papa pah-PAH	All personnel return to ship; proceeding to sea (Inport).
	Quebec kay-BECK	Ship meets health regs; request clearance into port. (International) Boat recall; all boats return to ship. (Navy)
	Romeo ROH-me-oh	None. (International) Preparing to replenish (At sea). Ready duty ship (In port). (Navy)
	Sierra see-AIR-ah	Moving astern. (International) Conducting flag hoist drill. (Navy) Shorten Course (Sailing Regatta)
	Tango TANG-go	Keep clear; engaged in trawling. (International) Do not pass ahead of me. (Navy)
	Uniform YOU-nee-form	You are running into danger.
	Victor VIK-tah	I require assistance.
	Whiskey WISS-kee	I require medical assistance.
	Xray ECKS-ray	Stop carrying out your intentions and watch for my signals. Individual Recall (Sailing Regatta)
	Yankee YANG-kee	I am dragging anchor. (International) Ship has visual communications duty. (Navy) Wear Life Jackets (Sailing Regatta)
	Zulu ZOO-loo	I require a tug. 20% Scoring Penalty (Sailing Regatta)
	Code/Answer Code or Answer	Message is understood. Also, numeric decimal point. (International) Flag that follows is from the International Code of Signals. (Navy) Postponement (Sailing Regatta)
	First substitute (First Repeater) First sub	Substitute for the first flag in this hoist. (International) Also "repeats" the first flag or series of flags in this hoist Absence of flag officer or unit commander (In port). (Navy) General Recall (Sailing Regatta)
	Second substitute Second sub	Substitute for the second flag in this hoist. (International) Absence of chief of staff (In port). (Navy)
	Third substitute Third sub	Substitute for the third flag in this hoist. (International) Absence of commanding officer (In port). (Navy)
	One WUN	None. (International) Numeral one. (Navy)
	Two TOO	None. (International) Numeral two. (Navy)
	Three TREE	None. (International) Numeral three. (Navy)
	Four FOW-er	None. (International) Numeral four. (Navy)
	Five FIFE	None. (International) Numeral five. (Navy)
	Six SICKS	None. (International) Numeral six. (Navy)
	Seven SEV-en	None. (International) Numeral seven. (Navy)
	Eight ATE	None. (International) Numeral eight. (Navy)
	Nine NIN-er	None. (International) Numeral nine. (Navy)
	Zero ZEE-roh	None. (International) Numeral zero. (Navy)
	Pennant one PEN-ant WUN	Numeral one. (International) Pennant one. (Navy)
	Pennant two PEN-ant TOO	Numeral two. (International) Pennant two. (Navy)
	Pennant three PEN-ant TREE	Numeral three. (International) Pennant three. (Navy)
	Pennant four PEN-ant FOW-er	Numeral four. (International) Pennant four. (Navy) Postponement (Sailing Regatta)
	Pennant five PEN-ant FIFE	Numeral five. (International) Pennant five. (Navy)
	Pennant six PEN-ant SICKS	Numeral six. (International) Pennant six. (Navy)
	Pennant seven PEN-ant SEV-en	Numeral seven. (International) Pennant seven. (Navy)
	Pennant eight PEN-ant ATE	Numeral eight (International) Pennant eight. (Navy)
	Pennant Nine PEN-ant NIN-er	Numeral nine (International) Pennant nine. (Navy)
	Pennant zero PEN-ant ZEE-roh	Numeral zero (International) Pennant zero. (Navy)

