Coins at base of mast

[Raven 271]

Does anyone know where the tradition of placing
a coin at the base of mast comes from?

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Various hypotheses. One suggests that it is to pay Chaeron should the ship sink. Another says the copper chlorides should stop the mast rotting (this sounds most improbable to me!)

My own guess is that someone thought it was a nice idea.

[wolfietuk]

I am sure it started as a pagan offering, and like many things has become a nice tradition. Some of the old time builders would place gold coins on the top of pilings before the building was started. Probably a leg of the same tradition.

Rick

[Pixie]

Where does the broken bottle of champagne over the bow
come from

[Paul Scheuer]

I've always heard that a gold coin should be used.

[Carl Simmons]

Here is what I found:

The custom of placing coins under the step of the mast when a ship is being built had its origin with the ancient Romans. It was a custom then to place coins in the mouth of a dead person in the belief this would enable him to pay Charon to ferry him across the River Styx. The old superstition has survived and coins are still placed in the mast today so that if the ship met with mishap at sea, safe passage for the crew is ensured.

[Smacksman]

I put an 1885 penny under Alberta's mast so the next bloke who took the stick out would say 'Look at that, a penny from the day she was built!'

[ion barnes]

A similar legend or story exists about the knewell(sp?) post of stairs. "There is always money in the house."

[Bayboat]

How about putting coins over a dead person's eyes? Also to pay Charon?

This is a bit off track, but speaking of traditions for the deceased: In the "old days," when a sailor died at sea, he was sewn into a weighted canvas bag and slid overside. When sewing, a stitch was passed through the septum, to make sure the man was truly dead.

[Gresham CA]

Could it be so that it lifted the mast up enough to let any water evaporate from under the mast?

edited for clarity

[ 02-04-2003, 06:50 PM: Message edited by: Gresham CA ]

[Armedmariner]

Originally posted by Pixie:
Where does the broken bottle of champagne over the bow
come from

What I want to know is how many people actually break a bottle of champagne over their boat when they launch it? I can't stand the thought of doing this to my girl when I launch her this spring. I just can't get myself to hurt her.

[Leon Steyns]

You don't need to break the bottle over the bow, you can also empty the champagne (no cheap stuff!) over the bow on her maiden voyage. I like this one (although it was meant for renaming):

http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/rename.htm

Greets, Leon Steyns.

[Smacksman]

Believe me Gresham, with the compression forces on the mast, the coin is imbedded in the heel of the mast perfectly flush in a very short time.

Rot in the heel is a problem. This is why I don't like the tenon method but prefer a slotted heel that allows water to drain away.

Fair winds.

[acme401]

Do you think it matters if the coin is placed in the mast heads or tails? Just a thought....

[Steve Lansdowne]

Why, heads up, of course. You don't want the boat to turn turtle!

[Sam F]

A Roman boat was excavated in England some years ago. It was old and well used by the time it sank and the coin in its mast step was older still. It was a special coin though, with Fortuna on one side. Seems to have worked as the boat died of old age.

[Don Danenberg]

It is simply a method of dating the last time that mast was stepped. DonD

[Art Read]

"...What I want to know is how many people actually break a bottle of champagne over their boat when they launch it? I can't stand the thought of doing this to my girl when I launch her this spring. I just can't get myself to hurt her..."

I had a similar thought in mind when I started scraping together the odd bits and pieces of bronze that will make up my stemhead fittings. This ought to give SWMBO a pretty good "target", eh?



(Oh, and I've been saving a little, bronze, Greek coin with "Lorrissa, local Goddess of water on the obverse, circa 300 B.C.", for under the mast heel...)

[ 02-26-2003, 01:15 PM: Message edited by: Art Read ]