yachts quotes

75+ Best Sailing Quotes for Your Inner Sailor

The freedom that comes with casting off the lines and heading out into open water is something many authors, poets, and explorers have aimed to express in words.

This list contains the best sailing quotes, whether from a famous writer or an avid sailor.

Many of these famous quotes about sailing are inspirational, while others represent the challenges of a sailing lifestyle. Other sayings on the list are sailing metaphors for life – inspiration for all sailors, world travelers, and adventurers!

Find a specfic type of sailing quote in the sections below, or browse all the quotes.

Sail Away Quotes

Below are sailor sayings that express what it feels like to live on the ocean. These quotes make you want to cast off the lines and sail away with no plan for return to port.

1. “There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting, and enslaving than the life at sea.” —  Joseph Conrad, Polish-British Writer

2. “I wanted freedom, open air, and adventure. I found it on the sea.” —  Alaine Gerbault, French Sailor

3. “Smell the sea and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly.” —  Van Morrison, Irish Singer-Songwriter

4. “Flying might not be all plain sailing, but the fun of it is worth the price.” —  Amelia Earhart, American Aviation Pioneer & Author

5. “A man is never lost at sea.” —  Ernest Hemingway, American Writer

6. “It is not that life ashore is distasteful to me. But life at sea is better.” ―  Sir Francis Drake, English Explorer

7. “The days pass happily with me wherever my ship sails.” —   Joshua Slocum, First Person to Single-Hand Circumnavigate

8. “For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), it’s always our self we find in the sea.” — E.E. Cummings, American Poet & Author

9. “To young men contemplating a voyage, I’d say go.” — Joshua Slocum, First Person to Single-Hand Circumnavigate

Inspirational Sailing Quotes

These are our favorite sailing and sailboat quotes that capture the feeling of a day on the water.

10. “A bad day sailing is 100 times better than a good day at work.” —  Unknown

11. “Hark, now hear the sailors cry, smell the sea, and feel the sky let your soul and spirit fly, into the mystic.” — Van Morrison, Northern Irish Singer & Songwriter

12. “It’s out there at sea that you are really yourself.” — Vito Dumas, Argentine Solo Sailor & Circumnavigator

13. “You haven’t lived until you’ve sailed.” — David Sedaris, Theft by Finding: Diaries

14. “The sail, the play of its pulse so like our own lives: so thin and yet so full of life, so noiseless when it labors hardest, so noisy and impatient when least effective.” — Henry David Thoreau, American Poet & Philosopher

15. “On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty.” — Rumi, Persian Poet

16. “Confronting a storm is like fighting God. All the powers in the universe seem to be against you and, in an extraordinary way, your irrelevance is at the same time both humbling and exalting.” — Francis LeGrande

Sailing Quotes About Life

These are our favorite sailing quotes that are metaphors for life and translate to its many challenges and struggles.

17. “The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.” ―  Vincent Van Gogh, Dutch Post-Impressionist Painter

18. “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” ―  Louisa May Alcott, American Poet

19. “If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” ―  Seneca, Roman Philosopher

20. “I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.” ― William Ernest Henley, English Poet & Writer

21. “Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate.” —  Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean

22. “Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” ―  Ralph Waldo Emerson, American Philosopher

23. “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” ―  William Arthur Ward, American Writer

24. “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than those you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ―  Mark Twain, American Writer

25. “On life’s vast ocean, diversely we sail. Reasons the card, but passion the gale.” ―  Alexander Pope, English Poet

26. “One’s destination is never a place, but always a new way of seeing things.” —  Henry Miller, American Writer & Artist

27. “Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” —  Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd U.S. President

28. “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” — Christopher Columbus, Italian Explorer

29. “Any fool can carry on, but a wise man knows how to shorten sail in time.” ―  Joseph Conrad,   Polish-British Writer

30. “There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.” — Willa Cather, American Writer

Cruising Quotes

These quotes are for the full-time cruisers living a life on the water. These are some of our favorite sayings about modern-day life on a sailboat.

