What do the different flags mean on a boat?

Three-Flag Signals - Points of the Compass, Standard-Times, Verbs, Punctuation, Code and Decode Signals. Four-Flag Signals - Geographic, Names of Ships, and Bearings. Five-Flag Signals - To Relate Position and Time. Six-Flag Signals - Indicate West, East, South, or North in Longitude or Latitude Signals.

What are the types of nautical flags?

How do you read a boat flag?

What does a black flag mean on a boat?

The black flag is a racing flag used to signal a driver's disqualification. In sail racing, when the black flag is displayed with the preparatory signal, a boat that is over the starting line in the minute before the starting signal is immediately disqualified without a hearing.

What is the meaning of a white and blue nautical flag?

Internationally, the code flag alfa/alpha, which is white and blue, is used to signal that the vessel has a diver down and other vessels should keep well clear at slow speed.

International maritime signal flags and their meaning | nautical alphabet flags | maritime flags

What does an orange flag on a boat mean?

State law requires that boats towing person(s) on water skis or similar devices carry and use an orange or red skier-down flag, at least 12 × 12 inches in size, whenever the towed person(s) or associated equipment is down in the water.

What does a yellow flag on a boat mean?

Medical Definition of quarantine flag

: a yellow flag hoisted by all ships to request pratique on entering a harbor, by a ship to show that it has contagious or infectious disease aboard, or by a ship that has been quarantined. — called also yellow flag, yellow jack.

What does a blue flag on a boat mean?

If you are an individual boat owner and you wish to make particular efforts towards a better environment, you can sign our Code of Conduct, and become part of our network. You will receive a Blue Flag for your boat, to show that you respect those rules, and that you are a proud lover of our oceans and coastline.

What does a red and yellow flag mean on a boat?

DESIGNATED SWIMMING AREA in a surf zone is defined as the area extending 400 metres out from shore between the red and yellow surf patrol flags.

What does a solid orange flag mean?

The orange flag is often used at local observances of National Gun Violence Awareness Day, said Jeannie Brown, aide to Hemminger. It symbolizes the town's support for better gun education and safety, and better background checks for gun buyers, Brown said.

Why do ships sail under different flags?

Under international law, every merchant ship must be registered with a country, known as its flag state. That country has jurisdiction over the vessel and is responsible for inspecting that it is safe to sail and to check on the crew's working conditions.

What flag do you fly on a boat?

The U.S. national ensign, sometimes called "50-star" or "Old Glory," is the proper and preferred flag for all U.S. vessels. Your boat should wear it from 0800 until sunset, and when you enter or leave port during daylight or at night, weather and rig permitting.

What color is a distress flag?

The distress flag must be at least 3 x 3 feet with a black square and ball on an orange background. It is accepted as a day signal only and is especially effective in bright sunlight. The flag is most distinctive when waved on something such as a paddle or a boat hook or flown from a mast.

What does a purple flag on a ship mean?

The Purple Flag Means it's a Shore Day.

What does a quarantine flag look like?

a yellow flag, designating the letter Q in the International Code of Signals: flown by itself to signify that a ship has no disease on board and requests a pratique, or flown with another flag to signify that there is disease on board ship.

What do R and Y flags mean?

Romeo-Yankee (R over Y) proceed at slow speed when passing.

What does a black diamond flag mean?

The French ship hails the "English whaler" twice, so the black diamond flag indicates it was a whaler, and does not conceal the nation. As for EIC ships fighting French ships, sure.

What is a Bravo flag?

Phonetic Pronunciation: BRAH-voh. Navy & International Meaning: I am taking in, discharging, or carrying dangerous cargo. International Code of Signal Flags have double stitched seams, finished nylon rope distance lines and ash toggles.

What is the red flag with the white stripe?

Two types of flags are used to indicate diving activity. Divers Flag: A rectangular red flag with a white diagonal stripe is attached to a vessel, float, or buoy.

What does green flag mean?

The term comes from the use of actual green-colored flags to tell people that they have permission to proceed, like when beginning a race. Green flag was coined to describe positive qualities in potential partners in relationships, such as kindness, loyalty, patience, supportive, and a good sense of humor.

What does a blue triangle flag mean?

The white star represents the Commonwealth, the blue triangle represents the sky and the ocean, and the three sides of the triangle represent the three branches of the Commonwealth's republican form of government. The flag's design is based on the Cuban flag with the red and blue colors inverted.

What are the 3 types of visual distress signals?

Visual distress signals include day signals that are visible in sunlight, night signals that are visible in the dark, and anytime signals that can be used both day and night.

What does a red flag with black square mean?

In US maritime warning flag systems, a red square flag with a black square taking up the middle ninth of the flag is used to indicate a storm warning (the use of two such flags denotes a hurricane force wind warning or a hurricane warning). The same flag as a storm warning is used to indicate a tropical storm warning.