personal sailing superstitions

[dylanwinter]

are there things you always

or never

do before or during sailing


I am looking for the irrational here?


when we raced dinghies we had a family superstition about never taking any money on the boat with us. It always seemd that stuff broke or we messed up when it was aboard

Dylan

 

[sailorman]

None

 

[Stork_III]

Keep the mast above the hull.

 

[Twister_Ken]

are there things you always

or never

do before or during sailing


I am looking for the irrational here?


when we raced dinghies we had a family superstition about never taking any money on the boat with us. It always seemd that stuff broke or we messed up when it was aboard

Dylan

Before sailing I never do the ironing.

Or during and after sailing.

 

[Searush]

Never leave anything empty on board - take it away & replace it!

But nothing irrational - other than SWMBO.

 

[prv]

I generally don't whistle, although I don't actually believe in it being bad luck.

Some people do take it seriously - I've known a ship captain threaten to "break yer face" to someone whistling on board.

Perhaps a good habit to get into with people like that about

Pete

 

[xyachtdave]

Bringing any left over wine/beer home..... it must be left on board.

 

[capnsensible]

We have got a wooden turtle.

His name is 'Tommy the feng shui turtle'.

Obviously, this means that he must always be sat where his head is facing the saloon entrance.

I am surprised that I have never met anyone else who keeps one of these adorable pets that have such simple needs.

 

[planteater]

We had a vicar bless the lift-in at the club last year.

Not sure if that counts.

 

[prv]

Bringing any left over wine/beer home..... it must be left on board.

My dad does that. I keep finding tins of Fosters stuffed in odd places. There was half a box of them tucked in with the kedge when we lifted out.

I wouldn't mind if he had better taste in beer

Pete

 

[dylanwinter]

thats not superstition - thats a nice dad

My dad does that. I keep finding tins of Fosters stuffed in odd places. There was half a box of them tucked in with the kedge when we lifted out.

I wouldn't mind if he had better taste in beer

Pete

he is leaving you little gifts of beer for you to find

he sounds like a great dad to me

Dylan

 

[OGITD]

Win-Win for the Dentist then.

I generally don't whistle, although I don't actually believe in it being bad luck.
Some people do take it seriously - I've known a ship captain threaten to "break yer face" to someone whistling on board.
Perhaps a good habit to get into with people like that about
Pete

I think we might both loose some teeth.

I believe (and I could be wrong) Cooks were allowed to whistle to prove they weren’t eating the food.
And in days of sail where the Bosun issued instructions by means of the Bosun’s-call, whistling was banned to prevent any confusion amongst the Crew.

 

[OGITD]

Tea Bags

There is no way you can go to sea without some good-qualityTea Bags onboard.

Mutiny would definitely en-sue.

 

[chinita]

Never whistle, absolutely NOTHING green on board, no bananas, no houseplants. In my grandfathers day it was also considered unlucky to be able to swim - or have anybody aboard who could swim.

My personal foible is to always approach a mooring buoy at least three times from at least two directions. Each time I make a feint at the mooring ring with my boathook giving the impression to onlookers that I am trying to secure to it.

Little do they know that this is just my suspicion that it is unlucky to catch it first time.

 

[Marmalade]

I always like to have a jar of Marmalade.... on Marmalade

 

[dylanwinter]

marmalade

I always like to have a jar of Marmalade.... on Marmalade

now I am with you on marmalade

if you have had marmalade you have always had breakfast

and I like with peanut butter

I agree

but thats nothing to do with supersition

Dylan

 

[Stingo]

Although it is always a good thing to take plenty of spares along, never, ever, under any circumstances, take SWMBO and the spare SWMBO at the same time.

 

[Gwylan]

Do not set sail with your wife and mistress on board.

Do not set sail with rubbish on board
Do not set sail with part drunk bottles of wine

Do not ever discuss items that might need repairing on board.

Do not allow people to leave sleeping bags or clothing on the boat at the end of the trip.

 

[prv]

And in days of sail where the Bosun issued instructions by means of the Bosun’s-call, whistling was banned to prevent any confusion amongst the Crew.

In this case it was something along the lines of "we have all the wind we need, don't be tempting providence for more."

"Break yer face" became a bit of an in-joke for our watch for the rest of the trip. When we were very sure the Captain wasn't nearby

Pete

 

[KellysEye]

We did test a superstition once. We were on a long passage with little wind, we tried to whistle up the wind, it didn't work.