31. “To be successful at sea, we must keep things simple.” ―   Pete Culler, Author & Renowned Wooden Boat Builder

32. “Go small, go simple, go now.” ―  Larry Pardey, Sailor & Writer

33. “At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much.” —  Robin Lee Graham, American Sailor

34. “The single commandment of anchoring is ‘thou shall create scope.'” ― Reese Palley, Art Dealer & Circumnavigator

35. “The charm of singlehanded cruising is not solitude, but independence.” — Claud Worth, Master Mariner & Writer

36. “The lovely thing about cruising is that planning usually turns out to be of little use.” —  Dom Degnon, Yacht Broker & Freelance Writer

37. “Cruising is fixing your boat in exotic locations.” —  Unknown

38. “Home is where the anchor drops.” —  Unknown

39. “If you are going to do something, do it now. Tomorrow is too late.”   —  Pete Goss, British Sailor

40. “The planning stage of a cruise is often just as enjoyable as the voyage itself, letting one’s imagination loose on all kinds of possibilities. Yet translating dreams into reality means a lot of practical questions have to be answered.” —  Jimmy Cornell, British Sailor & Author

41. “It’s remarkable how quickly a good and favorable wind can sweep away the maddening frustrations of shore living.” —  Ernest K. Gann, American Sailor & Author

Sailing and Adventure Quotes from Novels

These quotes are from some of our favorite novels. They encapsulate life on the water, the sailing lifestyle, and seeking adventure!

42. “Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates.” —  Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi

43. “To move, to breathe, to fly, to float, to gain all while you give, to roam the roads of lands remote, to travel is to live.” ―  Hans Christian Andersen, The Fairy Tale of My Life: An Autobiography

44. “The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” ―  Christopher McCandless, Into the Wild

45. “The truths of the sea, like the truths of the soul, cannot be reduced to numbers.” ― Webb Chiles, The Ocean Waits

46. “There is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. In or out of ’em, it doesn’t matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that’s the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don’t; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you’re always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you’ve done it there’s always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you’d much better not.” —  Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

Quotes About Ships

Whether as vessels of exploration, symbols of resilience, or metaphors for life’s journey, ships have long captured the esscense of the adventurer’s spirit.

47. “A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.” ―  John A. Shedd, American Author

48. “The goal is not to sail the boat, but rather to help the boat sail herself.” — John Rousmaniere, American Author

49. “It’s not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that’s what a ship needs but what a ship is…what the Black Pearl really is…is freedom.” —  Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean

50. “A sailing vessel is alive in a way that no ship with mechanical power ever be.” ― Aubrey de Selincourt, English Writer

51. “Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made, for somewhere deep in their oaken hearts the soul of a song is laid.” — Robert N. Rose, Poet

Ocean Quotes

These quotes are specifically about the ocean or the sea. If you are a sailor or beach lover, I’m sure you love to romanticize the sea, and these quotes will resonate with you.

52. “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” ―  Jacques Yves Cousteau, French Naval Officer

53. “We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch – we are going back from whence we came.” ―  John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. President

54. “Dance with the waves, move with the sea, let the rhythm of the water set your soul free.” ―  Christy Ann Martine, Canadian Poet

55. “At the beach, life is different. Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by currents, plan by the tides, and follow the sun.” ―  Sandy Gingras, Writer & Illustrator

56. “Every time I slip into the ocean, it’s like going home.” ―  Sylvia Earle, American Marine Biologist

57. “If there’s a heaven for me, I’m sure it has a beach attached to it.” ―  Jimmy Buffett, American Singer-Songwriter

58. “The sea is a desert of waves, a wilderness of water.” —  Langston Hughes, American Poet

Funny Sailing Quotes

This selection features funny sailing quotes from poets, writers, and modern-day cruisers, that explore the lighter side of life at sea.

59. “Sailing – The fine art of slowly going nowhere at great expense while being cold, wet, and miserable.” — Irv Heller

60. “The sea speaks a language polite people never repeat. It is a colossal scavenger slang and has no respect.” — Carl Sandburg, American Poet

61. “Any damn fool can navigate the world sober. It takes a really good sailor to do it drunk.” —  Sir Francis Chichester, Sailor & Author (First Man to Single-Hand Circumnavigate Non-Stop)

62. “Later down the road of life, I made the discovery that salt water was also good for the mental abrasions one inevitably acquires on land.” — Jimmy Buffett, American Singer-Songwriter (A Pirate Looks at Fifty)

63. “Only two sailors, in my experience, never ran aground. One never left port, and the other was an atrocious liar.” —  Don Bamford, Sailor & Author

64. “The chance for mistakes is about equal to the number of crew squared.” — Ted Turner, Entrepreneur & America’s Cup Winner

