Do You Know Your Nautical Sayings?

BosnBill said:
Nautical sayings slip into my dialogue from time to time and I think I use them correctly, but I rarely stop to think where they came from. Here's a short list:
Nautical Sayings:
Click to expand...

Had a look. Spotted a mistake:
Between the devil and the deep blue sea – faced with two dangerous alternatives. The derivation seems obscure, but try this one. The “devil” is the seam between the deck planking and the top plank of the ship’s side. It would have to be watertight and would need filling or caulking regularly, which would require a sailor to stand on the very edge of the deck or even be suspended over the side. A dangerous place to be.

It is actually :

"the devil" is the lowest seam in the ship's hull, the one just above the keel.
 
mil1194 said:
I noticed at least one omission - up **** creek without a paddle......
Click to expand...

apparently, referring to the heavily polluted stonehouse creek where the injured sailors had to row themselves to the hospital. those unable to row had a very poor prognosis.
 
Rum_Pirate said:
Had a look. Spotted a mistake:
Between the devil and the deep blue sea – faced with two dangerous alternatives. The derivation seems obscure, but try this one. The “devil” is the seam between the deck planking and the top plank of the ship’s side. It would have to be watertight and would need filling or caulking regularly, which would require a sailor to stand on the very edge of the deck or even be suspended over the side. A dangerous place to be.

It is actually :

"the devil" is the lowest seam in the ship's hull, the one just above the keel.
Click to expand...


I think the Devil is the longest seam. Hence why having the Devil to Pay (caulk) was considered a Pain in the Ar$€.
Caught between the Devil and Deep Blu Sea refers to hanging over the side either intentionally or not.
Others:
Plain Sailing, Room to swing a cat, At your Bitter End, Marmalade, Old Salt, Freezing the Balls off a Brass Monkey.

There are a few differences between the speech of Merchant Seamen and Matlows. For example the Toilets are rarely called the Heads on a merchant ship because in merchant ships there was usually less crew and more accomodation so toilets could be installed. On a merchant ship the officers mess is very rarely called the Wardroom (Cruise ships are an exception) instead officers eat in the saloon and relax in the smoking room. Bitts and Bollards is another difference. Also matlows serve in a ship merchant seaman serve on a ship.

There is a lot of everyday speak aboard ship which you never hear ashore though.
 
Last edited:
Rum_Pirate said:
Had a look. Spotted a mistake:
Between the devil and the deep blue sea – faced with two dangerous alternatives. The derivation seems obscure, but try this one. The “devil” is the seam between the deck planking and the top plank of the ship’s side. It would have to be watertight and would need filling or caulking regularly, which would require a sailor to stand on the very edge of the deck or even be suspended over the side. A dangerous place to be.

It is actually :

"the devil" is the lowest seam in the ship's hull, the one just above the keel.
Click to expand...

I thought the 'Devil' was the longest seem on a boat, and the process of sealing seams was paying. So faced with the unpleasant task of sealing the longest seam on the ship, you had 'The devil to pay'.
 
My father died about 2 years ago
One of the things he taught me was this saying
"There are bigger fish in the sea than ever came out"
I quoted this when I presented his eulogy

Just think of this when you are buying your next boat
Or, in other words, "don't let your head rule your heart"
 
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