Boating superstition

[Oliveoyl]

CaptainMaggot just raised the question of renaming a boat, considered bad luck by some. Why's that then? And others - have heard:
No women /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
No whistling
No flowers
What else????

 

[Woodlouse]

Nothing thats green.
And don't even dare mention the word "rabbit".

 

[johnwest]

never put to sea on friday 13th

j

 

[Koeketiene]

Never set sail on a Friday

Don't kill spiders on a boat

 

[Lakesailor]

That's me buggered then.

It's war out there. Them or me.

 

[Oliveoyl]

Another one then - don't kill LakeSailors on a boat

 

[Lakesailor]

Erm .... I think that goes without saying

 

[MarkGrubb]

Don't give it a name that is disrespectful of the sea. So no...

Storm Conqueror
Wave Beater
Sea Lord...

you get the idea.

 

[Cornishman]

I heartily agree with that sentiment, but when I made the point in another place Lake Sailor accused me of coming from another century! Cheeky devil! If he comes from this one it makes him about 6 and a half years old, I would suggest.

 

[jwilson]

no bananas

 

[Oliveoyl]

Why no bananas???? Maybe that's what went wrong in Turkey

 

[Lakesailor]

I didn't suggest it was last century, just another century. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Dyflin]

Unlucky to see a red haired women on the way to the boat (I've heard of fishermen turning around and going home with that one!)

Never mention the 'F' word at sea (i.e. fog)

 

[tugboat]

[ QUOTE ]
Nothing thats green.

[/ QUOTE ]

Especially not green sails. Grey is OK though!

 

[Lizzie_B]

So that's why Westerly went bust

 

[Lizzie_B]

name change - alledgedly because name was carved into main beam of boat. To change name meant cutting out old one and carving new one - supposedly successive renamings would weaken beam.

Women would lead to arguments and 'carnal desires' among crew (though in reality women frequently went to sea - even at Trafalgar. Also thought ship would be jealous of another woman on board. She should be the only love of the sailors

No whistling - whistling was beleived to be the way witches summoned up storms. It would also cause confusion and irritation when orders were passed by whistles on many boats.

No flowers - waste precious water - just look what happened on the Bounty!!!

 

[Lizzie_B]

Don't drink the skipper's tea, beer, rum, etc

 

[tangomoon]

rabbit is a Portland superstition

 

[Woodlouse]

And Brittany, and Falmouth...

 

[Kawasaki]

A silver coin placed under the Mast head ensures a Succesfull voyage.
Stepping on to a boat left foot first is a no no.
Spelling succesfull with a capital s is a diSaster.
Oh Sh%t!