Cellphones, drones, radio and video. Today’s technology seems to outpace, but can’t replace, the old ways. Communicating via signal flags is still invaluable.

If equipment breaks down, is unavailable or compromised, the US military can revert to signal flags. During a lockdown, crisis, or critical silence, troops can hoist a flag.

Banner and flag messaging goes back to ancient times. In 1653, the Royal Navy raised signal flags. In 1790, Admiral Lord Howe published the first signal book. In 1817, Captain Frederick Marryat adapted his system for merchant ships. It was enormously popular—and complicated.

To simplify, the International Code of Signals (ICS), maintained by the International Maritime Organization, was narrowed to navigation, safety, and medical codes. Its goal is to keep the language clear and concise.

Signal flag meanings are continually changing. And codes are different for yacht clubs than military use. DEL Flags’ Yacht Club signal flags set are made specifically for Yacht Race Clubs.

When Ann Meyer started her business, her children were young. She wanted to work close to home. She set up in the garage, four sewing machines and a cutting board. One of her first projects was to embroider a hospital logo on receiving blankets for newborn babies.

While Ann fulfilled the order, her husband, Mark, looked for new contracts. Their first order was for black and white US Army lead convoy flags. Their second contract was to sew presidential limousine flags.

With her creativity—Ann is also a painter with degrees in art from Carroll University and UW-Milwaukee—plus Mark’s marketing, the projects kept coming. They specialized in government and military flags. Soon, DEL Flags were flying at the White House, the Pentagon, and military posts. Ann and Mark continue to take great pride in this meaningful work.

Three years ago, the Meyers moved back to Wisconsin to be closer to Mark’s roots and family. It was a big transition for the company. They searched for, found, and settled into a new location. And it’s working.

“We are gathering speed,” Ann says. “Everything is going great. We have the best crew.” Orders are coming in and the machines are humming. The workroom is filled with natural light and colorful flags. When COVID-19 struck, they struggled, like the rest of the world, but they’ve been able to persevere. Plus, they’ve added a new product, face masks.

In addition to military flags, DEL creates custom-order flags. They specialize in sailing flags, which can be found at their subset https://yachtclubflags.us . They also offer their daughter’s clothing line of outfitter and sailing gear in their shop. Ann has begun to share her knowledge with sailing expert and former sailmaker Jim Gluek, new to the DEL team. “It’s all in my head,” she says. “Nothing is written down.” It will take time. She is teaching with detail and precision, the same skills she uses to sew a flag.

When a US president rides in a limousine, the US Flag waves from the front passenger side. Mounted on the driver’s side is the Presidential Seal. It signals that the president is aboard.

One of DEL’s first projects, twenty years ago, was to make presidential limousine flags using embroidery and applique. DEL Flags is one of the few companies to use those techniques. They add quality and substance to all the military and government flags we sew.

The Presidential Seal is always a version of the United States Great Seal. The founding fathers began to design the seal in 1776, after signing the Declaration of Independence.

Such an emblem needed good symbols. They were hard to find. The committee considered Hercules, Moses, and a few Saxon chiefs. Goddesses, soldiers and warriors. Shields and mottoes.

The Great Seal was finally approved in 1782, with a bald eagle as the focus. It holds an olive branch for peace in one talon, and thirteen arrows for war in the other. It wears a shield with thirteen red and white stripes, for the original colonies. A band of blue unites them under a single government. Red is for valor, white for purity, and blue for justice. The constellation of thirteen stars and the motto, E Pluribus Unum, “out of many, one,” represent the United States coming together as one nation, indivisible.

Government and military flags display the Great Seal with one variable. The shield is always specific to the division or branch. It is such a privilege to attend to the details of each flag we make.

The X-boat regatta was at risk of being cancelled, like so many events, due to the CoVid 19 pandemic. But 2020 could be the last summer for some students to compete in the youth category. The last races are important milestones in their sailing education. Those kids deserved their last shot at a championship regatta.

The ILYA, partnering with the Pewaukee Yacht Club, found a way to make it happen. With a few tweaks in the tradition to keep it safe, Lake Pewaukee hosted the special event.

Organizers took every precaution to host the race on Lake Pewaukee from July 27 – August 1. People signed up from Minnetonka and Oshkosh, to Geneva, Nagawicka, and North Lake.

Teams had to forego some traditions. There was no physical award ceremony, no gathering for food and drink, no social events. However, they were replaced with new ways to compete, celebrate, and share the event.

Opening ceremonies were held on Zoom. Teams brought their own chairs and their own food supplies. Best of all, neighbors pitched in and stepped up.

As many as 15 Pewaukee Lake residents offered the use of their private homes and docks. Each team was assigned a dock. The homeowners provided washrooms and hand-washing stations.

DEL Flags was proud to make team flags and yacht club burgees to mark the dock stations around the lake. DEL also made ILYA championship flags, with the team names, for each X-boat.

DEL Flags is pleased to be the exclusive supplier of gear for the Pewaukee Lakes Sailing School. Find us at https://pyc.yachtclubwear.com