Flags
 Flags serve a variety of purposes in the marine environment. There is no legislation governing the flying of any flag on numbered, undocumented or licensed vessels. However, there is a proper etiquette involved when displaying flags.
Recreational boaters may fly flags to display boating affiliations. For example, many
yacht clubs provide triangular shaped burgees to members. And, members of the U.S. Power Squadrons and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary fly flags to identify themselves.
Boaters also fly flags to identify their home state or nationality.
Flags are also used for specific boating activities and navigational purposes. For example, boats with scuba divers must fly a "diver down" flag when divers are in the water. There are two types of diver down flags and both are appropriate to display. They are a red flag with a white diagonal stripe and a rigid replica of an "alfa" flag.
Another example is the flags used by committee members and participants of events sponsored by the
US Sailing, the governing body of sailboat racing.
Flags are also used to signal your need for help. When in distress, a boat should fly an orange flag with a
black square and black ball. A man overboard flag, consisting of the letter "O", can be fixed to a staff which
is in turn fixed to a life ring.
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ALFA
JULIETTE
SIERRA
BRAVO
KILO
TANGO
CHARLIE
LIMA
UNIFORM
DELTA
MIKE
REQUIRE ASSISTANCE
ECHO
NOVEMBER
WHISKEY
FOXTROT
OSCAR
XRAY
GOLF
PAPA
YANKEE
HOTEL
QUEBEC
ZULU
INDIA
ROMEO