- Correct flag flying used to be a matter of course
- Yacht customs and their background
- Etiquette as part of training
- The flag parade has a serious background
- Flag flying: the importance of the host country flag
- When must which flag be set where?
- Correct handling of the national flag on board
- Why are the flags lowered at night?
- Correct flag handling: retrieval at certain times
- Flag management laws
This letter from a reader is typical of enquiries received by the editorial team on the subject of flag management:
"I was reported for flying the wrong flag on my sailing boat off Rügen. In addition to the German flag, I had a European flag - with German flag in the top corner - on the backstay. The fine for the offence is said to be 55 euros. Will this help European integration?"
It is correct that the aforementioned penalty can be imposed in this way. In this context, the intention of the legislator is to avoid confusion. International conventions on the law of the sea require that the flag be clearly assigned to a nationality. As the national flag can also be hoisted on the backstay, any other flag would cause confusion here. If the European flag had been hoisted below the spreaders, this problem would not have arisen and the objective of "European integration" would have been fulfilled.
What is allowed and what is not, and what is good etiquette without being mandatory? When is it necessary to fly the flag and when is it not? What about fantasy flags? This article provides answers to all these questions and offers information on appropriate flag flying on sailing yachts.
Correct flag flying used to be a matter of course
When searching through old issues of YACHT for the keywords "flag management" and "yachting customs", we discovered something astonishing. For the first time at the end of the 1980s, an author in Europe's largest sailing magazine dealt with correct yachting behaviour, which was not addressed again until after the turn of the millennium.
In the training literature, however, it is the other way round. Whereas two generations ago entire chapters were devoted to sailing style issues, they are no longer to be found there today. Where once there were explanations about dress code and order on board, as well as the order in which yachts should greet each other or crew members should board a dinghy, there is now a gap. The situation is similar when it comes to correct flag handling.
Hardly any other topic is discussed with such emotion
The reason is simple. For a long time, the raison d'être of such rules was questioned as little as the rules of right of way. It is true that behaviour among sailors has always been a topic of discussion, there has always been good and bad behaviour. And there have certainly always been sailors who considered fixed etiquette to be dispensable. But it must be recognised that until about a generation ago, there was no serious question that there was such a thing as yachting etiquette as an ideal to be guided by.
This has changed fundamentally. Hardly any other topic is as emotionally discussed in the relevant forums as the question of whether the evening flag parade is still appropriate today, what is considered good and what is considered bad style among sailors and whether traditional customs should serve as a guide. In short, whether they still adorn the sailor today or, conversely, whether they are outdated.
Yacht customs and their background
There is also a simple reason for this change of heart. Originally, yachting customs were not just a standard of behaviour. They also had a function as an identity-forming element of the established sailing sport. Those who belonged to it could be recognised by the fact that, in addition to etiquette, they also observed some old customs. The origin of these customs may no longer be known to everyone, and often there was no longer any practical use for everyday life on board. Nevertheless, it was considered unseemly to whistle on board, to sail out on Fridays, and particularly hard-boiled skippers would have the youngest scratch the mast if there was no suitable wind for the voyage.
Consciously or unconsciously, sailors used to enclose themselves in their own world, which not everyone could enter. A function that no longer seems to fit into a time in which there are multiple ways onto the water. A time in which the sailing world is no longer dominated by owner yachts under club pontoons. And a time in which people meet on the water who live out more than just this one passion in their free time.
Etiquette as part of training
Nevertheless, there are manners that every water sports enthusiast would like to see from others, and for this reason alone they are worth freeing from the prejudice that they are merely an outdated image of the old days. What is meant is sporting behaviour. Consideration, tolerance and helpfulness. Behaviour that manifests itself in particular ways on the water.
At the Hanseatic Yacht School in Glücksburg, teaching students this behaviour is part of the training. "We set an example and justify what we do," says sailing instructor Peter Herdan, who is responsible for the courses on sea-going yachts. "Cooperation is the common thread. Every water sports enthusiast, whether sailor or motorboat driver, will one day be dependent on help from others. So it goes without saying that we help each other."
The flag parade has a serious background
Old customs such as the sip for Rasmus at the beginning of the journey, rituals that actually fulfil no practical purpose, are no longer an integral part of training today. The ritual of the flag parade is a different matter. But according to Herdan, this also has a serious background, which in turn is based on good co-operation.
"We are dealing with students from all over Europe and want to raise awareness among them that we are all guests." In foreign harbours, not only is the national flag raised at the stern in the morning and lowered in the evening, but the host country flag is also lowered under the spreaders. "There are numerous harbours where the national flags of the guest sailors are hoisted in reverse," says Herdan, adding that it is an act of mutual respect to treat the host country's flag with the appropriate respect.
Flag flying: the importance of the host country flag
Jürgen Mohns has experienced that this mark of honour is very important abroad. The blue water sailor has been travelling for 23 years and has found that the correct handling of the host country flag is more important outside European waters than a quirky ritual.
"In Uruguay," says Mohns, "I actually got into trouble with the military once because I didn't change from the sea flag to the harbour flag immediately after entering the country. The national flag in our mizzen was therefore higher than the host country flag." In seafaring nations, this symbolism still reminds some of the times when the victor's flag was hoisted above the defeated flag on defeated warships.
