san francisco yacht club burgee

• National Boating Associations

Burgee & Flag Etiquette

researched by Carlos Tessi

When mariners started crossing the oceans, flags were an important communications tool between ships when at sea and even ashore. Lives depended on correct interpretation of their meaning, especially on fighting ships. Today, proper use of flags is not just a way to identify vessels and boating organizations, but to give important instructions, make announcements, warn of approaching storms, and mostly to honor and keep alive the naval traditions and seamanship spirit of those sailors that preceded us.

Flags have different shapes and colors depending on their function. A pennant is a flag that is larger at the hoist than at the fly and can be triangular, tapering or swallow-tailed. A burgee is the pennant that identifies a recreational boating organization.

The Manhattan Yacht Club Burgee

Photo: the Manhattan Yacht Club burgee is a blue star in the center of a white field wrapped with a red band. The correct way to fly the burgee is with the star pointing up. Care must be taken when hoisting because it is bad luck for any boat to fly the burgee upside down.

The colors of our burgee originate as a homage to where our Founder began sailing, the Bay Head Yacht Club in New Jersey. Members of that club encouraged Commodore Fortenbaugh to pursue his dream of reintroducing sailing to New York Harbor. To reflect this origin, the MYC burgee was created by wrapping the BHYC burgee with a band of red, making it “Red, White & Blue,” especially appropriate for sailing in front of the Statue of Liberty.

The original Manhattan Yacht Club burgee has been preserved since the Club’s founding in 1987. This burgee sailed around Cape Horn twice with French sailing legend Guy Bernardin who was trying to break the NY to San Francisco sailing record. After its second rounding, the burgee was retired and is brought out once per year to fly over the annual Commissioning Ceremony in spring.

The Club Flagpole

Photo: Clubhouse of the Royal Cork Yacht Club founded in 1720 (picture circa 1900). The flagpole includes a yardarm and gaff and is facing to the sea.

A Yacht Club building (or clubhouse) is traditionally considered to be a vessel and not part of land. It is meant to have a proper flagpole that mimics the mast of a large sailing ship. In addition, many of the masts in early Yacht Clubs were real masts repurposed from a large gaff-rigged sailing vessel.

The difference between a conventional land flagpole and a yacht club flagpole is the yardarm and a gaff pole which mimic the aft mast of a ship.  At sea, the gaff was used to raise the mizzen sail and is the aft-most point on the vessel. Since the  national flag is meant to be flown from the aft most point of a ship, it was flown either from a pole on the stern or hoisted on the gaff. Some ships also attached their national flag to the leech of their mizzen sail.

Photo: America’s most famous warship is the USS Constitution, nicknamed Old-Ironsides. She has been restored and available to see in Boston. Here Old-Ironsides displays the flag of the United States of America from her gaff and also flies signal flags in her rigging.

The traditions of the nautical flagpole are not commonly known among the public and often generate controversy because no flag is ever meant to flown in a position of greater honor than our national ensign. People see the club burgee flying higher than the national ensign. What they do not know is that in the naval world, the highest point of the mast is not the place of greatest honor. The place of honor is the aft most fly, hence the national ensign is flown from the gaff.

The orientation of a clubhouse flagpole is also important, as it should be positioned as the mast of a ship standing out to sea (gaff pointing inland). A clubhouse flagpole also flies the burgees of the Yacht Club officers, to recognize their rank and their presence at the club or vessel.

Our Club’s first flagpole was established by a group of visionary Members in 2016 at our new clubhouse in Jersey City. A subscription was held which received a significant outpouring of support, more than double what ended up being needed. The surplus of the subscription was subsequently used to outfit the front of the clubhouse with an awning.

