Boating and superstition

Gary1 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-09-2008

Okay, folks, I'm Irish. I think we come from the factory a little superstitious. (Land of Leprechauns and all of that.) I had a dog I named Kelpie.

One Irish superstition I adhere to is: never watch your friends sail off, and watch them disappear over the horizon. If you do, you'll never see them again.

I bend the one about sailing on Fridays. (Bad Luck). But honestly, some of my worst weekend trips have started on Fridays. Hmmm.

Anyway, what other old sailing superstitions are out there? I know about not sailing with women aboard. I even understand where it came from, but those days are (mostly) gone.

What else?

tdw · #2 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary1

Okay, folks, I'm Irish. I think we come from the factory a little superstitious. (Land of Leprechauns and all of that.) I had a dog I named Kelpie.

One Irish superstition I adhere to is: never watch your friends sail off, and watch them disappear over the horizon. If you do, you'll never see them again.

I bend the one about sailing on Fridays. (Bad Luck). But honestly, some of my worst weekend trips have started on Fridays. Hmmm.

Anyway, what other old sailing superstitions are out there? I know about not sailing with women aboard. I even understand where it came from, but those days are (mostly) gone.

What else?

Supposedly the thing about wimmin on board only referred to RN ships and it was all OK if they were nekkid.

Bit like religion really, move the goal posts to suit the situation.

Like the Friday departure thing. Would eff up everyone's weekend so it's conveniently ignored.

I do know it's unlucky to fall overboard at night.

In some cultures it is considered bad luck to kill albatross or dolphins while in others they are considered good tucker.

sailaway21 · #3 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008

No whistling.

Stillraining · #4 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008

You can call me an Atheist of superstitions..tdw...

poopdeckpappy · #5 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008

Hey, I'm Irish and I have a dog with one nut name pimp ( the dogs name is pimp, not the one nut )

Always step aboard with the right foot first

CalebD · #6 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008

If I can believe all the Patrick O'Brian I've read then it is bad luck to have a parson/minister/priest aboard. 'Wimmin' as long as they are doing manly jobs are alright and rats are just the food you want when the provisions get low. It is bad to have a nubile unattached woman aboard as it can and will distract the crew.
Fridays are definitely out for leaving on any sail so why are most races on Weds., Sat. and Sundays?
Too many landlubbers aboard and not enough able bodied crew is another bad indicator.
Not superstition but if the shore birds start heading towards land then the weather might be changing for the worst. Watch the sky and be alert as if you were driving your car on a highway.
Wind does not always travel in a straight line.

Rockter · #7 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008

Not dressing in green is one superstition.

camaraderie · #8 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008

I never walk under ladders while on board.

sailortjk1 · #9 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008

Don't leave on Friday for an extended cruise.
Coin under the mast step.
(Although our mast was up when we took possesion of our boat 3 years ago and is still up, I have not checked to see if one is there, time to bring her down for a rouitine inspection anyway.)
Renaming ceremony...

RickQuann · #10 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008

Here's a link to a site of maritime superstitions. marine superstitions and nautical myths

One in particular caught my eye: "Avoid people with red hair when going to the ship to begin a journey.
Red heads bring bad luck to a ship, which can be averted if you speak to the red-head before they speak to you."

My girlfriend is a talkative redhead