Flying the American Flag

I can not believe the number of boats that fly the American flag on the wrong halyard. Are people just that ignorant of flag etiquette or do they just don’t care…

I can see 3 right now .

I plead ignorance sir! Please take mercy upon my non military soul. Which yard arm should support our nations flag sir?

I think this country has much bigger problems…

I understand your point, but I think it’s worse when they don’t fly one at all!!! You see way to many boats in Fourchon without a Flag .

Hands down the GREATEST country in the world!!!

You might want to look into decaf buddy.

Definitely!

Priority of flag hoisting continues from the stern to the starboard yardarm, then the port spreader and finally the mainmast truck.

Groovy baby

My Captain seems to be indifferent about the matter. Same with his relief. As prior service this irks me just as much as seeing a flag that is tattered or covered in soot and in dire need of replacement. I didn’t see too many POW flags flying last Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day (to name a few) either. Anyone ever use flags made of denier coated nylon? Supposedly, a marine grade flag material. Wondering how good it holds up (wind/sun).

Great thread this subject is one that has always been a pet peeve of mine. Some of the boats at the outfit I work at don’t have flag poles or halyards so I write up need of improvement orders, sad to say sometimes I get not at this time as an answer. But I usually pester them into it.

Thanks for correcting me Skycowboy. I have been flying it center mast but will start flying it on the starboard yardarm. I’m prior USN and never paid attention to where it flew underway. I’ve put it up and taking it down many a times in-port on the fantail though.

Next question, Where would the ECO flag go? Port yardarm?

Nowhere on my tug to fly one, honestly. Everywhere it could go it would last a matter of hours. They’ll get Around to installing a proper place for it right after they install the hot tub in my stateroom.

I gotta get the ETO up here and work on my hot tub. I think the thermostat is out it’s not quite hot enough. The sauna down in the engine room works like a champ though.

If there is a spreader bar, the US flag should go on the port side, the company flag or courtesy flag of a foreign country on the starboard spreader.

Ensign should fly from the gaff underway or flagstaff on the stern dockside. Starboard spreader is for a courtesy flag in a foreign port and the port spreader for signaling or for a company flag.

What?!? I was a Signalman in the Navy and responsible for Flags, Pennants and Customs. The bible on said subject is NTP 13 (B). http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/images/ntp13b.pdf Check out Ch. 5. Obviously doesn’t apply to Navy ships, but company flags go port side inboard. State/foreign flags go starboard inboard, stbd being the place of honor. Outboard halyards are for signal flags: A, B, Q, etc. z-drive, If there is somewhere on the starboard side of your tug to fly a flag, it is permissible but as close to centerline and as high as you can.

[QUOTE=Texaco;142832]. z-drive, If there is somewhere on the starboard side of your tug to fly a flag, it is permissible but as close to centerline and as high as you can.[/QUOTE]

Yeah! UNFORTUNATELY it will get tangled in the mast, melted by a floodlight, burnt by the stack, or hung up on some antenna unless we’re steaming into a 15+ kt breeze! We’re good for the small signal flags though to be compliant. Maybe we could get away with a small one, maybe 18" or so.

Can you believe how many American Merchant Vessels don’t fly the American flag at all! Bunch of fuckers! Just left a company that didn’t have a single star or a single stripe between them! What a bunch of losers!!!

[QUOTE=Swampfox;142827]If there is a spreader bar, the US flag should go on the port side, the company flag or courtesy flag of a foreign country on the starboard spreader.[/QUOTE]

From the gaff or mainmast. No other flag higher