Boating and Boat Building Superstiton: The Back Cove Yachts Way

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

Comments

[barbara]

You didn't mention the banana superstition.