65. “Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit.” ‍‍— Brooks Atkinson, American Theatre Critic

66. “When the draught of your vessel exceeds the depth of the water, you are most assuredly, aground.” — Ian Walsh

67. “A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind. Live passionately, even if it kills you, because something is going to kill you anyway.” — Webb Chiles , Writer & Sailor

68. “Being hove to in a long gale is the most boring way of being terrified, I know.” — Donald Hamilton, American Writer

69. “If we get lost, we’ll just pull in somewhere and ask directions.” — Captain Ron Rico (Captain Ron)

70. “The only way to get a good crew is to marry one.” — Eric Hiscock, British Sailor & Author

Sailing Quotes from Movies

These unforgettable sailing quotes are all from the silver screen, where the sea has played a starring role in captivating audiences for decades.

71. “A diesel loves her oil same as a sailor loves rum.” — Captain Ron Rico (Captain Ron)

72. “It’s not just sails and knots, it’s seeing where you’re going in your mind. Knowing where you are by knowing where you’ve been.” — Maui (Moana)

73. “You know, there have been more people in space than have sailed around the world. I didn’t even know it was something you can do, but you can, and I want to. ‘Cause I’m an adventurer.” — Jessica Watson (True Spirit)

74. “You can’t run from the wind. You trim your sails, face the music, and keep going.”  — Captain Christopher “Skipper” Sheldon (White Squall)

75. “Now…bring me that horizon.” —  Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean)

76. “But it ain’t all buttons and charts, little albatross. You know what the first rule of flying is? Love. You can learn all the math in the ‘Verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don’t love, she’ll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells you she’s hurtin’ ‘fore she keens. Makes her a home.” — Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Serenity)

READ NEXT: Check out many of the movies that feature these quotes on our sailing movies list .

Share your favorite sailing quotes.

I hope you were inspired or even nodded along in agreement with some of the sailor sayings on this list.

I’m sure I’m missing some other famous sailing quotes, so feel free to leave your favorite nautical saying in the comments below or even a personal quote that resonates with you!

RELATED ARTICLES

If you liked this list of sailing quotes, you will find many of these authors, songwriters, and actors on our other lists below.

• 25 Epic Sailing Songs for Sailors & Modern-Day Pirates
• 35 Inspiring Books for Sailors
• 17 Best Sailing Movies & Documentaries
• 51 Inspiring Camping Quotes & Captions

Hungry for more sailing inspiration?

Check out our lists of sailing movies, songs, books, and more to inspire this lifestyle.

Like this post? Save it on Pinterest for later.

Or view our web stories.

Morgan, the founder of The Home That Roams, has been living nomadically for over five years. She began her journey traveling across the U.S. in a motorhome and cruising on a liveaboard sailing catamaran. Currently, she lives full-time in a travel trailer, sharing resources on RV living and boat life to help others downsize their lives and thrive in an alternative lifestyle.

Id rather be lost at sea then found at work…..Anon.

I can definitely relate to this one!

The cost of good navigation is constant vigilance.

All sailors of all sorts are more or less capricious and unreliable. They live in the varying outer weather and inhale its fickleness – and when retained for any object remote and blank in the pursuit, however promissory of life and passion in the end, it is above all things requisite that temporary interests and employments should intervene to hold them healthily suspended for the final dash. – Herman Melville, Moby Dick

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The 101 Most Inspiring Sailing QuotesFor Your Next Adventure

Looking for the best sailing quotes.

Sailing is one of the oldest and most captivating activities in history, so there are a whole lot of sailing quotes all over the internet. You’ll find quotes from famous authors, poets, songwriters, and actors, everyone has something to say about sailing and we don’t blame them!

With every passing year, more people are turning to sailing as a way to find respite from their everyday routines – and as they do, an increasing number of inspiring sailing songs and quotes about sailing have been shared by adventurers around the world.

Perhaps we need to get adding to the list as we embark on our fifth year of living on a sailboat!

In this blog post we’ll explore some of these sailing quotes. Most of them are great for Instagram captions (I know, I’ve used a lot of them!) or you can write them in the front of books when you gift them to people.

Or you can just read and enjoy! It’s totally up to you!

Famous Sailing Quotes

These are timeless sailing quotes that you’re likely to see over and over again, and for good reason. Some of these famous quotes are our absolute favourites!

