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delmarrey · 31-01-2012, 21:48

After all some of us do call our boats "she". And some would give up everything just to have the boat they want. And some stand up for certain kinds of boats. e.g. Cat vs Mono vs Power.

It's no wonder that wives/gf get jealous when we go to the boat rather then stay home.

The ancient cultures had animism and that's why the muslim & Christian religions had problems with them. And with the state of todays society pulling away from religion it seems people need something to rely on. And science is doing a half ass job of keeping their story straight, more or less making the rules as they go along.

But back to sailors. I know at times I talk to my boat as if it were alive and follow maritime traditions as in renaming or coins at the mast.

What say you? (w/o getting too religious/political)

sailorboy1 · 01-02-2012, 04:14

I mostly call my boat "the boat" or as "the duck" (because the boat's name is Rubber Ducky)! I know I've never referred to it as "she" or "her". I've never followed any renaming ritual other than scrapping the old name off and putting the new 1 on.

So far the Gods from whatever religion have got been upset. If this ever changes all they need to do is whispher it into my ear.

David_Old_Jersey · 01-02-2012, 04:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by delmarrey

After all some of us do call our boats "she". And some would give up everything just to have the boat they want. And some stand up for certain kinds of boats. e.g. Cat vs Mono vs Power.

It's no wonder that wives/gf get jealous when we go to the boat rather then stay home.

The ancient cultures had animism and that's why the muslim & Christian religions had problems with them. And with the state of todays society pulling away from religion it seems people need something to rely on. And science is doing a half ass job of keeping their story straight, more or less making the rules as they go along.

But back to sailors. I know at times I talk to my boat as if it were alive and follow maritime traditions as in renaming or coins at the mast.

What say you? (w/o getting too religious/political)

Boat "genders" differ by culture / language.

I think Science is meant to change "the story / rules" - as the facts dictate. Otherwise we would still be stuck in the Bronze Age - as some cultures are.

Animism? Still alive and well

- it's just evolved....... albeit mostly still stuck in Bronze age beliefs. But each to their own

.

**boatman61** · 01-02-2012, 04:57

Well I guess I must be guilty...

Call my boats, bikes and cars 'She...' and I give them names...
My VW Sirroco was 'Rocky'.. the Lancia Prisma was 'Prissy'....
My Honda 750 was 'Jools'... (Wheels on Fire..?)... the Katana 1100 was 'Kate'...
and the current boats gone from 'Naiad' to 'Oriental Moondance'...
Talk to all of them....

But then I talk to 'Biggles' a lot as well...

He's my pilot...

Ocean Girl · 01-02-2012, 05:34

Once, when I was about 23, I was totally in love with a boat. I worked on boats as a varnish lady and whenever I was at her marina ( yes her), I'd walk down the finger pier and marvel at her lines. The sheer perfection of her form. Guess I should tell you what boat it is so you'd understand. She was a 1969 36ft Swan. Beautiful work of art this boat, and I couldn't help myself from talking out loud to it as if it were alive and breathing. Like many boats at this marina, she was well cared for but never taken out sailing.
One day, on my lunch break sitting on the finger pier chatting away about her design, just the boat and i

. I suddenly realized that there was a couple having their lunch in the cockpit of the boat next to me, the look on their faces clearly indicated the police have been called and the paddy wagon was on the way....
Whats my point? .....I got nothin. Except it gave me true joy to look at this boat, to appreciate the beauty of her design, and also maybe I needed to get out more

.

Side note, couple years later I had the opportunity to sail that Sawn. It was blowing 25 with gusts as high as 35. Full sails. She was something to behold, she found about 25 degree heel and was an bullet! when the gusts hit she wouldn't heel more( dump the wind) she would just go faster. I stood at the bow looking out to sea and just laughed, laughed at the stormy water,laughed at the way the swan practically gave you whip lash with every strong gust, laughed at the white eyed helmsmen. It did feel like she came to life, shaking off the years in a slip, now doing what she was made to do. Fly.

Ok, I got that old familiar feeling that the police have been called and the paddy wagon is on the way, so I better sign off.

Cheers,
Erika

sailorboy1 · 01-02-2012, 05:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

Whats my point? .....I got nothin.

Cheers,
Erika

I get the way a lot also!

msponer · 01-02-2012, 20:06

Yes, in spades:
- Boat is a she, not it.
- No Friday departures.
- We don't name the destination, or write it in the log book. Just "headed towards" in speach and no mention in the log.
- We have a pre-departure ritual that involves sage... The last thing before raising anchor.

**sarafina** · 01-02-2012, 21:06

I have a friend who has a relationship with his boat that borders on psychotic. He admits flat out that his relationship with his boat has sunk all the relationships he has had with women.

It's sorta creepy to hear him talk to her, and touch her... but man she IS a beauty.. a real high maintenance thoroughbred racer from the 50's.

She's yare for sure...

**atoll** · 01-02-2012, 21:26

a true sailor is like a rock and inanimate,a boat has to move,thus is animate and has a soul..............

every boat has a soul,
some sing,some whisper,some cry,others moan,
some look after you,others try to kill you.
treat em good an they will get you home,as long as your kharma is good as well............

Bash · 01-02-2012, 22:26

When our current boat was commissioned, we moved directly aboard from the 41' boat upon which we'd lived for eight years. We rafted the two boats together, and spent two days transferring our worldly possessions from one boat to the other, and then giving the old boat a final cleaning. The next morning, when we finally sailed away, it was a sad thing to leave the old boat behind. She'd served us well those first years of living aboard, had kept us safe through a few gales, had kept us warm through eight winters. Although we felt happy to finally have taken possession of the new boat, and looked forward to putting many miles on her keel, it felt just terrible to leave the old boat tied up to the broker's dock.

The worst of it all was the cat, who seemed frantic to communicate with his silly human friends that we'd all just sailed off on the wrong boat.

Ocean Girl · 01-02-2012, 22:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by atoll

a true sailor is like a rock and inanimate,a boat has to move,thus is animate and has a soul..............

every boat has a soul,
some sing,some whisper,some cry,others moan,
some look after you,others try to kill you.
treat em good an they will get you home,as long as your kharma is good as well............

Well said

Cavalier MK2 · 01-02-2012, 23:19

Some things do seem to have a persoality or soul. Is it an extension of ourselves or a house for another? Looking up animus psychology suggests that those who don't believe may think the believer is still developing but in a world that seems to be loosing its soul why shouldn't they head to the docks? That the clay that clads these immortal souls be wood,fiberglass,steel ar carbon fiber instead of flesh is immaterial when form is needed to dance upon the waves. Besides nobody is using their boats enough anyway.

WorldWind · 02-02-2012, 08:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by boatman61

My VW Sirroco was 'Rocky'

My Scirocco was named Zender.
Geez,when I met my wife I had 4 in the stable. Flashback moment

delmarrey · 02-02-2012, 17:07

Being a Machinist for over 40 years I've found that machines have personalities. Even if they are the same brand and type they'll have different attributes. One lathe will machine a shaft straight and another, no matter how many adjustments, it'll still cut a tapered shaft. And mills one will chatter and the other won't.

Humans are basically a biological machines with a hydraulic pump, computer controlled muscles, filters for the blood and urine, optic and sound recording, a sniff and chemical analyzer, mechanical framing with plastic lined joints (cartilege), surface testers on the clamp meters, and so on.......

So the difference between objects and humans are not much different, creating one in their own image.