to International Sea Scout Flags
to International Sea Scout Flags
Sea Scouting flags in the United States have changed radically since the program began in Philadelphia and Massachusetts in 1912. No standard for Sea Scout flags was established until 1920, and the first BSA-supplied flags were not available until 1921. This page shows Sea Scouting flags over the years. Photographs of actual flags will be added as they become available.
"All our seascout officials of the flag grade have a flag. The skipper's flag is the flag of his class. Portmasters and commodores have a flag in blue and gold, while seascout pilots and Division Pilots fly their own flags. National officials (Chief Seascout Pilot, Chief Seascout, Fleet Portmaster, etc.) fly a flag with four to one trefoils on a purple ground." (In 1921, flags ranged in price from $3.00 for a Sloop flag to $5.25 for a Bark flag.)
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"The Sea Scout Ship flag is authorized to be carried by Sea Scouts. Provision has been made for the name of the Ship and the Local Council from which it is registered. This flag is not a class flag. The class flags are the pennant, burgee and rectangular flags. These have always been authorized. The Class Flag should be carried with the Ship flag and may be flown on separate poles or on the same pole as the Ship flag.
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"All officers in Sea Scouting are authorized to fly a flag. Officers in each rank have a distinguishing flag. These flags are hoisted on the masts of ships, or on some conspicuous part of the meeting place when these individuals come aboard or visit the ship or meeting place. All these flags are blue with whie insignia and stars.
One star on flag designates a District Officer.
Two stars designate a Local Council Officer.
Three stars designate a Regional Officer.
Four stars designate a National Officer.
"The flag of a District Committeeman is shown in number 1 below.
"Flag of Assistant or District Executive is shown in number 2 below.
"Flag of member of a Local Sea Scout Committee is shown in number 3 below.
"Flag of Commodore of a Local Council is shown in number 4 below.
"Flag of Troop Official is without star.
"There are also four SHip Flags, blue with white lettering. In addition to these Ship flags there are first, second and third class Ship flags which are well known to all Sea Scouts at the present time.
"There is a flag for every Sea Scout Ship with its name in white letters as shown in sketch 5 below.
"There are also squadron flagship flags, that is, the flag for the leading Ship in the Council. There are also Regional Flagship Flags and the National Flagship Flag."
Beginning in 1929, there was a well announced national competition to determine the top Ship in the United States. The National Flagship was selected from among the twelve Regional Flagships. The first National Flagship (1929) was S.S.S. Old Ironsides of Chicago.
The first National Flagship flag employed horizontal lettering. The flags presented from 1930 through 1940 employed lettering that curved around the Sea Scout emblem in the center of the flag. After 1940, Sea Scouting switched to a Ship rating system that, with many modifications, is still in use today.
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Member of Ship Committee |
Chairman of Ship Committee |
Chairman of District Sea Scout Committee
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Scout Executive |
Member of Council Sea Scout Committee |
Chairman of Council Sea Scout Committee |
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Regional Scout Executive |
Member of Regional Sea Scout Committee |
Regional Vice Commodore |
Member, National Sea Scout Committee
President of National Council
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Ship's Flag
"This flag is half blue and half red with the insignia and lettering within a circle in the center.
(a) Flags of all Ships with First Class Rating or less, according to the Rating Plan, will carry one star in the upper left-hand corner.
(b) Flags of Ships with the rating of Local Flagship Squadron will carry two stars, one in upper and one in lower left corners.
(c) Flags of Ships which are members of the Regional Flotilla will carry three stars, one in upper and one in lower left corners, and one at right corner.
(d) Flags of Ships, members of the National Flagship Fleet, will carry 4 stars, one in each corner."
Officer's Flag
"This is basically the same flag--half red, half blue--but will bear only a plain Sea Scout Insignia in the center of the flag. Since the Skipper flies the flag of his Ship, he needs no special flag. Designations of other officials will be made as follows:
(a) Flags of all Local Officials above the Ship's Officers carry 2 stars, 1 in upper, 1 in lower left corners.
(b) Flags of Regional Officials carry 3 stars, one each in upper and lower left corners, and right center.
(c) Flags of National Officials will carry 4 stars, one in each corner."
Ship's Flag
"The bottom half of the Ship's Flag is blue and the top half red with the Sea Scout emblem in the center. When lettering designating the Ship, sponsoring institution, community, and local Council is used, it should be placed as illustrated.
Ship standards under the Unit Achievement Plan are as follows:
1. Local Standard, two stars, one in upper and one in lower left corners.
2. Regional Standard, three stars, one in upper and one in lower left corners, and one at right center.
3. National Standard, four stars, one in each corner (as illustrated)."
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Officer's Flag
"This is basically the same flag--half red, half blue with the large Sea Scout emblem in the center. --but will bear only a plain Sea Scout Insignia in the center of the flag. The various officials' flags are marked as follows:
1. Local Council and District officials, two stars, one in upper and one in lower left corners.
2. National and regional officials, 4 stars, one in each corner.
The skipper flies the flag of his Ship."
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The Ship's flag remains unchanged in design since 1949. Over the years, flags have changed from being made in wool to a wool-cotton blend to the current all nylon material. Formerly, Ship flags were available in 2' x 3', 3' x 5', and 4 1/2' x 6 1/2' sizes. Only the 3' x 5' size is currently available.
The Officer's flag was changed in about 1993 to be an exact miniature (16" x 24") of the Ship's flag. Currently, the only difference between Ship and Officers flags, aside from size (Ship flags are 3' x 5') is that there is no lettering on officer flags -- only the Sea Scout emblem and 2 to 4 stars.
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