Sailors Superstitions

[cap-couillon]

Several years ago I wrote a few articles for a friend of mine who would not leave me alone until I did. Posted a couple regarding the cruising lifestyle in the Discussion forum but thought this one might be more appropriate here.  Please post any additional superstitions you know of, or follow.  Hope you enjoy....


Coins In The Wind

Never whistle at sea. Never cut your hair or nails while underway. And never, ever, ever, start a
passage on a Friday.

With the possible exception of professional athletes, blue water sailors are probably the most
superstitious lot on the face of the earth. While some are loath to admit it, I do not know a mariner in the world that doesn?t have at least one superstition that will make them cringe, if not curse loudly and launch the offending object and/or persona overboard.

Sailing the oceans is a tricky business at best, and down right dangerous at times. While Mother
Nature and the sea may not be actively trying to do away with you, anything that may fend off disaster is not to be discarded lightly. Therefore, to assist you in worrying about things you never worried about before, or possibly avoiding that unscheduled swim, courtesy of a superstitious captain, here is a short list of sea superstitions. Some are well known, some not so much so.

What brings bad luck to a ship, or sailor? Almost everything! And if it does not bring bad luck, it certainly portends disaster soon to follow. Whistling can wake Neptune from his slumber,
bringing gales and stormy seas as he awakes. Never start a passage on Friday, the day that Christ was crucified. In the nineteenth century, the British Navy tried to dispel this superstition. The
keel of a new ship was laid on a Friday. She was launched on a Friday and named the HMS Friday.
She was first sent to sea on a Friday, and neither the ship nor her crew was ever heard from again.

Avoid speaking to people with red hair while traveling to the docks to begin a passage. This also
applies to priests, and barefooted women. Never speak the words drowned, shipwreck, or pig
onboard ship. Now I can understand not speaking of drowning or shipwrecks, but pig? Nonetheless,
it is an old, old, superstition and if you needed to speak of a pig onboard, it was always called Danny or Mr. Danny. Church bells heard at sea, a ships bell that sounds without being rung, or a glass that rings when dropped, signify shipwreck or the death of someone onboard.

Don?t step onboard with your left foot first. Don?t pass a flag through a ladder. Don?t look back as you leave port. And never harm a gull, as it carries the soul of a sailor who died at sea. Just to round it out, never change a ship?s name, paint it blue, or bring a black sea bag, flowers, or a priest onboard.

Ok, I brought an umbrella on deck and the Old Man cussed me out for ten minutes after tossing my
brolly over the side. Is there anything onboard that isn?t bad news? Sure there is. A silver coin stepped under the mast is a guarantee of a lucky ship and a safe passage. Black cats, believe it or not, are good luck onboard, and ensure that the ship and crew will return safely. A wren?s feather, the caul of a newborn child, and a tattoo of a chicken on one foot and a pig on the other are all proof against drowning. Wine poured on deck or rum poured over the side will bring good luck and safe seas, while a handful of coins tossed overboard will bring fair winds. In the event of a storm, a bare breasted woman on deck will calm the seas. This is why the figureheads on most sailing ships are bare breasted. Just never seems to be a half-naked lady around when you need one.  Oh, and just as it is ashore, a horseshoe will bring luck and prevent storms.

So, as a long time cruiser, which of these do I believe? I don?t know if believe is the right word, but you wont catch me weighing anchor on a Friday, and when I do leave, I?ll have a pocket full of coins and a bottle of rum to hand. Moreover, unless you like swimming, try not to whistle.

Amities
Cap' Couillon

[Travelnik]

LOL!

Those were funny! I don't know of any sailor's superstitions myself, but my grandmother was scared of just about everything.  ;D

[j d]

Us sailors today, unlike our counterparts of old, have elevated our selves above foolish superstition. But being open minded men, we might admit that because we don?t know how something works doesn?t mean it doesn?t. So, no flowers on my boat, and no, I?m not going to change her name.

[Frank]

I'll cast my vote on the "don't leave on a Friday" thing!!!! Got caught toooo often  ;) :o

[s/v Faith]

Sailors do lots of things that seem funny to dirt dwellers.

Some traditions have valid roots.  For example, another "superstition" involves bananas being bad luck aboard a boat.  Well, apparently this is not too far out, bananas emit a higher then normal amount of gas as they ripen, and will cause other fruits to ripen and spoil at a after rate.... I am sure I will be fact checked on this, but a rotten banana is a nasty thing to pull out of a locker....

Also, I personally avoid getting underway on a Friday.  See, there are these idiots (many with power boats) who work all week, and get on the water on Fridays to "unwind".  Tough time to navigate an inlet, or a passage to sea where we are generally safe from folks blowing off steam.

I like the OP, I had heard of HMS Friday, but not all that was involved in her loss.  

I am thinking that I would not so much like to have a Danny onboard anyway.... But have had some crew that might qualify. :)

[cap-couillon]

I am thinking that I would not so much like to have a Danny onboard anyway.... But have had some crew that might qualify.

LOL

[rorik]

Hate to be a killjoy...... but, that's just how I roll.....  ;D

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/6896203.stm

[s/v Faith]

Hate to be a killjoy...... but, that's just how I roll.....  ;D

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/6896203.stm

That's ok,

I don't care if the BBC says it is ok, I ain't getting UW on a Friday.   ;)

[Grime]

I believe the Friday thing. The last time we left on a trip it was on a Friday. It took us 7 days to travel from Montana to Texas. Break down after break down.

A marina mate just two weeks ago left to head to Fla on a Friday. Ran aground 5 different times just getting out the channel. He's still in the marina. His crew jumped ship and left him.

[CharlieJ]

I'll cast my vote on the "don't leave on a Friday" thing!!!! Got caught toooo often  ;) :o

That makes at least three of us. Don't pay much attention to any others though. For example, my only daughter was born on Fri 13th.

[rorik]

Hate to be a killjoy...... but, that's just how I roll.....  ;D

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/6896203.stm

That's ok,

I don't care if the BBC says it is ok, I ain't getting UW on a Friday.   ;)

I should have been more precise..... the HMS Friday story isn't true....according to Her Majesty's Navy anyway....

[Tim]

A marina mate just two weeks ago left to head to Fla on a Friday. Ran aground 5 different times just getting out the channel. He's still in the marina. His crew jumped ship and left him.

LOL

Well David, i am not sure if one can blame running aground on the day of the week  ;)  I am thinking I mighta jumped ship also  ;D

[marujo_sortudo]

I don't really care about Fridays, and haven't had a problem with them myself. If the weather's fair, I'm sailing.  My boat did come with a couple of superstitions that I decided to observe, though.  There's a couple of tiny dolls hanging behind one her knees for good luck and are never supposed to be taken down, except when cleaning.  Also, sole boards when taken out, should always be placed right side up.  I figure the idea here is not to give the boat any notions about being up side down.  So far it's worked, so I'm keeping to it. ;)