I am curious regarding how many flag officer flags should be flown at the same time. Is there a citation/refernece that gives guidance to proper protocol?

None that I know of, but honestly I know very little about yacht club protocol. As long as the American flag flies highest, I don't think it matters how many other flags there are. If anyone has a better answer, please reply!

Sarah

[YCHistorian]

Yacht club officers flags are used to announce which officers are present at the club that day, or are "on duty". They are always flown from the starboard yardarm.

[Peter Ansoff]

Yacht club officers flags are used to announce which officers are present at the club that day, or are "on duty".

The US Navy has a similar protocol. Interestingly, they do it in reverse: they fly pennants at the starboard yardarm when the Admiral and the Captain are not on board. The "absentee" pennants are the first and third substitute pennants, respectively, from the International Code of Signals.

I read recently that the Navy is considering the idea of eliminating the use of absentee pennants, because they don't want potential bad guys to know when the senior officers are absent.

Peter Ansoff

Can more than one oficers flag be flown from a single halyard on the starboard yardarm?

[YCHistorian]

Yes, more than one can be flown from the starboard yardarm of the yacht club's flag mast. Actually, the flag of whatever officer is present that day can be flown. I have even seen a Past Commodore's flag flown from a yacht club yardarm. On the flag officer's own boat, however, he should fly only the flag of his current or past office from the boat's starboard spreader (on a sailboat). For example, if he is currently the Fleet Captain, he should fly the Fleet Captain's flag. If he is no longer a Flag Officer, but was a past Commodore, he should fly the Past Commodore's flag.

[AJC]

At our Yacht Club, only the flag of the ranking flag officer is flown. In other words, if the Rear Commodore's flag is on the spreader and the Commodore arrives, the flag of the Rear is lowered and the flag of the Commodore is hoisted and remains there until he leaves the grounds. (Flag Officer + Commodore, Vice Commodore and Rear Commmodore)

[AJC]

With regard to filying a flag of office on your yacht, with the exception of the Past Commodore, you fly the flag ONLY if you are currently holding the office. Once a Past Commodore, always a Past Commodore.

[nowayinthe]

As long as the American flag flies highest, I don't think it matters how many other flags there are. If anyone has a better answer, please reply!

[NAVA1974]

Originally Posted by nowayinthe

As long as the American flag flies highest, I don't think it matters how many other flags there are. If anyone has a better answer, please reply!

That is correct UNLESS you are flying flags of other sovereign nations. You may not fly one nation's flag higher than another except as a sign of victory in battle. The various states do have laws still on the books that prohibit the display of certain flags but they are rarely observed.