Thank you to these Members who made contributions (in order of size and when made): Scott Curtis, John LaGrassa, Jun and Jo Sochi, John & Amy Elliott, Carlos & Silvia Tessi, Glen Burger, Paul A. Bondor, Christopher Gizzi, Bob Savage, Luigi Galbiati, Doug Witter, Alex Howarth, Nina Galbiati, Laura Isabella Galbiati, Linda Keefe, Zaralina & Edouard Ruelle, Allan B Larsen, Mac True, Allison and Michael Verost, Eric and Doreen Leitner, Roger Mader, Jaci Daudt, Simon Jones, Deborah Koch and Bill DeFazio, Lynn Sexton and Mike Duran, Malcolm Forbes, Rohit Pandey, Stuart Longley, Le Gourieres, James Burns, Mete Ozeren, Eivind Karlsen, Dan Crabbe, Matthew Winalski, Andrew Zangle, Lloyd Spencer, Bob Finkelstein, Sonya Mesommonta, Hal Dorfman, Bertrand Saliba, Marc X. LoPresti, Peter Abelman, John Carlson, Steven G Rawlings, Paul Gilman, Patty Bryan, Jim Savitsky, Sergio Pulles, Michael Connolly, Jim Cavanaugh, The Zwang Family, Tracy Aron, Levent Kemal Sadikoglu, Bill Leone, Joan E. Lappin, Erik Thygesen, Orlando Ivey.

Flags on Your Vessel

Members may fly our Club’s burgee on their vessels from two locations while underway and at anchor. The more common is from a halyard under the lowermost starboard spreader. The more traditional is from a pig stick from the aft-most mast. Flying a pig stick indicates the yacht is in excellent trim because having the gear and skills to fly a pig stick denote a significant amount of knowledge and experience. The burgee should not be flown while racing. Powerboats which do not have mast may fly the burgee off a short staff at the bow.

Our USCG-certified vessels which are not considered recreational, including the Honorable William Wall, Arabella and Admiral’s Launch, are all required by law to fly the national flag and not the yacht ensign.

The ceremony of hoisting the flags at 8.00 am and dousing at sunset is call “making colors”. When shorthanded, the national ensign should be hoisted first, followed by the club burgee and the officers flags if they are present at the club (on deck). All officers’ flags are hoisted on the same starboard halyard, highest rank on top.  Colors are hoisted smartly but lowered ceremoniously. Many yacht clubs salute the lowering of the colors with a cannon shot. Flags such as Race Committee flags, Gale warning flags, and special purpose flags can also be flown at a yacht club flagpole.

Exchange of Burgees

It is a nautical tradition to exchange burgees when visiting other yacht clubs or entering into reciprocity agreements. Members traveling to other clubs may purchase burgees in advance from our office. When exchanging burgees with another club, please record the exchange with a picture which can be included in our newsletter. In these cases, it is important that any picture displays the Manhattan Yacht Club burgee positioned in the right way, with the blue star pointing up as it flies on our flag pole!

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Long Beach Yacht Club

Stories from the Long Beach Yacht Club

6201 E Appian Way Long Beach, CA 90803 562.598.9401

Website: www.lbyc.org

Located on a promontory at the east end of Naples Island on Alamitos Bay in Long Beach, California, Long Beach Yacht Club is recognized throughout the worldwide yachting community for its hospitality, and is home to the Congressional Cup match racing competition. Featuring a very strong youth program, parents and club staff ensure there is a healthy mix of education, training and social activities. Sailing programs have access to boats ranging from eight-foot Sabots to Catalina-37 match race boats.

LONG BEACH YACHT CLUB BECOMES NSHOF FOUNDING MEMBER

"The mission of the Long Beach Yacht Club is to promote all aspects of yachting in the spirit of good sportsmanship and camaraderie. Our founding membership in the National Sailing Hall of Fame helps satisfies our mission by preserving the rich history of American Sailing. This is an auspicious time to commit our support as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of our signature event, Congressional Cup, the grandfather of club match racing.  Our Club was founded in 1929 and we are very proud of our 85 years of notable contributions to the rich sport of sailing."

David Stotler, Commodore

HISTORY OF THE LONG BEACH YACHT CLUB by Club Historians  Carlton  B. “Bud”  Scott and Jo Murray

The Long Beach Yacht Club, now internationally known for the Congressional Cup sailboat regatta, began in 1929 for the purposes of planning a powerboat race between Long Beach and San Francisco.

The proposed race would be run during the San Francisco Motor Boat Show to provide advertising for the show and Northern California boating industries. The Associated Boating Industries of Northern California wrote Daniel M. Callis, Sr., a Long Beach architect active in boating and local yacht clubs requesting a Long Beach area club act as the Southern California host of the race. His drive to pursue this opportunity led to the formation of Long Beach Yacht Club.  His early vision of passionate club members leading yachting contests has continued throughout the club’s history.

