why call the ship "she" not he?

Answer 1

It was supposed to be bad luck to have a woman aboard, and a sailor considered his first love the sea and the ship. The figurehead also fed this superstition. It also goes alonghe fact that you never knew for sure how a ship would behave and that was thought to be feminine.

Answer 2

According to Yarns of the Sea, Legends, Myths, and Superstitions: Although women were considered to bring bad luck at sea, mariners always use the pronoun "she" when referring to their ships. Whether its proper name is masculine, or whether it is a man o'war, a battleship, or a nuclear submarine, a ship is always referred to as "she."

This old tradition is thought to stem from the fact that in the Romance languages, the word for "ship" is always in the feminine. For this reason, Mediterranean sailors always referred to their ship as "she", and the practice was adopted over the centuries by their English-speaking counterparts.

One source suggests that a ship "was nearer and dearer to the sailor than anyone except his mother." What better reason to call his ship "she"?

Answer 3

In the Western tradition ships are traditionally considered female, but some countries actually do refer to ships in the masculine (Russia for instance).

According to Adm. Chester Nimitz: "A ship is always referred to as 'she' because it costs so much to keep one in paint and powder."

Answer 4

It's a word thing. If you want a ship called a man's name, go for it.

Answer 5

In the old days, all the sailors were guys, and they were weeks at sea without women, so the ship was their lady, their wife and mistress, and a greater presence in their lives than any woman. For better or worse.

Answer 6

HMS Her Majesty's Ship