When must which flag be set where?
For the same reason, it is considered impolite if host country flags are "collected" during the voyage. Only on the day of returning home is it customary to place the flags of all the countries visited during the voyage under the starboard sails in the order of the German alphabet until sunset.
Also as a sign of respect, the fine side is reserved for the guest country flag on starboard. The club or association stander is placed under the port side dolphin if it is not in the top. It also flies when nobody is on board.
The host country flag, on the other hand, is hoisted in the absence of the crew, as is the national flag. At sea, nothing else should be flown under the spreaders apart from the host country flag and a club or association stander to avoid confusion with flag signals such as the international distress signal N over C.
Correct handling of the national flag on board
Flags and standers should be in perfect condition, pre-hauled to below the flag button or spreader, and the flag line should have no slack.
In contrast to traditional yachting customs, the correct use of the national flag on board is a matter of course. regulated by law. This begins with its appearance, which is precisely described in Article 22 of the Basic Law - it is black-red-gold with an aspect ratio of 3:5. A European flag is therefore no substitute. Not even if it is black-red-gold in the "Liek-seitigen Obereck".
According to the Flag Law Act, the federal flag must be flown on the maritime waterways, in coastal waters, at sea and abroad by all ships intended for seafaring whose owners are German and who are resident in the area of application of the Basic Law. This also includes pleasure craft that are not subject to registration. Violations may result in a fine.
Why are the flags lowered at night?
The national flag must be clearly visible at all times, as required by law. It should therefore be placed on a pole at the stern, inclined at an angle of about 40 degrees and positioned amidships or slightly to starboard. At sea, it can be run in the leech of the mainsail or, in the case of multi-masted yachts, in the top of the aft mast. The backstay has a bad reputation as a substitute for the flagstaff.
The flag parade is not regulated by law, but is an international maritime custom. In the 17th century, an official of the Royal Navy became aware of the high cost of flag cloth. He enforced that the flags were to be lowered at sunset and only raised again at sunrise. This halved the costs - and the rules on flying flags became customary.
Correct flag handling: retrieval at certain times
Since then, the national and guest country flags have been hoisted at 8 a.m. from 1 May to 3 September and at 9 a.m. in the remaining months. It is taken down in the evening at sunset, but no later than 9 pm. This is also often seen as an act of courtesy abroad.
"Nowadays, people sometimes smile at us for doing this," says Peter Herdan. "Because people don't question why we do it. Conversely, if you ask why others don't do it, they are usually embarrassed."
Flag management laws
In contrast to yachting customs, there are legal regulations on the subject of flag flying. Those who disregard them can even be asked to pay.
National flag
Yachts are subject to the "Law on the flag law of seagoing vessels and the flag management of inland waterway vessels" (Flag Law Act). Accordingly, skippers are not obliged to hoist the national flag on inland waterways. However, on maritime waterways, in coastal waters, at sea and abroad, the federal flag must be flown in accordance with Section 1 of the Flag Law Act "by all ships intended for maritime navigation whose owners are German and who are resident in the area of application of the Basic Law".
It is black-red-gold, which is even laid down in the Basic Law. A European flag with a black, red and gold design is therefore no substitute. And: the federal flag has an aspect ratio of 3:5 (arrangement from 1950).
It should be set on the pole, which is inclined at about 40 degrees so that the flag can also be recognised. The pole is positioned amidships at the stern. If this is structurally impossible, it may be moved to starboard. Under sail, the flag can also be flown on the leech of the mainsail. This is still frequently practised on traditional sailing boats with a gaff rig, for example.
On multi-masted yachts, it can be flown at sea in the top of the aft mast. However, it must be flown on the flagpole after "Ready to sail" - out of respect for the host country flag, as the national flag should fly lower than this.
For a long time it was considered sacrilege to fly the national flag on the backstay. However, it is important to the legislator that the flag flies at the stern and is clearly visible.
The flag is hoisted at 8 a.m. from 1 May to 3 September and at 9 a.m. in the remaining months. It is lowered in the evening at sunset, but no later than 9 pm.
Host country flag
The flag of the host country is the only flag flown under the starboard spreader. It is hoisted close below the spreaders, the flag lines have no slack. Yachts returning home from a voyage abroad may display the flags of the countries visited in alphabetical order on the day they reach German territorial waters until they are lowered in the evening. It is no longer customary to repeat the procedure the following weekend and when sailing away. "Collecting" the guest country flags under the spreaders while sailing abroad can be misunderstood as impolite and is therefore not customary.
Club stand
Traditionally in the top, nowadays it is usually flown under the port side dinghy. It is flown day and night, even if no one is on board. To avoid confusion with the international distress signal "N over C", only one stander should be used, even if the yacht is registered with several clubs - for example the home stander in the harbour.
Other
Flying the European flag or a foreign flag instead of your own national flag is a violation of flag law. At worst, this provides for a custodial sentence. In practice, the water police will issue a warning or levy a fine. Fantasy flags have become a typical sight in harbours, but are not to be displayed at sea.