• “A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.” John A. Shedd, American Author
• “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” Louisa May Alcott, American Poe t
• “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than those you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain, American Writer
• “One’s destination is never a place, but always a new way of seeing things.” Henry Miller, American Writer & Artist
• “Smell the sea and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly.” Van Morrison, Irish Singer-Songwriter
• “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” William Arthur Ward, American Writer
• “Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd U.S. President
• “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” Christopher Columbus, Italian Explorer
• “A man is never lost at sea.” Ernest Hemingway, American Writer
• “If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” Seneca, Roman Philosopher
• “A bad day sailing is 100 times better than a good day at work.” Unknown
• “I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.” William Ernest Henley
• “How inappropriate it is to call this planet Earth, when clearly it is Sea.” Arthur C. Clarke
• “The good seaman weathers the storm he cannot avoid and avoids the storm he cannot weather.” Unknown

Sailing Quotes About Freedom

These quotes will be sure to instill that feeling of freedom and adventure that you find when you’re out sailing. Warning – reading these may well encourage you to head off on a sailing adventure of your own!

15. “It is not that life ashore is distasteful to me. But life at sea is better.” Sir Francis Drake, English Explorer

16. “The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.” Vincent Van Gogh, Dutch Post-Impressionist Painter

17. “I wanted freedom, open air, and adventure. I found it on the sea.” Alaine Gerbault, French Sailor

18. “The days pass happily with me wherever my ship sails.” Joshua Slocum, First Person to Single-Hand Circumnavigate

19. “Home is where the anchor drops.” Unknown

20. “It’s remarkable how quickly a good and favorable wind can sweep away the maddening frustrations of shore living.” Ernest K. Gann, American Sailor & Author

21 “On life’s vast ocean, diversely we sail. Reasons the card, but passion the gale.” Alexander Pope, English Poet

22 “Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit.” Brooks Atkinson

23. “There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting, and enslaving than the life at sea.” Joseph Conrad, Polish-British Writer

24. “Flying might not be all plain sailing, but the fun of it is worth the price.” Amelia Earhart, American Aviation Pioneer & Author

25. “For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), it’s always our self we find in the sea.” E.E. Cummings, American Poet & Author

26. “A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind. Live passionately, even if it kills you, because something is going to kill you anyway.” Webb Chiles

27. “The sail, the play of its pulse so like our own lives: so thin and yet so full of life, so noiseless when it labors hardest, so noisy and impatient when least effective.” Henry David Thoreau, American Poet & Philosopher

28. “On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty.” Rumi

Weathering Storms Quotes

Sailors face some pretty tough conditions out there, and some great quotes have come from those reflecting on the strength and courage that storms at sea have given them. Sailing can be dangerous . These sailing quotes are great life quotes as well.

29. “There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.” Willa Cather, American Writer

30. “Confronting a storm is like fighting God. All the powers in the universe seem to be against you and, in an extraordinary way, your irrelevance is at the same time both humbling and exalting.” Francis LeGrande

31. “The most challenging times bring us the most empowering lessons.” Karen Salmansohn

32. “The sea finds out everything you did wrong.” Francis Stokes

33. “Any fool can carry on, but a wise man knows how to shorten sail in time.” Joseph Conrad, Polish-British Writer

34. “The sea speaks a language polite people never repeat. It is a colossal scavenger slang and has no respect.” Carl Sandburg

Cruising Quotes

Our favourite sailing quotes sum up what life is really like as a full-time cruiser. It’s not always glamorous, but it’s always an adventure.

If you’re thinking of becoming a full-time liveaboard then we’ve got the ultimate guide for you . Go from landlubber to salty sea dog in no time!

35. “The goal is not to sail the boat, but rather to help the boat sail herself.” John Rousmaniere, American Author

36. “There is no better tool or equipment you can have on board than a well-trained crew.” Larry Pardey , Sailor

37. “A sailing vessel is alive in a way that no ship with mechanical power ever be.” Aubrey de Selincourt

38. “Only two sailors, in my experience, never ran aground. One never left port and the other was an atrocious liar.” Don Bamford, Sailor & Author

39. “We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” Ernest Hemingway

40. “If you are going to do something, do it now. Tomorrow is too late.” Pete Goss, British Sailor

41. “To be successful at sea, we must keep things simple.” Pete Culler, Author & Renowned Wooden Boat Builder

42. “Go small, go simple, go now.” Larry Pardey, Sailor & Writer

43. “To desire nothing beyond what you have is surely happiness. Aboard a boat, it is frequently possible to achieve just that. That is why sailing is a way of life, one of the finest of lives.” Carleton Mitchell

44. “At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much.” Robin Lee Graham, American Sailor

45. “The lovely thing about cruising is that planning usually turns out to be of little use.” Dom Degnon, Freelance Writer

46. “Cruising is fixing your boat in exotic locations.” Unknown

Sailing Quotes From Novels

Nothing quite matches the feeling of waking up on a sailboat or yacht in the middle of an ocean and living life at its most adventurous.

