Apig stick (occasionally pigstick[1] or pig-stick[2]) is a staff that carries aflag orpennant, usually theburgee of the boat owner's yacht club orprivate signal, above amast of asailboat.[3] The pig stick is connected to ahalyard so that when raised to the top of the mast, it extends above the mast, allowing the flag to be seen flying above the boat's sails. Pig sticks are especially useful oncatboats and other sailboats which have no stays to which a flag halyard can be attached.