Quick answer
Yankee is the flag for Y. Used alone under the International Code of Signals, it means “I am dragging my anchor.” Its identifying pattern is alternating red and yellow diagonal stripes. See Publication 102 for the international signal and the Republic of Singapore Navy’s flag guide for the pattern.
| Item | Evidence-supported description |
|---|---|
| Letter and name | Y — Yankee |
| International single-letter meaning | I am dragging my anchor. |
| Pattern | Alternating red and yellow diagonal stripes. |
| Hoist-to-fly ratio | No universal manufacturing ratio verified in the sources reviewed. |
| Physical colours | Red and yellow; no textile colour coordinates or tolerances verified. |
| Construction dimensions | Exact stripe widths, angles, edge intersections and overall dimensions are not specified here. |
Construction and reproduction
The official naval guide supports identification by red and yellow diagonal stripes. It is not treated here as a dimensioned manufacturing standard. No exact ratio, stripe geometry or colour code has been inferred from its illustration.
Common manufacture is not documented by the evidence reviewed. A supplier’s dimensions would require separate attribution. Screen colours are approximations unless tied to a documented colour specification; an editorial reconstruction would likewise need to be labelled.
Code history
The revised International Code was adopted by IMCO in 1965. Its 1969 edition became effective on 1 April 1969, according to the preface to Publication 102. The consulted United States edition is revised 2020. These dates describe the Code’s publication history; they do not establish when Yankee’s striped design first appeared.
International and naval meanings
The Republic of Singapore Navy guide also lists “Ship has visual communications duty” for Yankee. That naval usage should be kept distinct from the International Code’s single-letter anchor-dragging meaning. Interpret a signal within the code being used.