4 – Four (FOW-er)

The standard maritime radiotelephony pronunciation of the digit four.

It is spoken as “FOW-er” when transmitting figures clearly by voice. The two-syllable form helps distinguish it in difficult reception conditions and does not mean a fourth officer or engineering rank.

The International Code of Signals also has a numeral pennant for four, shown on this page. That pennant is the visual representation of the digit and is distinct from its spoken pronunciation.

Flag

Number Pennant Four (4)

Nautical or signal flags are used at sea to convey long-range messages. Only black, blue, red, white and yellow are used because these are the only colours readily distinguished at sea. Many different coding schemes have been used, but the International Code is the most common.