Discover the best sailing quotes and mariners sayings. We often hear mariners quotes, sailing words, and proverbs from famous and unknown sailors about the ocean, the sea, their vessels, their sailing journeys or their adventures. The best mariners and sailors or sailing quotes you will find here are inspiring or funny but they all refer to a passion shared by boating enthusiasts all over the world. We also include sailing proverbs from different time and civilizations.
We decided to share them with our readers and sailors friends because they are inspiring and often tell in a few words sailors and boat lovers feel or experience at sea. Along with each quote we also indicate who the writer is and a a little bit of their accomplishment.
We hope you like these mariners and sailing or sailors quotes and other proverbs. You can also find them on our Coboaters Facebook and Instagram page. The quote of the week is also published every week on Coboaters home page! Happy reading!
We classified those quotes in different categories:
Mariners and Sailing quotes from famous sailors
Quotes and sayings from writers or artists
Marine quotes from famous people (boat designers, scientists,
Mariners and sailing quotes from anonymous individuals.
1- Mariners and Sailing Quotes from famous sailors
“You do not ask a tame seagull why it needs to disappear from time to time toward the open sea.” Bernard Moitessier – Famous Sailor and adventurer- Circumnavigator in The Long Way (published in 1971)
Bernard Moitessier Sailboat is named Joshua
“There is not better tool or equipment you can have on board than a well-trained crew”. Larry Pardey, Cruiser Larry Pardey lived at sea with his wife, Lin for more than 25 years.
Sail more so you can create your own quote after your experience.
“I wanted to win not as a woman, but at equal terms with all skippers.” Kirsten Neuschafer. Famous woman sailor. The first female sailor to win a circumnavigation race, the Golden Globe 2022.
Kirsten Neuschafer quote after she won the around the world race.
“Spinnakers are perfect in lighter airs and flatter seas for crew to handle…” Unknown writer
Spinnaker is good for downwind sail
“On the 8th day, God created RUM to prevent sailors from taking over the world”
A funny quote. Rum was traditionally the favorite drink of many sailors and pirates. Please drink responsibly.
2- Sailing quotes from Famous writers or artists
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop” – Confucius, Chinese Philosopher
“How inappropriate it is to call this planet earth when clearly it is sea” Arthur C. Clarke, English science fiction writer and undersea explorer.
“The lovely thing about cruising is that planning turns out to be of little use.” Dom Degnon, Yacht broker and freelance writer.
“Everybody in the 15th century Spain was wrong about where China was and as a result, Columbus discovered Caribbean vacations!” P.J. O’Rourke.
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters in the end.” Ernest Hemingway
Hemingway, the writer or the Old man and the Sea was sea lover.
“I need the sea because it teaches me” Pablo Neruba
“Free man, you will always cherish the sea!” Charles Beaudelaire, French poet of the nineteenth century
“When a man comes to like a sea life, he is not fit to live on land.” Dr Samula Johnson, 18th century writer.
3- Marine quotes from famous sailors and mariners
“Prevention is, as in other aspects of seamanship, better than cure”. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. British sailor, the first person to perform a non-stop single-handed circumnavigation of the globe.
“The cabin of a small yacht is truly a wonderful thing; not only will it shelter you from a tempest, but from the other troubles in life, it is a safe retreat” Francis Herreshoff.
“Sailboat racing becomes a game of chance only when you are not prepared” Buddy Melges.
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” Jacques-Yves Cousteau.
“Red Sky in the morning, sailors take warning. Red sky at night, sailors’ delight.” Ancient mariners
“A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind” Webb Chiles, American sailor, poet, and explorer who has circumnavigated the globe five times.
“For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; In this century he is starting to realize that, in order to survive he has to protect it.” Jacques-Yves Cousteau in the 20th Century
I wanted open air, adventures, I found it on the sea” Alain Gerbault
To young men contemplating a voyage, I would say, Go!” Joshua Slocum, the first person to sail single-handedly around the world.
“The days pass happily with me wherever my ship sails” Joshua Slocum
Mariners quotes from anonymous writers
Land was created for boats to visit!
A Sailboat that sails backward can never see the sunrise
“To reach a port we must set sail – sail, not tie at anchor; sail not drift” Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Your autopilot may be your best crew but it will never be your best friend!”
“The sooner we learn how to be jointly responsible, the easier the sailing will be” Ella Maillart, Swiss adventurer, Sportwoman. Early 1900.
“Smell the sea and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly.” Van Morrison Irish Singer – Songwriter
“There are three sorts of people: those who are alive, those who are dead, and those who are at sea” Aristotle – Greek philosopher 384-322 BC
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