Here it is Friday the 13th, so far so good, but I have knocked on wood, avoided cats of all colors, and left a penny on my doorstep yesterday face up for me to find this morning. Beyond my own superstitions I began to ask around the shop today what people thought about superstitions regarding boat building and boating in general. Who knew that there were so many! Here are a few top superstitions:
-Anyone had Back Cove hull #13? Nobody? That's because we don't make a hull 13. Superstition.
-We don't ship boats on Friday's, especially Friday the 13th! Superstition, (and most states don't allow wide loads on the weekends)
-We don't walk under ladders, duh!
-Every boat leaves the factory bow first. This may seem natural, but a boat that leaves stern first or sideways will have bad luck forever.
-When boarding, we never board a boat with our left foot first.
-When testing a boat or cruising, we don't whistle on deck. (It is said whistling, or whistling into the wind will whistle up a storm)
-Launching a boat, or starting a cruise on Friday is bad luck, especially Friday the 13th!
-Cutting your hair, fingernails, or trimming your beard is bad luck on a boat.
-A silver coin placed under the mast head ensures good luck and a safe voyage.
-Dolphins or Porpoises playing in the bow wake is good luck and a sign of a good voyage.
-It is bad luck to change the name of a boat. When a boat is named and christened, it is said to be given life, renaming a boat takes that life and makes the boat angry.
-Traditionally women were bad luck on boats, except naked women. A naked women was said to calm the seas, this is why most old ships have a naked woman carved into the bow sprit.
In regards to the last fallacy about women being on boats, I agree with 1970's recording artist Stevie Wonder when he said, "Superstition ain't the way".
-Ben
You didn't mention the banana superstition.
Posted by: barbara | May 22, 2009 at 07:12 PM