The First Race

The concept of the race was to use a handicapping system, going from Long Beach to an overnight stay in Santa Barbara, then to another overnight stay in Monterey, and finishing in San Francisco for a total distance of 460 miles -- the longest powerboat race in the world. The winner would receive a trophy donated by Sir Thomas Lipton then-valued at $1,000.

Callis agreed to be general chairman of the executive committee and promoter of the race. Committee work would be handled by the Junior Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, Monterey Chamber of Commerce, Santa Barbara Yacht Club and Associated Boating Industries of Northern California.

Callis initially offered the sponsorship of the race to the California Yacht Club; however, CYC declined on the basis that it would not have complete jurisdiction over the race. Callis then met with Charles Camp and Norman Able (all three would become commodores of LBYC), and a decision was made to run the race under the auspices of a “Long Beach Yacht Club,” which reportedly might have existed at some prior time but no longer did so.

Despite problems with finding enough entries, the first race was run in April 1929 by a Long Beach Yacht Club, the burgee (flag) for which was made by the wife of prominent Long Beach attorney Jonah Jones, Jr. and flown in the race. The winner was Arthur Macrate (LBYC commodore in 1931) in his Zoa III.

This first race was viewed as a great success, future races were anticipated and it seemed that it might be time to form a real Long Beach Yacht Club.

A Real Long Beach Yacht Club

Callis, Macrate, Camp, Able and others met at St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco to see if there was support for the concept of a real Long Beach Yacht Club. There was, and a subsequent meeting was called by Jonah Jones, Jr. on September 6, 1929 to present the concept to a group of Long Beach businessmen interested in yachting. They agreed to form a real Long Beach Yacht Club.

Widely acclaimed speedboat racer Richard Loynes was elected commodore, and on October 7, 1929 Jonah Jones, Jr. filed the Articles of Incorporation. Charter memberships were extended to 100 individuals. Despite collapse of the stock market, the new and real LBYC soon had 100 members paying dues of $5 per year; $2.50 for kids.

The Club Starts Rapid Growth

Less than a week after filing the Articles of Incorporation, the new LBYC began by organizing a speedboat race between Long Beach and Avalon for October 11-12, 1929. Boats were to be 16 to 30 feet in length with inboard engines (some expected to be 500 hp). Officials were from LBYC and the Catalina Island Yacht Club, and this race also began a long and close relationship between the two clubs, including overlapping memberships and flag officers.

By February 1930, only four months after incorporation, membership had increased to approximately 150, and arrangements for meeting space had been secured at the Pacific Coast Club. Planning was underway for the second Long Beach to San Francisco powerboat race, and “plans were being formulated for the finest yachting harbor on the Pacific Coast at Long Beach.”

On April 24, 1930, the “Second Annual All-California Power Cruiser Race to San Francisco” started off Belmont Pier, with 10 of the 21 entries flying the LBYC burgee. Not surprisingly, given the time of year, the boats encountered heavy weather and considerable damage was done to boats and participants.

Arthur Macrate (then vice commodore) did well in that second race in the vessel Hermana, but interest in future long-distance powerboat races started to be diluted as other races and events were organized.

Looking for a Marina and Clubhouse

The installation of D. M. Callis as commodore was held at the Pacific Coast Club with 125 in attendance. Special guests included the commodores of Catalina Island Yacht Club, California Yacht Club and Los Angeles Yacht Club. An important agenda item at the installation was a discussion on developing a yacht harbor in Long Beach followed by the construction of a clubhouse.

There was definite need for a yacht harbor. Forty yachts were reported temporarily moored in the outer harbor of Long Beach in “exceedingly unfavorable locations, generally where water is dirty and frequently covered with oil.”

Using the Pacific Coast Club as its headquarters, discussions began with the City of Long Beach and County of Los Angeles regarding development in Alamitos Bay and plans were formulated to “begin construction of a clubhouse as soon as a definite location for a yacht harbor has been determined by the city.” Key individuals in this effort included: Jonah Jones, Jr.; Frank Garbutt of the California Yacht Club, Pacific Coast Club and Los Angeles Athletic Club; Arthur Macrate; George L. Craig; Norman Able; Charles Camp; Sam Selover; and D. M. Callis.

Despite the influence of this group, the cities of Long Beach and Seal Beach agreed in 1931 to build a bridge over the mouth of the San Gabriel River linking Seal Beach with Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach (which at that time ran down the Alamitos peninsula). This bridge, which would prevent access to all but small craft having less than 14 feet overhead clearance curtailed serious development of Alamitos Bay as an important yacht harbor for the next two decades.

