Why we call a ship a ‘she’

[Doc Vernon]

WHY WE CALL A SHIP A ‘SHE’
We always call a ship a ‘she’ and not with out a reason,
For she displays a well shaped stern regardless of the season,
She scorns the man whose heart is faint and does not give him pity,
And like a girl she needs the paint to keep her looking pretty.

For love she’ll brace the ocean vast, be she a tramp ship or liner,
But if you fail to tie her fast you sure that you will lose her,
Be firm with her and she’ll behave, when clouds are dark above you,
And let her take the water wave, praise her and she’ll love you.

For she will take the roughest seas, and angry waves that crowd her,
And in a brand new coat of paint, no girl looks any prouder,
The ship is like a girl at that, she’s feminine and swanky,
You’ll find the one that’s broad and fat, is never mean and cranky.

On ships and girls we pin our hopes, we fondle and love them,
And every man must know his ropes or else he cannot handle them,
Yes, ships are lady like indeed, for take them all together,
The ones that show a lot of speed, can’t stand the roughest weather.

That’s why we call a ship a ‘she’


Sorry if we may have had this one before,but i canrt find any mention of it!
If someone does find another one like this on site plaese do let me know!
I will then remove this one!
Cheers

[Dennis McGuckin]

Good one Vernon. I thought it was going to be about Figureheads!
Den.

[Gulliver]

That's interesting Vernon,and perhaps the one most similar to it and which I've heard of is this one: (extracted from Every Boy's Dumpy Book of Ships and the Sea.)
　
A Ship is called 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 is not the Initial expense that breaks you,it is the Upkeep;
It takes an experienced man to Handle her correctly,And without a man at the Helm she is uncontrollable.
She shows her Topsides,hides her Bottom,
And when coming into Port always heads for the Buoys!

　
Snippets:
Originally ships were personified as masculine,but by the 16th century had become feminine.
In 2002,Lloyds of London declared all Merchant ships would be called 'it'. However,the British Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Warships are still to be referred to as 'She'.
　
So what about Hermaphrodite Rig(I don't hear you say!)
(Please no jokes about calling it Arthur/Martha Rig)
Well,this is the generic term for those sailing vessels which incorporated facets of the 'fore-and-aft rig into the 'square-rig'..E.g. barque,barquentine,brig and brigantine.
　
Something Else(totally unconnected)
I saw a quote yesterday-it's rather sad,but true.
"Oh! The Greedy Drain of Time....It sucks the Years from Everyone."

I wish all aboard a Great Day!

Gulliver

[David Williams]

Hi Vernon.
I always thought that ships were called "she's"
because it took a man to handle her??????????

Dave Williams(R583900)

[Glan Phillips]

Hi Dave,
Your last post could be taken as 'not PC'......as there are now many ladies in command of ships. One that comes to mind is a lovely Swediish lady who was recently in command of RCCL's 'Monarch of the Seas" !

P.S. I always thought that they were called 'she's' because like women, they are tempremental and unpredictable !!!

Cheers......Glan (R379279)

[Bob Sendall]

Spanish ships are Male, not sister ships but brother ships.