Sailing quotes from books and novels demonstrate that this kind of experience has been inspiring adventure seekers for decades, expressed by writers who want to capture the unique freedom only found while sailing.

Whether you are just getting started with your sailing journey, or have a lifetime’s worth of experiences, these classic quotes will reconnect you to what makes such an activity so special!

47. “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” Ernest Hemingway

48. “I was amazed that what I needed to survive could be carried on my back. And, most surprising of all, that I could carry it.” Cheryl Strayed

49. “Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates.” Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi

50. “Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made, for somewhere deep in their oaken hearts the soul of a song is laid.” Robert N. Rose 

51. “To move, to breathe, to fly, to float, To gain all while you give, To roam the roads of lands remote, To travel is to live.” Hans Christian Andersen, The Fairy Tale of My Life: An Autobiography

52. “I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe. I was strong. I was brave. Nothing could vanquish me.” Cheryl Strayed, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

53. “The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” Christopher McCandless, Into the Wild

Sailing Quotes From The Movies

A love for sailing often stirs within us when the wind picks up and we smell the salty sea. Movies have captured the allure of setting sail, taking that adventurous voyage across a vast ocean, and embracing what lies beyond.

Here is a collection of some of our favorite sailing quotes from the movies – motivating you to get out on open waters!

Whether you’re trying to motivate yourself to jump on an upcoming journey or just appreciate a beautiful day at sea, these sailing lines will undoubtedly hit close to home.

Here’s your invitation: suit up, let down your sails, drop anchor, and join us as we explore these famous words with our inspirational takeaways. Let’s set sail!

Top tip: Watch some of the best sailing YouTube channels to get inspired!

54. “Not all treasure is silver and gold.” Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean

55. “They say home is where the heart is, and for most people that consists of four walls and a welcome mat. But for me, it’s the ocean, with the warmth of the sun on my skin.” Bethany Hamilton Soul Surfer

56. “Now…bring me that horizon.” Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean

57. “The ocean doesn’t help you. You help yourself!” Dwayne Johnson (as Maui), Moana 

58. “It’s not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that’s what a ship needs but what a ship is…what the Black Pearl really is…is freedom.” Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean

Quotes About The Ocean

With the vastness of the ocean and its many mysteries, it’s no surprise that people have been writing about this enchanting body of water for centuries.

From ancient Greek philosophers to modern-day songwriters, each quote captures something different and provides an interesting perspective on this seemingly endless expanse of blue.

Whether you’re looking for inspiration on how to appreciate the beauty of nature or simply need a reminder to savor life’s little moments, read ahead to discover some insightful quotes about the ocean.

Or if you’re looking for something more short and snappy you’ll be wanting the best ocean captions for Instagram .

59. “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” Jacques Yves Cousteau, French Naval Officer

60. “When your life is moving too fast and you find yourself in chaos, introduce yourself to each color of the sunset.” Christy Ann Martine

61. “We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch – we are going back from whence we came.” John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. President

62. “Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, American Philosopher

63. “At the beach, life is different. Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by currents, plan by the tides, and follow the sun.” Sandy Gingras, Writer & Illustrator

64. “Dance with the waves, move with the sea, let the rhythm of the water set your soul free.” Christy Ann Martine, Canadian Poet

65. “If there’s a heaven for me, I’m sure it has a beach attached to it.” Jimmy Buffett, American Singer-Songwriter

66. “Every time I slip into the ocean, it’s like going home.” Sylvia Earle, American Marine Biologist

67. “The sea is a desert of waves, a wilderness of water.” Langston Hughes, American Poet

Quotes To Encourage You To Untie The Docklines

Have you ever had a burning desire to strike out on your own but were too afraid or held back by the safety and security of staying within the confines of what’s comfortable?

