The Jolly Roger, or a flag featuring a skull and crossbones , is the most timeless image one can ever imagine when looking back on the history of the maritime world. The Jolly Roger is a pirate’s flag, and this could only be seen standing proud and tall on a pirate’s ship to indicate that the ship is manned by pirates or brigands and that they are always ready to battle other ship, take over the defeated ship, hostage the sailors and passengers and claim their loot. The mere sight of the Jolly Roger would immediately scare small boats away or prepare bigger ship for battle.
Aside from the Jolly Roger, there are a lot more other types of maritime flags that serve more worthwhile purposes. Generally, maritime flags are used as communication tools. A sea vessel needs to hoist up a specific type of flag whenever it is leaving or entering a harbour.
Other flags, like the ones in a flagship, indicate the vessel the commanding officer is leading. A pennon or a pennant, which is a narrow flag shaped like a guidon, contains crests, mottos and heraldic, are ornamental devices added in a sea vessel. The pennon was one of the most popular flags carried during the middle ages and was used for purely personal ensign.
Today, the pennon still reflects its original purpose and has become a popular type of flag used in presenting the boat or yacht owners. The boat flag is also used to promote an organization or to advertise products, goods and services.
Centuries have gone by, but still, boat enthusiasts and yacht owners still follow the tradition of exchanging boat flags whenever visiting an organization for the first time. And centuries have gone by, but the maritime history of flags and their uses remain the same- and that is generally to send messages or communicate to other sea vessels by simply hoisting up their boat flag.