SALUTES IN GENERAL.

Guns Between Sunset and Colors.

Guns fired between sunset and colors are considered signals of distress.

Guns on Sunday.

Guns should not be fired on Sunday, either in the way of a salute or when getting underway or when coming to anchor.

Colors and Sunset Gun To Be Fired by Senior Officer’s Yacht.

When in company with one or more yachts of the same club, the gun fired to make colors or sunset should be that of the yacht of the senior officer of such club present, whether he is on board his vessel or not.

Yachts to Salute Naval Vessels.

All yachts should salute naval vessels of their own or any other friendly country, by dipping the ensign. It is customary for yachts to salute a naval vessel by dipping the ensign once.

Dipping the Ensign.

In no case is the ensign to be dipped more than once in one salute.

Yachts Passing to Salute.

Yachts passing should salute each other by dipping the ensign once—the junior saluting first.

Yachts Meeting at Sea to Salute.

In meeting at sea yachts should salute each other, and this salute should consist of simply dipping the ensign once.

Steam Whistles Not to Be Used in Saluting.

Steam whistles and sirens should not be employed in making or exchanging salutes between steam yachts or launches.

To Salute Upon Entering Harbor.

Upon entering harbor, Captains should salute the commanding officer of the anchorage by firing one gun or by dipping the ensign once at the time the anchor is dropped.

Salute to a Yacht Entering Harbor.

The salute to be made to a yacht entering port and entitled to a salute consists of dipping the ensign once, or the firing of a gun when the arriving yacht drops her anchor.

Special Salute to Commodore Entering Harbor.

On the occasion of the Commodore entering harbor to assume personal command of his squadron, he should be saluted on coming to anchor (and not before) by each yacht of the squadron. This salute should consist of the firing of one gun from each yacht, or by the dipping once of the ensign. This salute should be acknowledged by the firing of one gun by the flagship.

Ordinary Salute to Commodore Entering Harbor.

On ordinary occasions, when the Commodore’s yacht enters harbor his flag should only be saluted with one gun from the yacht of the senior officer of such club present, or by the dipping of the ensign once from such senior’s yacht, and this salute should be acknowledged in kind by the Commodore.

Junior Officer’s Yacht Entering Harbor.

When a junior flag officer’s yacht enters harbor, his flag should be saluted when his yacht comes to anchor by one gun, or by the single dipping of the ensign, from the yacht of the senior officer present, provided the latter is inferior in rank to the arriving flag officer; otherwise the arriving officer will salute the flag of the officer in command of the anchorage with one gun or by the single dipping of the ensign when his yacht drops anchor.

Senior Officer Leaving Harbor.

A senior officer leaving harbor should indicate that he has transferred his command to the officer next below him in rank, by firing a gun or by dipping his ensign once upon getting under way.

Flag Officer Making Official Visit.

When a flag officer makes an official visit between colors and sunset, his flag should be run up to the fore-topmast-head of the yacht visited and broken out as soon as he boards the same. Upon leaving, one gun should be fired and his flag hauled down after he has entered the boat alongside and it has been shoved off from the yacht.

Official Salute to Another Club.

An official salute to another club should be made by hoisting the burgee of such club to the fore-topmast-head and firing one gun. After the salute has been returned, or a reasonable time for the return of such allowed, the burgee should be hauled down and the yacht’s own burgee hoisted. In the absence of the burgee of the club that is being saluted the yacht’s own burgee may be half-masted while the salute is given.

Postponed Salutes.

Salutes postponed on account of Sunday, or owing to the arrival of a yacht after sunset, should be made immediately after colors on the following morning.

Judges’ Yacht Not to Be Saluted.

During a race a yacht acting as Judge’s boat should not be saluted.

Salutes Between Squadrons of Different Clubs.

When squadrons of different clubs meet, whether in harbor or at sea, salutes should be exchanged only by the commanding officers of such squadrons.

Salutes Between Single Yacht and Squadron.

Salutes from single yachts to a squadron should be answered only by the commanding officer of the squadron.

When Firing Guns and Making Signals Are Prohibited.

Firing guns and making signals when under way with a squadron should be carefully avoided, except in the line of duty. That is, no private or personal signalling should go on between yachts, as the same might easily be considered as levity and as lacking in respect to the commanding officer of the squadron.

Boat Salutes.

Salutes to be made between boats will be found under the head of “Boat Service.”

Salute to the Quarter-Deck.

Upon boarding or leaving a yacht, the quarter-deck should be saluted by touching the cap.