Maybe it was a job, maybe it was a relationship, or perhaps you yearned for exploration – whatever it may be, know that you’re not alone. The uncertainty and fear associated with leaving comfort zones is felt by many.

To provide some motivation on your journey, here are some inspiring quotes to encourage you to untie those docklines and let the current take hold!

68. “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.” T.S. Eliot

69. “Don’t be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try.” Michael Jordan

70. “In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take.” Lewis Carroll

71. “If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet.” Rachel Wolchin

72. “No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.” Helen Keller

73. “You can. You should. And if you are brave enough to start, you will.” Stephen King

74. “Until you step into the unknown, you don’t know what you’re made of.” Roy T. Bennett

75. “I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.” Mary Anne Radmacher

76. “It feels good to be lost in the right direction.” Anonymous

77. “And after two days in civilization we realized we could never stay for long and started to plan our next adventure.” Bob Bitchin (Letters from the Lost Soul)

78. “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” Christopher Robin

79. “Jobs fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul.” Jaime Lyn

Short Sailing Quotes For Instagram

Feel free to pair these quotes with your favorite sailing photos for a touch of inspiration and adventure on your Instagram feed! ⛵️📸✨

80. “Sail away into the horizon and let your worries drift away.” ⛵️✨

81. “Life’s roughest storms prove the strength of our anchors.” ⚓️💪

82. “Smooth seas never made skilled sailors.” 🌊⛵️

83. “Every adventure requires a first step. Mine was setting sail.” 🌟⛵️

84. “Find your direction and set sail towards your dreams.” 🌅⛵️

85. “The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination, and brings eternal joy to the soul.” 🌊❤️

86. “Sail with the wind, explore the unknown, and embrace the journey.” 🌬️⛵️

87. “In the waves of change, we find our true direction.” 🌊🧭

88. “Life is better on a boat.” 🚤💙

89. “Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ⛵️✨

90. “The ocean is calling, and I must go.” 🌊⛵️

91. “Saltwater heals everything.” 🌊💙

92. “Sailors have the best stories.” ⚓️📖

93. “Life is a journey. Enjoy the sail.” ⛵️✨

94. “Let the sea set you free.” 🌊⚓️

95. “Wind in my sails, salt in my veins.” 🌬️⛵️

96. “Sail more, worry less.” ⛵️😌

97. “Sailing is the ultimate freedom.” ⛵️🌅

98. “Adventure awaits where the sea meets the sky.” 🌊🌌

99. “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor, but it sure makes for a great day on the water.” 🌊⛵️

100. “Life’s a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” 🎶⛵️

101. “Happiness comes in waves.” 🌊😊

Conclusion: The Best Sailing Quotes

The best sailing quotes can provide guidance to help any sailor out on the open sea. These quotes range from statements of encouragement to lessons of caution; they provide advice and inspiration that can be appreciated by anyone who loves sailing and exploring the open water.

Even seasoned sailors may find the motivation to push further in the waves after reading these insightful words. You never know when you may need a bit of extra courage and resolve to reach your goals.

No matter what your sailing aspirations are, keep peace within yourself, sail with passion, and hold high hopes for all your upcoming voyages!

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The 74 Best Sailing Quotes

Ever since its inception, sailing has been linked to a sense of freedom and drive for adventure out on the sea. For many centuries, sailors were considered to be bold and courageous people willing to risk their lives for fortune and honor.

Many people have tried to express the freedom and enjoyment of sailing through words and quotes.

Many great men and women have fallen in love with sailing over the years, giving birth to a practically endless series of funny, happy and inspirational quotes.

Below you will find a comprehensive list of our personal favorites.

Inspirational Sailing Quotes

Our favorite inspirational sailing quotes to get you inspired and motivated are below.

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than those you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ‍ ‍-Mark Twain

“You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore” ‍ ‍-Christopher Columbus

“Sailors, with their built-in sense of order, service and discipline, should really be running the world.” ‍ ‍-Nicholas Monsarrat

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” ‍ ‍-William Arthur Ward

“A bad day sailing is 100 times better than a good day at work.” ‍ ‍-An Unknown Sailor

“Who is staring at the sea is already sailing a little” ‍ ‍-Paul Carvel

“There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.” ‍ ‍-Willa Cather

“I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky. And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.” ‍ ‍-John Masefield

