Proper Etiquette for Yacht Flags and CeremoniesThis guide establishes the protocols for displaying flags on various yachts, regulating times for colors based on the senior officer present or nearby naval stations. It defines specific flag shapes and colors to denote rank, such as the triangular burgee for clubs and swallowtails for private signals, while detailing how to properly handle colors during periods of national mourning or the death of a captain, officer, or crew member. Additionally, it outlines the specific procedures for dressing a ship with flags and utilizing night or meal signals.The text also details the formal ceremonies for receiving high-ranking visitors, including the President, Vice-President, foreign sovereigns, and military officers, specifying the appropriate flag displays, gun salutes, and crew protocols for each. It describes the simple procedures required to formally place a yacht in or out of commission, involving declarations by the owner and the synchronized handling of the vessel's flags and guns.Finally, the text outlines the responsibilities of a club commodore during the season. This includes collaborating with the house committee to organize the annual opening ceremony at the clubhouse, presiding over meetings, and ensuring harmony and adherence to regulations. It also highlights the importance of appointing experienced staff, particularly a skilled fleet captain, to manage operational details.
Yacht Fleet Operations and Captain EtiquetteThe Fleet Captain serves as the executive officer under the authority of the Commodore. When a club is on a cruise, the Fleet Captain remains on the flagship in constant attendance upon the Commodore, directing all movements of the fleet from the bridge or quarter deck. When the Commodore plan to be absent from the club station for several days, he must notify the Vice Commodore, who assumes his duties. When the club goes out of commission for the season, the Commodore calls a special meeting to hear final reports and thank the members, after which a gun is fired and the flags are hauled down at his signal.Strict etiquette governs the movements of the yacht captain. When the Captain approaches the vessel, the crew hauls down the absent flag while the Boatswain blows a pipe at the gangway. The Sailing Master faces the side and salutes the Captain as he steps over the rail. When the Captain prepares to leave the ship, the Sailing Master sees that the gig is properly manned at the starboard gangway. The Boatswain winds his call and the Sailing Master salutes as the Captain enters the boat, and the absent flag is broken out the moment the boat shoves off.Specific rules regulate salutes, flag displays, and communication between vessels. Guns fired between sunset and colors indicate distress, and no guns may be fired on Sundays. Yachts salute naval vessels and passing yachts by dipping the ensign once. Upon entering a harbor, a captain salutes the commanding officer of the anchorage with a gun or a dipped ensign as the anchor drops. Squadrons from different clubs exchange salutes only through their commanding officers, and private signaling between yachts underway is prohibited to prevent levity.Boat service requires precise discipline and structure. Boats are categorized by construction type and rowing configuration, with the ranking officer entering last and leaving first. Crew members must follow distinct verbal commands to handle oars quietly and systematically. While underway, junior boats must lie on their oars and salute passing flag officers. Boat crews must dress uniformly, remain silent, and avoid splashing or smoking.Daily shipboard routines ensure high discipline and efficiency. Time is marked by striking the ship's bell every half hour in four hour cycles, taking the time from the senior officer present. The Boatswain uses specific pipes to signal meals, boat movements, colors, and alerts. The Sailing Master oversees a strict daily schedule that includes pumping bilges, washing decks, polishing brass, and inspecting the exterior. At night, yachts underway must station lookouts forward to report lights or sails to the officer of the deck, while yachts at anchor must establish an anchor watch.
Proper Organization and Legal Rules of YachtingAnchor watches must be systematically regulated based on crew size to ensure uniform shifts without requiring any man to serve twice in a night. The watchman must remain alert, regularly checking the moorings, the anchor light, the drift lead, and the movements of surrounding vessels while preventing unauthorised boarding. Approaching boats must be hailed, and specific responses are mandated depending on whether the arriving individual is the Commodore, a flag officer, a captain, a club member, or a visitor. If danger arises, the watchman must rouse the crew by striking the forecastle slide and shouting. When a yacht leaves port, the crew is split into starboard and port watches, starting at 8 P M, with the Captain taking the first watch out and the Sailing Master taking the first watch home. Stewards and cooks are considered idlers and do not stand watch. A mate generally keeps the captain's watch, allowing the captain to move freely without regular deck duties.The Captain maintains absolute control over all departments, including the officers, seamen, engineers, and stewards. Responsible for the overall equipment, navigation, and provision of the yacht, the Captain must conduct daily cleanliness inspections and ensure that no waste occurs. The crew must practice fire drills regularly, and all emergency equipment must be kept ready. The Captain is also responsible for maintaining discipline, preventing gambling or private trading, consulting with department heads regarding misconduct, and managing legal procedures if a crew member dies.Each department head holds distinct operational responsibilities to maintain order. The Sailing Master navigates the yacht, handles discipline privately, and manages port entries from the bridge. The Chief Engineer governs the engine room, superintends coaling, keeps the engineering log, and ensures that the mechanical plants are fully functional. The First Mate acts as the chief officer, managing deck stores, checking rigging, keeping the official log book, and overseeing the forecastle during anchoring. The Second Mate manages the aft section during docking, maintains the log for his watch, and takes the lead when anchoring. Additionally, the Boatswain manages deck stores and daily maintenance work, while the Carpenter maintains the wooden fixtures, sounds the tanks daily, and manages the windlass. Quartermasters handle steering, pilot house cleanliness, and signaling bunting. The Steward manages all provisions, controls expenditures, maintains the cabin fixtures, and coordinates boat service for shore trips, while the Surgeon oversees the health and sanitary conditions of the vessel.United States yachting laws require all pleasure vessels to be licensed, which permits travel between domestic ports and foreign seas without standard entry fees, though they must report to the Custom House upon returning from abroad. Foreign yachts belonging to recognized clubs are exempt from tonnage duties but must enter at their first United States port of arrival. Vessels must display their names and home ports on the stern in letters of legally mandated sizes. Any vessel using steam power must undergo an annual hull and boiler inspection, and navigating without a licensed engineer and pilot carries a one hundred dollar fine. All licensed officers must display their credentials under glass, and their licenses can be suspended by local inspectors for misconduct or negligence. Finally, American yachts traveling overseas may obtain a special Treasury Department commission to secure extended international courtesies.
The text concludes the detailed overview of maritime regulations by stating that a special voyage commission must be surrendered at the first domestic port upon returning to the United States. Additionally, it specifies that pleasure vessels weighing twenty tons and upwards are legally required to be enrolled under the 1899 laws. Finally, the regulation notes that the owner of a steam yacht is legally permitted to secure a license to personally command and pilot their own vessel, provided they successfully pass the formal examination required by the United States Local Inspectors of Steam Vessels.