Five Golden Rules for Courtesy Flag Etiquette

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Courtesy Flags are essential for all voyages in foreign waters.

Well presented flags create good impressions.

Always use the Red Ensign for United Kingdom waters - not the Union Jack.

Yachts without masts should fly the Courtesy Flag at the bow. Yachts with masts, on the starboard spreader.

Fly the Q flag until you have cleared customs, and hoist the Courtesy Flag above the Q flag if flying together.

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Q Flag.png (119 Bytes) Viewed 1564 times

Signal flag "Quebec, " called the "Yellow Jack" is a simple yellow flag that was historically used to signal quarantine (it stands for Q), but in modern use indicates the opposite, as a signal of a ship free of disease that requests boarding and inspection.