Nautical Sayings

Chris & Dale Schnell · Post by **Chris & Dale Schnell** » Nov 30th, '10, 15:59

OK, I admit my memory is not the best in the world. We're giving our new grandson, Dylan, a beautiful wooden toy box that I'm finishing which looks like a treasure chest for his 1st Christmas. The intent is that it be a lifelong keepsake to pass on to his son. We're going to put a brass plaque on it with a Compass Rose.

Now here's the rub: We want to add a small quote on it as "advice". I've heard a number of nautical sayings in the past that depict finding your way, charting a course, returning to home port, etc., that would go very well with the Compass Rose. The problem appears to be in the gray matter....I can't remember a single one of them, and don't know of any resources to find them.

So I thought, what better place to go to than my old reliable CDSOA website and all the gnarly salts that frequent it. So Captains, Crew, Wenches, and all, help another old salt guide his grandson!

Thanks in advance for all your help!

Your humble servent!

rorik · Post by **rorik** » Nov 30th, '10, 16:17

I'm not sure that this fits your criteria, but this quote from a sailor who has had a rather interesting life has guided my decisions on more than one occasion. It's in the Acknowledgements section of his book The Ocean Waits".

"Live passionately, even if it kills you, because something is going to kill you anyway."
â€”Webb Chiles

Duncan · Post by **Duncan** » Nov 30th, '10, 17:11

A nice saying might be the one from "The Wind in the Willows":

Water Rat wrote:"There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats".

Then you can read the book to him when he gets older, and he'll say "Hey, it says that on my toy box that Grandpa made!"

Joe Montana · Post by **Joe Montana** » Nov 30th, '10, 17:58

How about, "You cannot control the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails." I've seen this attributed to Jonathan Swift, and also referred to as a Jewish proverb.

Markst95 · Post by **Markst95** » Nov 30th, '10, 18:58

Don't forget "All I ask is a tall ship, and a star to steer her by".

MFC · Post by **MFC** » Nov 30th, '10, 19:42

. . . second star to the right, straight on til morning.

GeorgeH · Post by **GeorgeH** » Dec 1st, '10, 07:16

I recently was sent a quote by Mark Twain that might be appropriate:

"Years from now you will be more disappointed by the
things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the
bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in
your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

â€“ Mark Twain

Bob B · Post by **Bob B** » Dec 1st, '10, 07:54

"In the end it comes down to one thing. You can't run from the wind. You trim your sails, face the music, and keep going."

"Today the adventure begins... Today I leave the path that he had chosen for me and instead take my own."

Captain Christopher "Skipper" Sheldon: You know whats out there?
Wind and rain, and some damn big waves, reefs and rocks, sandbars,
and enough fog and night to hide it all.
Dean Preston: So why the hell do it?
Captain Christopher "Skipper" Sheldon: It builds character Mr.
Preston of which you are in desperately short supply. The kind you
only find on mountaintops, and deserts, and battlefields, and
across oceans.

Bob B.
CD Typhoon Liberty
Lancaster, SC

Neil Gordon · Post by **Neil Gordon** » Dec 1st, '10, 08:04

Joe Montana wrote:How about, "You cannot control the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails." I've seen this attributed to Jonathan Swift, and also referred to as a Jewish proverb.

More likely the Jewish proverb is something like "Wherever you go, that's where the wind is."

Steve Kuhar · Post by **Steve Kuhar** » Dec 1st, '10, 09:05

If you can find a copy of "The Quotable Sailor" edited by Christopher Caswell and published by the Lyons Press in 2001 you will be able to choose from over 240 pages of quotes ranging from downright funny to truly inspirational. It is a good read for anyone to try to find.

Steve Kuhar

kerlandsen · Post by **kerlandsen** » Dec 1st, '10, 11:05

Just a few jump to my mind, in no particular order.

"yours for a fair tide"
"here is to the wind at your back, may it always be your own"
"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."

Kyle

Cathy Monaghan · Post by **Cathy Monaghan** » Dec 1st, '10, 13:32

Here are a few:

"Fair winds and following seas."

or the longer version:

"Fair winds and following seas and long may your big jib draw."

"Not all who wander are lost."

â€œA sailor must have his eye trained to the rocks and sands as well as the north starâ€

Joe Myerson · Post by **Joe Myerson** » Dec 1st, '10, 14:10

In case you haven't found anything yet, here's a website with lots of nautical quotations:

http://www.bluewatersailing.com/quotes.php

--Joe

Steve Kuhar · Post by **Steve Kuhar** » Dec 1st, '10, 14:45

Your post caused me to review the book that I mentioned above. The quote that I would have chosen to meet your criteria is by Richard Bode;

"There are many points on the compass rose. I had to locate the few that were meant for me and head for those that summoned me with a passion, for they were the ones that gave meaning to my life."

Steve Kuhar

drb9 · Post by **drb9** » Dec 1st, '10, 14:57

But I liked the saying that is attributable to the Spanish Armada, so I made it my autosignature.

The Cape Dory Board

Nautical Sayings

Nautical Sayings

From "The Wind in the Willows"

My fav

Nautical sayings...

From White Squall

Fair winds....

Here's a website

Maybe not inspirational