Quick answer
First Substitute repeats the uppermost flag of the class—alphabetical flags or numeral pennants—that immediately precedes it. Substitutes allow repeated characters when only one flag set is carried. See NGA Publication 102, section 5.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Visual identification | Triangular blue pennant with a yellow inner triangle; corroborated by the Manhattan Yacht Club's 2023 Lady Liberty Regatta instructions. |
| Official operating rule | Repeats the first flag of the applicable class, counted from the top. |
| Exact proportions and geometry | No verified manufacturing dimensions, triangle coordinates or border widths are supplied here. |
| Colour specification | Blue and yellow identify the design; no verified textile standard, Pantone value or digital colour code is supplied. |
Reading a hoist
The Code illustrates VV with Victor followed by First Substitute. Its 1100 example uses numeral One, First Substitute, numeral Zero and Third Substitute, in that order. A substitute may appear only once within a group. Ignore an answering pennant serving as a decimal point when selecting substitutes.
See the records for Victor and numeral One.
Construction and evidence limits
The identification drawing in the 2023 Lady Liberty Regatta instructions corroborates the triangular blue-and-yellow design; it is not a dimensioned manufacturing standard. Common commercial proportions have not been verified. Screen approximations and editorial reconstructions should be identified as such, rather than presented as official specifications.
Historical context
The revised International Code was adopted by IMCO in 1965; the 1969 edition took effect on 1 April 1969. NGA’s 2020 revision retains the substitute rules. These are dates for the Code, not verified dates for the first appearance of this flag design.