The system of international maritime signal flags is a way of representing individual letters of the alphabet on ships or in nautical situations.

The flags can also be used to signal other things than alphabetical messages. For example, divers will often raise the flag representing the letter A as a marker to other sea traffic in the area.

The flags are also used, with a different set of special meanings, in yacht racing and dinghy racing, where (for example) the P flag is used as the "preparatory" flag to indicate an imminent start, and the S flag means "shortened course".

* N and C together (No and Yes) is used as a distress signal

External links

• Source for these flag images
• The flags and their meanings
• Flags Fantastic - Nautical flags (A - Z & Pennant)
• La flag-alfabeto - signal flags used for the Esperanto language.