Just a Funny, kind of weird question...

[ava_girl_123]

Never having cruised before, is there a reason people refer to ships as "her" and not "him". I see it on the boards all the time.. "I have sailed her x many times"..

Is there a story behind it? :)

[big_duck]

Maritime tradition in western cultures of unknown origin. Though it should be noted that most sailing ships had female figureheads.

 

The Russian tradition is to use the masculine pronoun.

[RWolver672]

This is what I found.

 

One plausible theory is that boats are called she because they are traditionally given female names, typically the name of an important woman in the life of the boat's owner, such as his mother. It has also been surmised that all ships were once dedicated to goddesses, and later to important mortal women when belief in goddesses waned.

[jolyn928]

Here's a link that describes a few possibilities :)

 

http://www.wisegeek.com/why-are-boats-called-she.htm

[jolyn928]

I always thought it was because a ship is a vessel much like a woman's womb. :confused:

[Koval]

Never having cruised before, is there a reason people refer to ships as "her" and not "him". I see it on the boards all the time.. "I have sailed her x many times"..

Is there a story behind it? :)

Don't really know why, but the DH did 20 years in the Navy, and all those ships are "Female" also...

(Even if they are named after an Admiral, or a President, who are male.)

I think it is a Man thing in the beginning, Men sailed the Ships they loved, and so they are female...

[ava_girl_123]

Very intersting..Thanks everyone..

[retnuh281]

Because embarkation is a fun experience????

[Traveler353]

Because embarkation is a fun experience????

 

And debarkation can be such a letdown.:p

[johnjen]

and debarkation can be such a letdown.:p

 

:D LOL....absolutely!

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Because they're beautiful! :)

 

Here's what I've always heard this sexist little description:

 

Why Is a Ship Called a She?

A ship is a she because there is always a great deal of bustle around her, there is usually a gang of men about, she has a waist and stays, it takes a lot of paint to keep her good looking, it's not the initial expense that breaks you, she can be all decked out, it takes an experienced man to control her correctly, and without a man at the helm she is absolutely uncontrollable. She shows her topside, hides her bottom, and when coming into port, always heads for the buoys.

[osiebosie]

And what's really interesting is that women were considered bad luck to be on a ship, back in the olden days! Way back in the olden days!

 

Glad it changed!

 

I'm still peeved that they started using men's names in hurricanes! "Her"-icanes. The wrath of a woman. Come on!

 

Shay

[LemurCat]

And what's really interesting is that women were considered bad luck to be on a ship, back in the olden days! Way back in the olden days!

 

Glad it changed!

 

So were preachers. Many British captains in the age of sail tried very hard to avoid shipping a preacher.

[BigDfromTN]

Because embarkation is a fun experience????

 

And debarkation can be such a letdown.:p

 

:D LOL....absolutely!

 

I agree with you johnjen...

[MrPete]

I think it's due to the continual application of makeup, and she always arrives early.