Southern Star Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 I'm reasonably sure my boat REGINALD is a boy... Following that logic, my boat Desiree is a potato. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHutch Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 You get people refereding to 'The ######' and there are some male named boats, but I think its fairly to say there are more female named boats, and an assumption that if applying a gender to a boat with genderless name it will be female Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek R. Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 (edited) A narrow boat is just a narrow boat. A motor or a butty. However with ships - here's one comment I like a lot: "It is because they are similar to women : They are expensive, need a lot of paint - and they always have a lot of men around them ! " Taken from here: http://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-15935,00.html Another: http://www.wisegeek.org/why-are-boats-called-she.htm . . . and: http://www.marinebuzz.com/2007/10/06/10-reasons-to-classify-ship-as-feminine/ The idea of a vessel in which to safely travel the seas does compare with the womb in which we travel for the first nine months of our lives, does sound like the most plausible origin. It's basic, and it's natural. Another twist might that seamen are often seeking a womb to travel in . . . . Edited January 3, 2016 by Derek R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Schweizer Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 (edited) I am sure that Alan Fincher will confirm this, but my recollection is that when working Boatmen chose to asign a pronoun to a boat the word they normally used was "it". Having said that I usually refer to our boat either as "her", or "the boat" or by the name. Edited January 3, 2016 by David Schweizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 I've always seen referring to a boat as 'her' as a middle class affectation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 I've always seen referring to a boat as 'her' as a middle class affectation. Sailors being a stereotypical middle class occupation? Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steilsteven Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 I've always referred to PETRA as she because that's how I've been led to believe is the correct way. I don't know whether she was named after a lady or after the ancient city ( I prefer to think the latter ). As far as I know, her original name was The Five Brothers ( but in Dutch of course ) then Ali, then Petra and when I bought her she carried the name The New Time ( again in Dutch ) but was still registered as Petra. I could never refer to her as it, whatever name she had, because, somehow, that seems disrespectful. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Star Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 I've always seen referring to a boat as 'her' as a middle class affectation. Yea, like we lorry drivers are middle class! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starcoaster Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 Aren't they normally referred to by working boaters and old boating families as "the?" As in, "the Reginald," "The Sickle?" I think metal boats are boys. Wooden boats are girls. Tenders can be either gender (otherwise how would boats reproduce?) Tupperware is gender-neutral, as you can't tell. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 I've always referred to PETRA as she because that's how I've been led to believe is the correct way. I don't know whether she was named after a lady or after the ancient city ( I prefer to think the latter ). As far as I know, her original name was The Five Brothers ( but in Dutch of course ) then Ali, then Petra and when I bought her she carried the name The New Time ( again in Dutch ) but was still registered as Petra. I could never refer to her as it, whatever name she had, because, somehow, that seems disrespectful. Keith Maybe she was renamed after the Blue Peter dog? Fortunately, 'she' still applies should that be the case. Write in - you might get a badge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patty-ann Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 I've always seen referring to a boat as 'her' as a middle class affectation. Patty Ann is most definitely a her as is Horror House....I like to think of them as trying to be soft n feminine, amenable like wot all us women are.... So guess that makes me supper duper middle class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X Alan W Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 I am sure that Alan Fincher will confirm this, but my recollection is that when working Boatmen chose to asign a pronoun to a boat the word they normally used was "it". Having said that I usually refer to our boat either as "her", or "the boat" or by the name. My time with the commercial/ working boats the usual reference was Me/my/The Motor , Me /My/ The Butty or more commonly pointing at the particular boat & referring to said boat as "it" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koukouvagia Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 An exception, perhaps surprisingly, is French. In Greek it's neuter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koukouvagia Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Well it's from yer Latin, innit? (where navis is feminine, BTW). There's a narrow boat called Tertius Navis. I'd always assumed that the person who named it had a very scanty knowledge of Latin because there is a feminine noun with a masculine adjective. I now suppose it's because the owner couldn't decide whether a narrow boat is masculine or feminine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek R. Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Should have looked under the stern floorboards . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Should have looked under the stern floorboards . . . To ascertain whether it had a seacock? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicknorman Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 To ascertain whether it had a seacock? Thank you for my morning chuckle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek R. Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 To ascertain whether it had a seacock? Or to see if the gland needs stuffing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Or to see if the gland needs stuffing. Oooh, isn't he bold? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roland elsdon Posted January 6, 2016 Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 It when it needs money spending on it (see) She if she is a butty with a nice girly name ( how can Atalanta) be a bloke He if he is a sodding great town class or worse a royal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted January 6, 2016 Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 He if he is a sodding great town class. When I see one of those heading for us through a bridge-hole on a blind bend, a slightly (though only slightly) longer word than "he" tends to rise to my lips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caprifool Posted January 6, 2016 Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 I've read that tugs and ice breakers are boys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted January 6, 2016 Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 It when it needs money spending on it (see) She if she is a butty with a nice girly name ( how can Atalanta) be a bloke He if he is a sodding great town class or worse a royal What. like VICTORIA, you mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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