Traditions and ceremonies

[Guillermo]

And now I propose a new thread where to gather and discuss boats and ships related traditions and ceremonies.

Something to begin with:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/renaming/

I have to say I have never changed the name to any of my boats.
But either I have never put a coin under the base of their masts, although I have to recognize I kept since some time ago a very appropriate portuguese 200 escudos silver coin reading "Death at sea" to that purpose. But I don't dare to put it yet....

[Bergalia]

Several from the Scottish West Coast, Guillermo. Though probably universal among old-salts:
A silver coin is a must below the mast (payment for Neptune to look after your soul); Wear an ear-ring in the left ear (for God to boat-hook you to heaven); Never set sail on a sunday; Never carry a woman, a coffin, or church minister aboard; if a woman in black (widow) crosses your path on the way to your boat - turn back and go home; Women whistling cause storms at sea; and write messages to lost loved ones in the sand so the rising tide can lift and deliver them. More as they come to memory.

[Poida]

and don't piss into the wind.

[marshmat]

The coin under the mast is, of course, a classic....
Here in the Great White North there is a fairly recent tradition to embed a $1.00 coin in the ice at the centre of the hockey rink. It has been suggested that the same concept can be applied to motor yachts which lack a mast, with the coin being embedded in the keel just prior to the final layer of fibreglass.

[Frosty]

No No No a sailor wears a golden earing so that if he should die on foriegn shores he can be assured that he will have the money for a decent christian burial.

Any mast, keel steped should have a coin under it. I have heard of wrecks bought for good money to salvage only the coins below.

SUNDAY??? its Friday--never sail on friday.

Never ever say rabbit!!!!

And dont piss into the wind.

Never wear your underpants inside out---Ok I made that one up.

[Crag Cay]

Never sail on a green coloured boat.

Never strike your ensign at dusk before it's been done by the most senior boat of the most senior yacht club in the anchorage.

Always dip to warships and RYS boats. (It was good to see when skippering a pulling gig through the Gulf Islands one summer, that a 'toss oars' got an immediate, if rather frantic reply from a RCN frigate).

Don't start drinking till the sun has set below the yard arm.

If you drag your anchor in the night and crash into someone downwind of you, no amount of swearing and shouting will convince the other boat that they in fact are to blame and have obviously dragged upwind into you. (This is not really relevant here, but I thought the lady on the Hinckley 47 in Soames Sound, Maine might read this and learn something.)

[Frosty]

Dont start drinking till the sun sets below the yard arm,---thats about 11am round here.

[Bergalia]

In the Royal Navy you can only grow a beard after requesting: "Permission to desist from shaving...sah..."

And of course the RN is the only British Service which remains seated when 'toasting' "The Queen". (low 'ceiling' below decks).

Old hands still 'tap' their bread or biscuit ration on the bench before eating - habit from the days when weevils formed part of the diet.

Grog - the watered rum ration once issued to the RN and Royal marines to ward off scury gets its name from Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon because of the waterproof boat cloak he wore. The boat cloak was made of grogam, a thick material which was a combination of silk, mohair and wool.

[Guillermo]

Originally Posted by Crag Cay

Never sail on a green coloured boat.

Good gracious! My lovely old lady, Marie, is green & white...!

[safewalrus]

Bergalia you old salt - Grog were issued because the water was so rank that it would have made 'ee ill if you drank it so bber or wine was issued. When The Royal Navy (or any other Navy for that matter got to the Carribean the beer didn't exist neither did the wine so the bosses started issuing rum instead! about a pint in the morning and the same in the evening originally! This was reduced to eventually after the various world wars it was a half a gill (quarter of a pint!). During the napoleonic era the rum was watered down on the instructions of Admiral Vernon and became known as "grog" because of his favourite boat cloak made of grogram material! It was finally stopped in 1970 (August 1) by Admiral Le Fanu, who died soon after! Possibly Gods punsiment for taking away the junior rates only social period! T'were good stuff as well you know, only drawn if you were over 20! When you were supposed to become a man! Not sure these days!

The Scurvey was stopped by the issue of fresh fruit and vegitables with lime juice substitued when at sea for long periods hence the American name for the Brits of 'Limey' which has apparantly stuck! guess it's better than 'Septic Tank'

[safewalrus]

Guillermo you do surprise me with your conections with Cornwall - the colour green belongs to the fairies and MUST not be used at sea, very bad luck! Funny that the Royal Navy who draws alot of it's manpower from the west country paints it's ship's decks Green?!!! wierd I tell 'ee

[Guillermo]

Well...what the Hell! Then good old Marie is a pretty, old and lucky sailing fairy...!

[safewalrus]

Actually mate she's more white with a green trim and the rules may be different in Spain (as long as your names not Drake and you holliday in Cadiz!! as an old friend of mine one Stan Drake used to regularly - he loved it!)

[Frosty]

Walrus --didnt know you were such an expert on fairies, __ now I think about it --yer its about right.

Werent you one at the school pantomime last year, hence your local name not being walrus at all but --'big fairy'

[PAR]

A splash of pure virgin pee, in the bilge, during renaming ceremonies.