Life aboard a boat sounds romantic and freeing, partly due to some famous quotes making it sound ideal. We cruisers know the difficulties of onboard living, and we have our share of sayings about the crazy parts of this lifestyle. Here are my top quotes about the sailing life and where they originate. These are quotes that resonate with me because they are so relatable.
Quotes about sailing
One of the first quotes that comes to mind is one cruisers say to each other often:
“May you Have Fair Winds and Following Seas”
Unknown
I don’t know who started saying this, but it’s obvious why we say it. Everyone wants good winds and the seas pushing us forward when we sail and so we wish each other the best.
Sailing is about taking risks, and seeing new places, so I like these quotes:
“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.”
Andre Gide
“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
FDR nailed it. His quote applies to sailing, and to life.
Quotes about WHY WE DO THIS
I am not alone in cruisers for using the following to explain why we chose to live on a boat. It is often attributed to Mark Twain, but from what I read, is not one of the many things the famous author actually wrote.
“Twenty 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.”
Not Mark Twain, more likely Sarah Frances Brown
For us and a lot of fellow cruisers, a big reason for buying and moving on board Sava is the chance to explore:
“Since life is short and the world is wide, the sooner you start exploring it, the better.”
Simon Raven
quotes about sailing life
“Home is where the anchor drops”
Yes, cruisers are fortunate because we can move when and where we please (in good times, within reason). Our boat is our home so wherever we are anchored truly is home.
The next quote applies to all travel, and we especially relate to it because you know how hard it is for cruisers to make plans!
“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.”
Lao Tzu
“Cruising is fixing your boat in exotic locations.”
Unknown
Again, I don’t know who first said it but wow is it the truth!
Another cruiser mantra, because wind, weather, broken boats and epidemics make us get stuck a lot!
“If we’re gonna get stuck, at least we’re somewhere nice.”
Unknown
What are your favorite quotes about sailing, the cruising life or life in general? Share with me in the comments.
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There is a good quote from Dave Barry.
How to sail a sailboat
1. Figure out where you want to go.
2. Whichever way that is, do NOT point the boat in that direction.
3. Aim the sailboat in some other direction.
4. Trust me, this is the way sailboaters do it.
5. They are heavy drinkers.
Good one!