Do you have any sailing superstitions you follow?

[svfinlandia]

Is there any superstitions you have broken and something bad happened?
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I don't sail on a Friday unless the conditions are right to sail.
I have sailed on a Friday and had a perfect trip and I have sailed on a Friday when everything went wrong, in spite of good conditions.

I give Neptune a dollop of Rum as I leave an inlet when I remember to do so.
I have had a perfect passage after a Rum offering and I have had a terrible trip after giving Neptune his Rum.
I have had a perfect passage when I forgot to give him his Rum and I have had a passage where all Hell broke lose when I did give him a Rum dollop. It was good Black Seal Rum too!

Al, S/V Finlandia

[AJ_n_Audrey]

I have several: never leave port without at least one working bilge pump. Don't have more than two beers an hour while underway, unless you have been training seriously in the weeks before departure. Never sail at night on the ICW, especially if you violated #2 above. Always multiply forecasted windspeed and wave height by two when considering whether to cross the Gulf Stream, and divide forecasted wave period by 1.5.

I think that covers it.

[Ded reckoner]

If you're rationalizing superstitions, here's a statistical perspective after Freakonomics: It's highly likely an unspecified random possible occurrence will happen. But, it's highly unlikely a specified random possible occurrence will happen. Speaking of statistics, aren't more planned experiments with bare breasted women needed to validate the one superstition?

[markpierce]

Can't hurt to bless the boat.

[bil56]

I'm not superstitious, it brings misfortune ...

[Leo Ticheli]

Originally Posted by maxingout

I gave up superstitious thoughts and behavior long ago in favor of situational awareness.

Best comment ever on CF.

I entertain no superstitions unless they are thinly veiled excuses to make merry.

Fair winds,

Leo

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by hamburking

My wife believed it was unlucky to have sex aboard. Or on land.

Could make for some long dinghy rides.

[44'cruisingcat]

I don't think I have any superstitions. I sail on Fridays, eat bananas, whistle occasionally, etc etc.

Don't pee into the wind though, but that's common sense, not superstition.

[TheThunderbird]

No umbrella onboard, never!

Some sprinkles of Wine on deck and at sea, if opening a bottle in the cockpit.

Never 2 women onboard, if you want to please both :-)

A prayer, when weather turns much worse, for concentration
<3

[zeehag]

i donot start a trip on a friday. i may continue one but not start one.
whistling brings the wind. i was taught to scratch mast and whistle so we could go sailing in an engineless 1903 built raceabout. if you whistle at sea you get more wind than you want.
if i am drinking something yummy i will share with the seagods. must placate them .

[Nikki S]

I prefer to swap "on a Friday" with "with the bungs out"; swap bananas with "people you don't like", swap "whistle" with "leave the gas on", etc.... rum is good, though, and gold coins instead of silver, for the washing machines round here.

[buzzstar]

capt-couillon (post #2 above) has identified the ones I've followed, plus some I did not know about. Since I was a working man most of my life and routinely violated the Friday restriction, but sought and received dispensation by acknowledging the trespass, and asking forgiveness. It seems to have worked so far, although admittedly most of the "passages" were short.

[lesterbutch]

I believe it's unlucky to return from a voyage with more beer than one per crewman for the welcome home toast!��

[KP44]

I never start a voyage on a Friday.
Port Captains, immigration offices, repair yards, etc, are either closed or overtime rates on weekends. If I return for any reason, I can spend the whole weekend in Quarantine, waiting for officials. The Friday thing was never a superstition but common sense.
It is different for weekend sailors in their home waters.

[bvisailing32]

Great fun post.

1. We drink white wine on board ourselves, not red as it stains the decks and we wind up painting the bloody boat pink.

2. It angers the sea gods for a sailor to motor when there is wind . Lots of that going on these days.

3. Don't get off the boat at the bow . The snag gods will grab your belt buckle with the pulpit mounted bow anchor, and you will gain scoffing attention as you hang in space arms and legs flailing to the jeers and cheers of the sots at the dockside bar.

4. Never share rum with any sea god, let em buy their own. I prefer to anoint my dark rum with bit vanilla extract and ice and add in a splash of holy water that I have personally blessed . Wards off sea demons.

5. Do not raise the wrath of King Neptune by dragging fenders, not slacking topping lifts, not reefing early, or allowing loose halyards to slap against the mast. The last infraction can anger even the non gods that are docked, anchored, or moored next to you.

6. I totally disregard any superstition about women on board. For 35 years I found that a tall, long legged, good looking fit, smart, blonde female that is a great sailor and mate can overpower voodoo, and Jonah curses.

Fair Winds and Following Seas