Race Committee Flags

Flag/Shape	Name	Sounds	Meaning
	X	1 when raised	Individual Recall
	First Substitute	2 when raised 1 when lowered	General Recall
	AP	2 when raised 1 when lowered	Postponement
	I	None when raised 1 when lowered	Round the Ends Starting Rule
	C	Repetitive	Change of Course
	L	1 when raised	Come Within Hail or Follow Me
	M	Repetitive	Mark Missing
	N	3 when raised 1 when lowered	Abandonment and Resail
	S	2 when raised	Shorten Course
	Y	1 when raised	Wear Life Jacket
	N over H	3 when raised	Abandonment Return to Shore
	Z	1 when lowered	20% Scoring Penalty
	Black	1 when lowered	Hard Start: Disqualification
Class Flag Raised	Warning	1	5 minutes to start
	Preparatory (or I or Z or Black Flag) Raised	1	4 minutes to start
	Preparatory (or I or Z or Black Flag) Lowered	1	1 minute to start
Class Flag Lowered	Start	1	Start

Some Useful Two Letter Signals:

AC - I am abandoning my vessel.	LO - I am not in my correct position: used by a light vessel.	RU - Keep clear of me; I am maneuvering with difficulty.
AN - I need a doctor.	NC - I am in distress and require immediate assistance.	SO - You should stop your vessel instantly.
BR - I require a helicopter.	PD - Your navigation lights are not visible.	UM - the Harbour is closed to traffic.
CD - I require immediate assistance.	PP - Keep well clear of me.	UP - Permission to enter Harbour is urgently requested. I have an emergency.
DV - I am drifting.	QD - I am going ahead.	YU - I am going to communicate with your station by means of the International code of signals.
EF - SOS/MAYDAY has been canceled.	QT - I am going astern.	ZD1 - Please report me to the Coast Guard, New York
FA - Will you give me my position?	QQ - I require health clearance.	ZD2 - Please report me to Lloyds, London.
GW - Man overboard. Please take action to pick him up.	QU - Anchoring is prohibited.	ZL - Your signal has been received but not understood.
JL - You are running the risk of going aground.	QX - I request permission to anchor.

Flag Courtesy:

U.S. National Ensign & Merchant Flag U.S. Yacht Ensign

It is usually appropriate to fly the U.S. National Ensign (flag) or U.S. Yacht Ensign at the stern of your vessel. However, when operating internationally, say going to the Bahamas, once in foreign waters you are required to fly the "Q" Flag or "Quarantine Flag" until you have cleared customs. This flag should be hoisted on the starboard spreader. If you are on a power boat with no mast, the "Q" flag can be displayed on the bow. It is also customary to fly the country's courtesy flag when operating in the waters of that country. After clearing customs, the "Q" flag should be replaced with the country's courtesy flag.

Don't fly a foreign courtesy ensign after you have returned to U.S. waters. It may show that you have "been there," but it is not proper flag etiquette.

Customs regulations and clearance procedures and costs may differ from one foreign country to another. Be sure and check your cruising guide for the proper procedures or try inquiring locally by radio prior to entering a foreign port. Although I have found that most custom officials speak some English or have access to someone who does, don't forget that you are in their country and you should be prepared to communicate with them in their language.

So, now that you know all about signaling flags, get them out and wave them high.

 

 

More than you ever wanted to know:

Although you may never see them displayed except at fleet parades, around naval installations, and areas with heavy international shipping traffic, International code flags are used to signal between two ships or between ship and shore. Also called signaling flags, they are a set of flags of different colors, shapes and markings which used singly or in combination have different meanings. The flags include 26 square flags which depict the letters of the alphabet, ten numeral pendants, one answering pendant, and three substituters or repeaters.

Only a few colors can be readily distinguished at sea. These are: red, blue, yellow, black, and white; and these cannot be mixed indiscriminately. You will notice, for clarity, the flags shown are either red and white, yellow and blue, blue and white, or black and white; besides plain red, white, and blue.

One-flag signals are urgent or very common signals (see meanings below). Two-flag signals are mostly distress and maneuvering signals. Three-flag signals are for points of the compass, relative bearings, standard times, verbs, punctuation, also general code and decode signals. Four-flags are used for geographical signals, names of ships, bearings, etc. Five-flag signals are those relating to time and position. Six-flag signals are used when necessary to indicate north or south or east or west in latitude and longitude signals. Seven-flags are for longitude signals containing more than one hundred degrees.