"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
Chuck Gould wrote:
On Feb 16, 2:13?pm, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:
A irregular ongoing series of phrases providing conversation resources
for the average boater.

To LAUNCH something - to LAUNCH into:

Derived from the French lancier (to pierce) - the boat pierces the
water.

Historical note: The Vikings, discoverers of America, China, Fiji and
Antarctica in addition to populating Mongolia and Minnesota, tied slaves
to the boat's launch skids to "grease" the way.

Another Norse tradition was sacrificing a virgin on the ways when a
new boat was launched. Red wine was eventally substituted, as it was
deemed easier to find and less costly to waste than a perfectly good
virgin. That's one of a few competing reasons advanced for the use of
wine when a modern vessel is "christened."

Wine which was poured on the bow or into the boat as a "christening"
sometimes blessed as opposed the breakage of the bottle.

I'm pretty sure the Vikings used beer.

More likely Mead. My ancient relatives were not uncouth.