Sailing is a pastime that requires knowledge and the ability to learn quickly and on the go. Not only having to learn the parts of the boats themselves, but you also have to become privy to the everchanging sailor slang. Many of the phrases we even use today have sprouted first by the use of sailors. Here are of a couple
#1 Feeling Blue
Feeling blue is a term that is used by everyone of all ages. The term blue even has its own genre of music, but how did the term feeling blue come around. It was first used on voyages by sailors when their captain had died. They would also paint a stripe around the hull of the boat.
#2 Toe the Line
Ever had a coach or boss told you to “toe the line”? Us too, the thing is he didn’t come up with that. It was actually the Navy’s doing. This originated when an officer would tell his squad to line up all having their toes on the line when they are called.
#3 Son of a Gun
This is one of the phrases whose origins I would have never guessed. This comes from when one of the females would get pregnant aboard one of the sailing voyages. If none of the crew claims the child, they are deemed to be a “son of a gun” because they were born in between the gun decks.
