Flag hoist
Flags
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 signalling flags,
they are a set of flags of different colours, 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
pennants, one answering pennant, and three
substituters or repeaters.
Flags
Only a few colours 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.
Flags
• One-flag signals are urgent or very common signals
• Two-flag signals are mostly distress and manoeuvring
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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.
Single letter flag hoist
Alfa (alpha) – Diver down, keep clear
Bravo – I’m taking in, discharging or carrying
dangerous goods
Charlie – Yes (affirmative)
Delta -- Keep clear of me, I’m manoevering
with difficulty
Single letter flag hoist
Echo – I am altering my course to starboard
Foxtrot – I’m disabled, communicate with me
Golf – I require a pilot
Hotel – I have a pilot on board
Single letter flag hoist
India – I’m altering my course to port
Juliet – Keep clear, I’m on fire and have
dangerous cargo
Kilo – I wish to communicate with you
Lima – You should stop your vessel instantly
Single letter flag hoist
Mike – My vessel is stopped and making no way
November – No (Negative)
Oscar -- Man overboard
Papa – I’m about to proceed to sea
Single letter flag hoist
Quebec -- My vessel is "healthy" and I request
free practique
Romeo
Sierra – I am operating astern propulsion
Tango – Keep clear of me, I’m engaged in pair
trawling
Single letter flag hoist
Uniform – You are running into danger
Victor – I Require assistance
Whiskey – I Require medical assistance
Xray -- Stop your intentions and wait for my
signals
Single letter flag hoist
Yankee – I Am dragging my anchor
Zulu – I Require a tug
Letter flags
1
6
2
7
3
8
4
9
5
0
Repeat First Flag
Repeat Second Flag
Repeat Third Flag
Decimal (point) and Answering pennant
Examples, two flag 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.
Answering pennant
At the dip – The code flag hoisted "at the dip“
indicates that the receiver has seen the signal from
the transmitting ship
Close up – The code flag hoisted "close up"
indicates that the receiver has understood the signal
from the transmitting ship
Nation flag
Meaning:
This flag indicates the nationality of the vessel
Place:
On board of a vessel the nation flag may only be hoisted at the
following places:
• When the vessel is sailing, at the smallest mast or the one placed
most aft.
• In every other circumstance, in the mast on the stern of the vessel
It is strictly prohibited to place other
flags than your nation flag on these places!
Courtesy flag
Meaning:
The courtesy flag is a little nation flag of the country one is visiting
Place:
The courtesy flag is hoisted at the starboard yard of the front mast. If
there is no yard, than the flag may be hoisted to the top of the front
mast.
The courtesy flag will never be hoisted in the mast on the stern of the
vessel.
Courtesy flag
Remark
Saoudi Arabia:
This country has two nation flags: one
for its own and one for visitors.
The visitors must use the first flag.
Here the sword is pointed at the mast.
Symbolically, you point the sword to
yourself and not to the country.
Saoudi Arabia uses the second flag.
Her the sword is pointed away from
the mast. Symbolically it is pointed to
the visitors and protects the country.