What brings “bad luck” in boating (and how to fix it)

There are myths and legends about what is bad luck (read bad luck) for boat owners. Some are true others are myths to be dispelled. Here are the three most popular cases and solutions or myths to dispel.

The green-colored boat: myth to dispel
Let’s start with the myths to dispel. The first is that the green color of the boat is bad luck. Nothing could be more false. It is only an Italian belief; in the rest of the world there are beautiful boats that have never had a problem despite being green. There are well-known examples such as French boats doing ocean races colored with greens of various shades, beautiful British and American classic yachts with beautiful deep green, ships from all over the world with company colors (on all the Evergreen company). Never happened. But who knows why in Italy instead sailors as soon as they see a green boat they touch iron and something else.

The origin of this belief has a reason. In boats of yesteryear built of wood and iron, when copper green was noticed on the wood/iron joints this was a symptom of oxidation and therefore a risk of weakening the boat structure.

Changing a boat’s name: here’s how not to risk
Instead, throughout the world of seamanship, changing a boat’s name has always been considered dangerous, risky. Not to be. Unless we resort to the ritual that frees the name-changing boat from the curse. Here’s what you need to do: you need to have the boat’s wake cut at least three times by a friendly boat. Simple and highly effective.

The game is done with this expediency, the boat is freed from the evil of the sea gods. Yes, because the origin of this belief is that every boat has a soul and that the name, is entered in a register kept by the sea gods. To change one’s name without communicating it to the gods is a grave affront to them. Thanks to the antidote just described, the gods are appeased because with this rite you erase the boat’s old name from the register of the sea gods. And they record the new one.

When at the boat launch the bottle does not break. Solving the problem
This is a myth to be held in due importance. Here’s what they say. When the boat is launched for the first time, it is good practice to celebrate the launch by breaking a bottle of champagne (good sparkling wine is fine too, no prosecco) on the starboard bow or keel. The person who performs the rite is called godmother or godfather of the boat. It is customary to favor ladies. But if you don’t break the bottle on the first try…bad luck comes.

There is a secret to solving the eventual non-breakup on the first shot. Just have the foresight to first purchase a bottle of reduced thickness, which will break easily, and decant the contents of the sparkling wine. The bottle will then ropmer with ease. In fact, the champagne bottle is particularly thick and it takes a lot of force to break it.

This belief in our opinion has a basis of truth. We can testify to this in person. Here is what happened, as seen with our own eyes. In 1986 the Italian boat for the America’s Cup named Italy is about to be launched. The godmother throws the bottle onto the starboard bow, but it does not break. Panic, try again, and don’t break down again. Aided by a sailor she is launched for the third time and finally this time shatters on the bow into a thousand pieces of glass, to the point of superficially injuring the godmother.

The boat is launched, but the next morning they find it half sunk. But the continuation of Italy’s career is also punctuated by misfortunes. He participates in the America’s Cup trials but does terribly and almost the entire crew disembarks. The main sponsor, fashion industrialist Maurizio Gucci has serious financial and personal hardships, until his murder by his ex-wife.

The ritual of the precious liquid sprinkled on the boat for good luck has ancient origins. Even it is said that in distant times the propitiatory rite was done by sprinkling blood on the bow attracting the favor of the gods so that the boat would pass unharmed by storms and breakdowns.

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