ava_girl_123 Posted June 10, 2010 #1 Share Posted June 10, 2010 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? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big_duck Posted June 10, 2010 #2 Share Posted June 10, 2010 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWolver672 Posted June 10, 2010 #3 Share Posted June 10, 2010 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolyn928 Posted June 10, 2010 #4 Share Posted June 10, 2010 Here's a link that describes a few possibilities :) http://www.wisegeek.com/why-are-boats-called-she.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolyn928 Posted June 10, 2010 #5 Share Posted June 10, 2010 I always thought it was because a ship is a vessel much like a woman's womb. :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koval Posted June 10, 2010 #6 Share Posted June 10, 2010 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... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ava_girl_123 Posted June 10, 2010 Author #7 Share Posted June 10, 2010 Very intersting..Thanks everyone.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retnuh281 Posted June 10, 2010 #8 Share Posted June 10, 2010 Because embarkation is a fun experience???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traveler353 Posted June 10, 2010 #9 Share Posted June 10, 2010 Because embarkation is a fun experience???? And debarkation can be such a letdown.:p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnjen Posted June 10, 2010 #10 Share Posted June 10, 2010 and debarkation can be such a letdown.:p :D LOL....absolutely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting_Cruiser Posted June 10, 2010 #11 Share Posted June 10, 2010 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osiebosie Posted June 10, 2010 #12 Share Posted June 10, 2010 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemurCat Posted June 10, 2010 #13 Share Posted June 10, 2010 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDfromTN Posted June 10, 2010 #14 Share Posted June 10, 2010 Because embarkation is a fun experience???? And debarkation can be such a letdown.:p :D LOL....absolutely! I agree with you johnjen... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPete Posted June 10, 2010 #15 Share Posted June 10, 2010 I think it's due to the continual application of makeup, and she always arrives early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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