Over the next few weeks in Signals and on the website, we will be doing a ‘Flag of the week’. The first one is a cheat really, as there’s more than one.

The Warning flag, which is the first flag to go up for a race start sequence, at 5 minutes.

For handicap racing, we use Pennant No 1 “Japanese Flag”.

If it’s a class race, the class flag (should) be used.

GP14: A (Alpha) – also means “diver down”

Others, e.g. Solo and Laser, use the class symbol on a white background.

Firefly (surprise surprise) uses flag F (Foxtrot)

The class flag is also the last one to go down at the start of the race.