Captain’s Log 160426 – Why We Call Ships “She”

Captain's Log 160426

I've been asked this question many times over the years, usually by someone standing on a dock looking at a boat:

"Why do you call a ship 'she'?"

It's one of those old seafaring traditions that refuses to die, and I must admit — I still use it myself without thinking.

After more than thirty years at sea, I've come to believe there are a few good reasons why ships have always been "she".

The practical explanation is quite old. In Latin, the word for ship is navis — a feminine noun.

But I think the real reason is deeper and more emotional.

A ship is more than just steel, wood, or fibreglass. She carries you. She shelters you. She protects you when the sea turns angry. In many ways, she becomes a kind of mother to everyone on board.

There's also something about the graceful way a good hull moves through the water — the curves, the way she rises and falls with the waves.

I remember standing on the deck of M/Y Labrador late at night, listening to her gentle creaking as she sat at anchor. She felt alive. She had character. She had soul. And in those quiet moments, calling her "she" just felt completely natural.

For me, it's one of those small, beautiful traditions that connects today's sailors with the ones who went before us.

So yes… my boat will always be "she".

Because she carries my dreams.

Captain Murray The Uncharted Waters – Ébrié Lagoon, Abidjan