What do you say to/about your boat ...

[novapamela]

... when she's sailing as best she can?

And when she's NOT?

I am loving this research. Thanks for the rich responses so far!

Truly,

Pamela

[outofthenorm]

Interesting question. On the whole, it's not dramatic. For me, it's not "C'mon you b$%#$", like a racing skipper I know. More than likely it'll be, "Ah, that's my girl" when she's goin', and "Okay baby, what do you need?" when she's not. It's a kind of conversation - she talks, mostly I listen. Sometimes my part is out loud, but usually not. In my head it's the language of "give and take". As skipper, I'm responding to, or anticipating her needs. If she's not sailing well, it's not her fault - it's mine. So, if it breezes up and she's overpressed, I'll take a reef. If she's labouring, I might give her a point or two. I'll "take her tops'l" to ease her, or "give her some sheet" to get her going. If conditions are right and we're getting to windward, I'll think "Now She's eatin' !" and give her her head. When there's a chop and too little wind, I'll think, and say "She doesn't like this." and give her a new course or maybe more sail. As I said, it's a conversation, and because we've known each other for almost 30 years, it's between old friends.

- Norm

[Larks]

I can't say that I, nor anyone that I've sailed with, have ever attributed good or poor performance to my yachts. It's usually either the conditions (breeze or lack of it), the amount of growth on the hull or my own capability in which case the comments are usually something like:
"what am I missing/forgetting/stuffing up?"

[John Turpin]

My plastic boat and I recently popped out of this little channel directly in front of a huge drilling rig being towed by two huge tow ships. With sweat pouring from my brow, I remember chanting "Sail Faster! Sail Faster!". I don't remember if I was talking to myself or my boat.

[Pernicious Atavist]

Pretty much along the lines of what Norm says. I speak to her like spoiled [female] brat, but sometimes like a pain-in-the-butt [male] teenager. Often, the language is beyond what I'm willing to relate to a young lady such as yourself.....

[bamamick]

It is NEVER the boat's fault. I am the one who chose her, maintains her, and it's my job to optimize her performance both before we hit the water and while we are sailing.

I do talk to the boat, but about all you'll ever hear me say are things like 'come on baby, lift on up' or 'good job, girl'.

Mickey Lake

[Ian McColgin]

I first learned of Gordon Bok a quarter century or so ago because a friend heard his "Peter Kagan and the Wind" on WOMB and got it for me. Reminded her of how I talk to the boat and the wind and the water.

Mostly we have reasonable discussions with a positive orientation but just as Marmalade will address me rather sharply if I misbehave, so too I sometimes make a point.

But then there are things that won't change. Marmalade will not consent to hanging docilly at the mooring with any sail up. Real love combines unflinching realism with acceptance.

Most of my crews have gotten used to hearing my half of the dialogue. Some have even heard Goblin's or Granuaile's or Marmalade's.

[Thorne]

Just cursing, but it could easily be cursing the water, winds, or other non-boat conditions instead of the boat.

[Jay Greer]

Boats talk to me in many ways. One learns to hear the boat by feel, by sound and by sight. There is always a slot, a happy spot where the tiller and the seat of my pants tells me more than instruments do.
Jay

[paladin]

It's never the boats fault.....and always when recovering from some really bad mistake that I had made it was always "good girl,", "thanks for fixing that" or "nice recovery"....always sweet talk, never blame....."I'll do better next time"....

[Michael s/v Sannyasin]

I think she's always sailing the best she can, given the joker at the helm and sheets.

That said, there is often a difference between what I'm comfortable with, in given conditions, and what the boat is comfortable with.

Once, when I got caught in a squall with all my canvas up, the boat heeled over sharply, buried her rail and sailed along finer than I'd ever seen her sail before. I said something to my crew to the effect of "wow, I think she just woke up"

[Yeadon]

She's a better boat than I am a skipper, so usually, it's a question of what the boat has chosen to holler at me.

[Captain Blight]

Interesting that nobody's pooh-poohing the anthropomorphisms. You can't tell me a boat doesn't have a soul.

[paladin]

ya just gotta recommember to take care of her, keep her pretty and with lotsa paint and sweet talk and she'll get you through whatever you're worried about.

[Jay Greer]

ya just gotta recommember to take care of her, keep her pretty and with lotsa paint and sweet talk and she'll get you through whatever you're worried about.
I fully agree! How would your wife or girl friend feel it you never gave her that special attention and care she deserves?
Jay

[soba]

Mostly I say "I hear ya, girl..workin' on it."

If I curse, it's at the wind or weather.

Once I called the boat a bitch, and she dropped a gaff on my noggin. She wears the pants around here...

[botebum]

I talk to my boats. My wife talks about them. I never let her catch me talking to them and she never lets me catch her talking about them. We are still happily married;)

Doug