Flag and Etiquette
Committee
USPS Flags

United States Power Squadron Ensign

After spearheading the founding of USPS, P/C/Cs Roger Upton and Charles Chapman designed a distinctive flag for the organization. Commander Upton filed for patent on the design in 1914, and it was officially adopted by USPS in 1915. Early on, the USPS ensign assumed much the same dignity as the yacht ensign and was flown in place of the U.S. ensign while in domestic waters [Bylaw 22.1]. The USPS ensign may be flown only when the vessel is under direct command of a USPS member.

Today, most members prefer to fly their USPS ensign at the lowest starboard spreader of the foremost mast (main mast for schooners), reserving the flag staff (or gaff or leech) for the national flag. When flown from the flag staff, gaff or leech, as a substitute for the U.S. flag, the USPS ensign is displayed only from 0800 till sunset. TheUSPS ensign is never flown in place of the U.S.ensign in foreign waters.

The design and physical specifications of the USPS ensign are as shown in the Operations Manual and as described in USPS Bylaws. Note that the canton of the flag extends over six stripes, the first full stripe being blue. In black-and-white representations of the ensign effort should be made to distinguish between the red canton and the adjacent blue stripe by a fine white line.

Material colors for the flag are Old Glory Red (cable number 70180), Old Glory White (70001) and Old Glory Blue (70075). When reproduced by printing, colors are PMS 185 (red) and PMS 280 (blue).