The First Clubhouse

The formal approval of plans for the first LBYC clubhouse on June 30, 1936 reportedly started a flurry of fundraising and “sweat equity” on the part of members. By opening day of the regatta season, May 8, 1937, the facilities apparently were fully paid for.

The clubhouse was located west of downtown Long Beach a 2,000-foot “stroll to paradise” out a boardwalk from the shore (under what is now the Port of Long Beach). There were moorings, a Star Boat dock adjacent to the clubhouse and an anchorage area. There was no boardwalk beyond the clubhouse, but access to the L-shaped end of the moorage was accessible by walking over the rocks to the other side. There are unconfirmed but apparently valid reports that young ladies from the neighborhood enjoyed walking out beyond the clubhouse and skinny dipping inside the L-shaped end of the secluded anchorage.

After years of having to moor boats up and down the coast, or in less-than-favorable locations in Long Beach’s inner and outer harbors, members were understandably delighted with their new facilities. The clubhouse was described as having “a snug club-room, a snugger galley” and two heads.

The War Years Were Approaching

Despite some records stating LBYC either sold or donated its first clubhouse to the Sea Scouts in 1939, newspaper articles indicate that the facility was still in the hands of the club during much of 1940 and perhaps even part of 1941. Opening day 1940 reportedly was celebrated at the clubhouse, but by November 1941, the facility was in the hands of the Sea Scouts.

LBYC was once again a “paper club” with no clubhouse, but the yachting and social activities continued for a while despite the growing influence of world events.

World War II would change the lives of many club members, and markedly affect boating for several years. It would also mark the real beginning of Alamitos Bay as a marina and, ultimately, home for the club’s second clubhouse.

Alamitos Bay and the Second Clubhouse

Beginning as early as the 1920s, individuals who subsequently became prominent members of LBYC were instrumental in the development of Alamitos Bay and the marina. The second, and current, clubhouse simply could not be sited and constructed until the bay was protected from disastrous floods and the marina constructed.

After major efforts by members, an initial lease for the clubhouse site was obtained in March 1959. The lease was expanded in January 1960 to include the clubhouse building as well as the access to Basin 4 slips adjacent to the clubhouse. In September 1969 the lease was extended to 2020.

Groundbreaking for the current clubhouse on Appian Way was held on June 1, 1960, and dedication ceremonies were December 16, 1960. The club was now positioned to expand rapidly and gain the recognition and stature it now enjoys within the worldwide yachting community.

Long Beach Yacht Club Today

LBYC membership stands at 1,000 regular members. It thrives on the constant activities provided for the members that include racing, yachting, fishing, diving, swimming, social programs and youth activities.

The club is actively engaged in community outreach programs using the same Catalina 37s used in Congressional Cup.   Activities include: the Marcedes Lewis Regatta with six Boys and Girls Club teams participating this year. Jordan High Schools students sailed in The Panthers at Sea program and another group of Boys and Girls Club kids raced in the Wet Wednesday races. The Patriot Regatta, our premier community event, also attracted a record participation level with five  branches of the armed forces racing; Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy teams aggressively competed against each other.  New this year in May, the club has planned a Heroes regatta with teams from our local Police and Fire Departments competing.

Of all the activities available to members, the youth programming is perhaps the most popular. Sailing and swimming lessons for little ones, swim team meets and regattas for competitive children all provide solid learning and teambuilding experiences in the aquatic environment.

Congressional Cup News & Stories

CONGRESSIONAL CUP JOINS ALPARI WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR

BACK TO YACHT CLUB STORIES PAGE

SeaGate Yacht Club

Burgee Exchange

The burgees are on display above the bar in our clubhouse.

It is traditional for yacht clubs to exchange burgees during the first visit by one yacht club to the other. It is the desire that our club continue this tradition. If you are planning to visit a yacht club with whom we have not yet exchanged burgees, be sure to take a SGYC burgee with you to exchange.

As we exchange with a club, we will post the photo of their burgee on these pages. Please review this list to be sure you are not exchanging with a club we have already visited. This list is in alphabetical order for easy review.

If you require a burgee to present, you can obtain one by contacting the Commodore or Shipstore. Please allow yourself plenty of time to schedule the pickup of your burgee.

