Product Description
The US yacht ensign flag is the flag American recreational boats fly in place of the national flag in home waters. It carries 13 white stars in a circle around a white fouled anchor on the blue canton, with the 13 red and white stripes of the national flag. This one is sewn applique on UV-resistant 200 denier nylon, 3 FT x 5 FT, with a nylon heading and two brass grommets, and it is made in the USA.
Sewn applique means the anchor and stars are cut from fabric and stitched on, not printed, so the design reads the same from both sides and holds up in salt air and sun. The 3 FT x 5 FT size suits a yacht club pole, a marina, a large yacht, or a wall.
US Yacht Ensign Flag Features
- Sewn applique design – the fouled anchor and 13 stars are cut and stitched, with embroidered detail, so the flag reads correctly from both sides.
- UV-resistant 200 denier nylon – fully dyed and treated for salt air and sun.
- Nylon heading with brass grommets – two brass grommets for a halyard or a staff with clips.
- Lock-stitched hems – double-needle lock stitching on the side hems and heading join.
- 3 FT x 5 FT – for a yacht club, marina, or shore pole.
- Made in the USA – sewn here.
Historical Background
Congress created the yacht ensign in 1848 as a signal for licensed pleasure yachts, so that customs officers could tell a yacht from a merchant vessel and let it pass without the paperwork required of commercial ships. The design took the 13 stripes of the national flag and replaced the stars with a circle of 13 stars around a fouled anchor, the anchor wrapped in its cable that had long marked naval service.
The licensing requirement is gone, but the custom stayed. Recreational boats in United States waters may fly the yacht ensign in place of the national flag, and many yacht clubs and marinas fly it ashore as well. Outside US waters a boat flies the 50-star flag, since the yacht ensign is not recognized abroad as a national flag.
Symbolism at a Glance
- Fouled anchor: seamanship and the naval tradition.
- Thirteen stars in a circle: the original colonies.
- Thirteen stripes: the stripes of the national flag, marking the ensign as American.
