I knew a captain who had two rules, or you could be removed from the boat. The first is you always had to wear a knife on your belt while on board. This was a safety measure more than anything. I think with the introduction of the multi-tool, it also became a matter of convenience. If you see a loose screw, you’re more apt to tighten it if you have a screwdriver on the hip.

His other requirement was to follow proper flag etiquette. This tradition was rich in history and in his mind, was another element in the sport of yachting worth preserving.

Few would argue that flag etiquette is a fading art among modern yachtsmen. A walk through any marina today will reveal a diversity of flag applications, many inappropriate or just plain wrong. Whether it’s novice boaters who haven’t made the effort to understand proper flag procedure, experienced boaters whose understanding has faded, or a general dying respect for the traditions of the sport, who knows? The practical uses of flags have diminished in recent decades, but those who appreciate the culture and traditions of boating, like my captain friend, say that if you’re going to use flags at all, you might as well use them correctly.

The late Charles Chapman, in “Chapman Piloting,” wrote, “To be rated 100 percent boatman—in other words, a ‘Seasoned skipper’—the owner or captain of a boat must know flags, what they mean, and how to fly them.”

Most “seasoned skippers” today leave port at least with an ensign, and perhaps a yacht club burgee as well. Cruisers may carry a yellow Quarantine flag and courtesy flags for countries they plan on visiting. Traditionalists may carry a full complement of signal flags, although the dawn of electronic communications has diminished their practical value and relegated them largely to ceremonial use.

Owing in part to its ubiquitousness, the national ensign is the most widely abused flag on the water today. Stroll down any dock and you’ll see many examples of careless ensign display.

“Even the skipper who cries bah-humbug to flag etiquette and tradition should know the proper display of the
national ensign,” wrote Queene Hooper Foster in “Boating Etiquette,” a Chapman’s Nautical Guide.

The proper procedure for flying the ensign is easier than rotating your battery selector switch. Yet walking the docks, you’d think it involved skills as complicated as celestial navigation. On a recent weekend, at least half the boats in my marina wore tattered and faded ensigns 24 hours a day (some leave them up all season). In the same marina, an expensive, U.S. registered sailboat flew the U.S. ensign from the starboard spreader and the French national flag from the port spreader, both of equal size.

Capt. Kevin Althoff practices a traditional flag routine aboard the motoryacht Hedone. He raises the ensign at 8 a.m. while in port, followed quickly by the owner’s club burgee, which he only flies if the owner is aboard. He then hoists the owner’s private signal.

At sunset he lowers the colors in inverse order. “If the owner sees I pay attention to details such as flag display, then he understands the more complicated items such as engine maintenance are being taken care of as well,” Althoff said. “Besides, keeping the boat shipshape is part of my job. It’s what I’m paid for and serves as a calling card for future employment as well.”

United States registered yachts are permitted to fly either the national ensign (the standard American flag with 50 stars) or the yacht ensign. The yacht ensign, showing a fouled anchor encircled by 13 stars, was developed by the New York Yacht Club during the late 1800s at the request of the secretary of Navy to differentiate between private and commercial vessels. Both flags are acceptable in U.S. waters, although only the national ensign is recognized outside U.S. territorial waters.

The right way to fly the ensign is simple: Raise it at 8 a.m. and lower it at sunset. If you have a powerboat, fly it from the stern staff. If you’re equipped with a signal mast with a gaff, fly it from the gaff while under way and at the stern when moored or at the dock.

Flag etiquette and routine generally trace their roots to naval procedure, with modifications having been made over the years to adjust to civil use and over time creating tradition. The secretary of the Navy would often dictate protocol on a variety of subjects from wearing an ensign to dressing ship. The regulations for signal flags were developed by the Navy to communicate distress, course changes and ship’s intent. Today, signal flags are primarily used only for ceremonies.

Practicing a tradition—no matter how impractical—simply because it’s always been done, may be silly to some. But for modern participants in a sport as old and grand as yachting, respecting and following a tradition can enrich an experience.

“Live on tradition, thrive on change,” says George “Dooie” Isdale, former commodore of the New York Yacht Club. The club conducts an annual orientation for new members during which flag protocol officers discuss issues such as dress and flag etiquette. Isdale found that even a club as traditional as New York, members still have many questions about proper use of ensigns, burgees and other flags.

Isdale has a deeply ingrained sense of tradition. Just as some feel obligated to preserve old houses, he feels obliged to maintain the history and traditions of yachting for the future generations. But he believes it’s up to the individual boater to choose to follow tradition or not. “If you don’t care, don’t fly any flags. If you’re going to do it, do it properly,” he says.

Getting fired for failing to follow proper flag etiquette may seem trivial, but it underlines the importance of yachting traditions to some. In our opinion, it’s always better to be “100 percent” boatman.