spearhead
New member
Dip the ensign when rounding Cape St Vincent (I had several lucky escapes subsequently).
Sailing Superstitions - Do you have any?
- Thread starter Nostrodamus
- Start date
michael_w
Well-known member
Pour libations of rum overboard; usually start of the season, long voyages etc. Never leave for a long trip on a Friday.
Mad Pad
Member
I never put in the log "From a Port to a Port" .
That assumes you are going to get there..arrogance !
Always write "towards".
Mind you a few times I haven't made it then!
Mad Pad
That assumes you are going to get there..arrogance !
Always write "towards".
Mind you a few times I haven't made it then!
Mad Pad
Mad Pad
Member
It is also said that you should never have a wheelbarrow,an umbrella or a Naval Officer on board.
I don't think this is superstition...just common sense as they are all useless on a yacht?
Best,
Mad Pad
I don't think this is superstition...just common sense as they are all useless on a yacht?
Best,
Mad Pad
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Nostrodamus
New member
True, another superstition is that you should never mention the destination as that is challenge to the sea to stop you getting there.
freespiritdavid
Member
That was a good read, loved the bit on 'women on board'. Brilliant.
The galley slave is a ginger, never gets cross, cooks bacon on board and has been known to bare her breasts on the deck.
The galley slave is a ginger, never gets cross, cooks bacon on board and has been known to bare her breasts on the deck.
ripvan1
New member
When renaming a boat it is custom to pour Neptune a few libations whilst saying a few grovelly words to his eminence - have done this once with new owners of my boat and a good day out was had by all.
grumpy_o_g
Well-known member
I have only one - if it can go wrong it will. Apart from that I claim whistling on board is unlucky but that's purely because I can't the tuneless, thoughtless whistling done by may simply to fill a silence it seems.
adwuk
Active member
ripvan1
New member
I have one - never rename a boat
I agree, but the new (lady owner) was adamant so as said a good day was had by all.
Many years previously I had a little Seamew without a name - when in the marina they entered it on their books as no name - so that's what it got called "Noname" pronounced with a Spanish accent
capnsensible
Well-known member
On ocean passages, always check the washing up bucket three times before you empty it. Otherwise you will be in somewhere like Antigua shopping for teaspoons.
penberth3
Well-known member
Shouldn't that be "bound for.." ? More traditional, and parts of your voyage may not actually be "towards".
ripvan1
New member
Aha, we have a new recruit for the grammar police :encouragement: agreed it's more traditional but would johny foreigner understand "bound for"
johnalison
Well-known member
Aha, we have a new recruit for the grammar police :encouragement: agreed it's more traditional but would johny foreigner understand "bound for"
Bound to.
Angele
Active member
Bru
Well-known member
Hmm. I would always consider "bound for" to indicate the final destination of a voyage. There might be vias along the way!
I absolutely will not allow whistling on board. It is strictly forbidden. Anybody who whistles on my boat will have to pay a severe penalty (such as buying the beers that evening)
This is not a superstition though, its because like Boots I bloody hate people who pointlessly whistle (tuneless or otherwise). Get;s right on my wick it does
I absolutely will not allow whistling on board. It is strictly forbidden. Anybody who whistles on my boat will have to pay a severe penalty (such as buying the beers that evening)
This is not a superstition though, its because like Boots I bloody hate people who pointlessly whistle (tuneless or otherwise). Get;s right on my wick it does
Kukri
Well-known member
I think I've got the full set:
No green boats (in 1973 my father and I bought a green boat and didn't repaint her - I lost the rudder off the North Foreland).
No whistling. No bananas. Always ask the health of the magpie's other half. Log book is always "towards" (I changed the Deck Log Books of the shipping company whose crest is my avatar from" To.." to "Towards..." and they are now Britain's largest...) No drinking under way. Nothing to do with a certain burrowing rodent with long ears, which must never be mentioned. Always say hello and goodbye to the boat, pat her, and remember to talk to her.
And a personal oddity - if I cross tacks with the Thames Barge Sailing Club barge "Centaur", I change my destination; she is unlucky for me.
And finally, there really is such a thing as an unlucky ship, and if you have one, the only thing to do is to sell it at once.
No green boats (in 1973 my father and I bought a green boat and didn't repaint her - I lost the rudder off the North Foreland).
No whistling. No bananas. Always ask the health of the magpie's other half. Log book is always "towards" (I changed the Deck Log Books of the shipping company whose crest is my avatar from" To.." to "Towards..." and they are now Britain's largest...) No drinking under way. Nothing to do with a certain burrowing rodent with long ears, which must never be mentioned. Always say hello and goodbye to the boat, pat her, and remember to talk to her.
And a personal oddity - if I cross tacks with the Thames Barge Sailing Club barge "Centaur", I change my destination; she is unlucky for me.
And finally, there really is such a thing as an unlucky ship, and if you have one, the only thing to do is to sell it at once.
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Simondjuk
Active member
Superstitions? What a load of old rubbi
Nostrodamus
New member
There is a huge amount of superstition surrounding the building of boats I never went into. The old wooden boat builders believed that every boat had a personality and that developed when they were building her. Some boats would cause problems from the moment the keel was laid and everything would go wrong.
If they had a boat build where everything was going totally wrong they believed the boat would be unlucky and they would actually scrap them and start again.
After all, in the olden days where there was no advertising everything was on word of mouth and reputation. If you got a reputation for building and unlucky or even lucky boat it could make or break you.
michael_w
Well-known member
On Carriacou in the Grenadines, When they launch a newly built sloop, not only is much rum drunk, but a priest is called in to make the appropriate blessing and a chicken sacrificed on the samson post, just in case one of the deitys has got the day off.