When you visit a club, bring one of our burgees with you. Tell the person who greets you that you are interested in exchanging burgees with their club. They may perform the exchange at that time or they may put you in touch with one of their officers. If you are visiting the club during an event, they may even make the exchange as part of the presentations at the event. If you are calling ahead to advise them you are going to visit their club, it would be appropriate to mention at that time that your are interested in exchanging burgees.

Alameda, CA

Dennis & Peggy Huffman

American Legion YC

Newport Beach, CA

Staff Commodore Josef & Kim Davydovits

Staff Commodore Mike Courtway & Sharon

Bahia Corinthian YC

Staff Commodore Mike & Sharon Courtway

Benicia, CA

Vaughn & Pat Jenkes

Cabrillo Beach YC

San Pedro, CA

Staff Commodore Cliff & Sandy Meier

California YC

Marina del Rey, CA

Staff Commodore Mary Shebell & Merle McCormick

Catalina Island YC

Staff Commodore Cleve Sproule & Mark Arizmendi

Chicago, IL

Dan Torla & Pam Hays

Coronado Cays YC

Coronado, CA

Staff Commodore Ray & Jan Nagele

Coronado YC

Staff Commodore Cleve Sproule

Dana Point YC

Dana Point, CA

Larry & Carole Stelle

Dana West YC

Exchange by SGYC member

Marina Del Rey, CA

Golden Gate YC

San Francisco, CA

Huntington Harbour YC

Huntington Beach, CA

Staff Commodore Tom & Jan McKnew

Ithaca, New York

Ketchikan YC

Ketchikan, AK

King Harbor YC

Redondo Beach, CA

Kungl Svenska Segel Sallskapet

(Royal Swedish Sailing Association)

Curt & Sue Hermelin

La Mariana Sailing Club

Honolulu, HI

Lahaina, HA

Lake Gregory YC

Crestline, CA

Lake Havasu YC

Lake Havasu, AZ

Lerwick Boating Club

Lerwick, Shetland Isles, UK

Staff Commodore Les & Cathy Kelly

Lewes Yacht Club

Lighthouse Point YC

Lighthouse Point, FL

Jeff & Tina Haas

Loch Lomond YC

San Rafael, CA

Los Angeles YC

Marina Yacht Club

Long Beach, CA

Monaco Yacht Club

Mulberry Point Harbor YC

Stillwater, MN

Josef & Kim Davydovits

Nawiliwili YC

Nawiliwili, HA

Ron & Kay Nelson

Newport Beach YC

Fictitious YC (circa 2005) from the TV show "The OC”. The SGYC burgee hangs in the YC on the television set. Mary Shebell

Newport, RI

Oceanside YC

Oceanside, CA

Dennis and Peggy Huffman

Pacific Corinthian YC

Loretta Hollenbeck

Port Douglas YC

Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia

Staff Commodore Josef & Kim Davydovits and Jeff & Tina Haas

Royal Cork YC

Crosshaven, Co. Cork, Ireland

Gary & Sharon Young

Royal Jamaica YC

Kingston, Jamaica

Royal Swedish Motor YC

Stockholm, Sweden

Royal Vancouver YC

Vancouver, BC

Saint Barth YC

San Diego YC

San Diego, CA

Staff Commodore Jim & Jeannie Woods

San Francisco Yacht Club

San Luis YC

Avila Beach, CA

Santa Barbara YC

Santa Barbara, CA

Santa Cruz Yacht Club

Santa Cruz, CA

Exchange by Bob & Joanne McCormick

Sarasota YC

Sarasota, FL

Seal Beach YC

Tom & Jean Worden

Sheboygan YC

Sheboygan, WI

Diane Kaplan & Jack & Audrey Schulze

Sheridan Shore YC

Wilmette, Illinois

Caron & Guy Mount

South Milwaukee YC

South Milwaukee, WI

St. Petersburg YC

St. Petersburg, FL

Martha Baumel

Subic Bay YC

Transpacific Yacht Club

Vanuatu Cruising Yacht Club

Port Vila | Vanuatu

Cindy Shaw and Patrick Smith

Ventura, CA

Virgin Islands Charter Yacht League

St. Thomas, USVI

Staff Commodore Ed & Georgette Davis

Westlake YC

Westlake Village, CA