“To be successful at sea we must keep things simple.” ‍ ‍-Pete Culler

“The sea is the same as it has been since before men ever went on it in boats.” ‍ ‍-Ernest Hemingway

“Nothing comes sailing by itself” ‍ ‍-Alexander Dale Oen

“The goal is not to sail the boat, but rather to help the boat sail herself” ‍ ‍-John Rousmaniere

“Until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore, you will not know the terror of being forever lost at sea.” ‍ ‍-Charles Cook

“A ship in the harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for.” ‍ ‍-William Sheed

“To young men contemplating a voyage I would say go” ‍ ‍-Joshua Slocum

“To desire nothing beyond what you have is surely happiness. Aboard a boat, it is frequently possible to achieve just that. That is why sailing is a way of life, one of the finest of lives.” ‍ ‍-Carleton Mitchell

“What can we gain by sailing to the moon if we are not able to cross the abyss that separates us from ourselves? This is the most important of all voyages of discovery, and without it, all the rest are not only useless, but disastrous.” ‍ ‍-Thomas Merton

“I wanted freedom, open air and adventure. I found it on the sea.” ‍ ‍-Alain Gerbault

“There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting, and enslaving than the life at sea.” ‍ ‍-Joseph Conrad

“To reach a port we must set sail - Sail, not tie at anchor - Sail, not drift.” ‍ ‍-Franklin D. Roosevelt

“The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.” ‍ ‍-Vincent Van Gogh

“If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” ‍ ‍-Lucius Annaeus Seneca

“Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.” ‍ ‍-Fitzhugh Dodson

“Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.” ‍ ‍-Syrus Publilius

“Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” ‍ ‍-African proverb

“Can't control the wind but I can adjust the sail.” ‍ ‍-Ricky Skaggs

“We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn topsail in high winds.” ‍ ‍-Aristotle Onassis

“He who lets the sea lull him into a sense of security is in very grave danger.” ‍ ‍-Hammond Ines

“Sailing is just the bottom line, like adding up the score in bridge. My real interest is in the tremendous game of life.” ‍ ‍-Dennis Conner

“Thought is the wind, knowledge the sail, and mankind the vessel.” ‍ ‍-Augustus Hare

“No literature is richer than that of the sea. No story is more enthralling, no tradition is more secure.” ‍ ‍-Felix Riesenberg

“The man who has experienced shipwreck shudders even at a calm sea.” ‍ ‍-Ovid

“There is but a plank between a sailor and eternity.” ‍ ‍-Thomas Gibbons

“At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much.” ‍ ‍-Robin Graham

“The lovely thing about cruising is that planning usually turns out to be of little use.” ‍ ‍-Dom Degnon

“I cannot not sail” ‍ ‍-E. B. White

“The art of the sailor is to leave nothing to chance” ‍ ‍-Annie Van De Wiele

“When all seems to be against you, remember, a ship sometimes has to sail against the current, not with it.” ‍ ‍-Matshona Dhliwayo

“In a calm sea, every man is a pilot.” ‍ ‍-John Ray

Happy Sailing Quotes

Below are our favorite sailing quotes that will make you happy.

“Never in my life before have I experienced such beauty, and fear at the same time.” ‍ ‍-Ellen MacArthur

“The days pass happily with me wherever my ship sails.” ‍ ‍-Joshua Slocum

“Mackerel skies and mares tails, soon will be time to shorten sails” ‍ ‍-Sailors Proverb

“Sailing a boat calls for quick action, a blending of feeling with the wind and water as well as with the very heart and soul of the boat itself. Sailing teaches alertness and courage, and gives in return a joyousness and peace that but few sports afford.” ‍ ‍-George Matthew Adams

“Success soon palls. The joyous time is when the breeze first strikes your sails, and the waters rustle under your bows.” ‍ ‍-Charles Buxton

“Instead of sailing off into the sunset, he hopes to sail into the next century.” ‍ ‍-Dave Anderson

“I am a citizen of the most beautiful nation on earth, a nation whose laws are harsh yet simple, a nation that never cheats, which is immense and without borders, where life is lived in the present. In this limitless nation, this nation of wind, light, and peace, there is no other ruler besides the sea.” ‍ ‍-Bernard Moitessier

“You haven't lived until you've sailed.” ‍ ‍-David Sedaris

“It is not that life ashore is distasteful to me. But life at sea is better.” ‍ ‍-Sir Francis Drake

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” ‍ ‍-Jacques Yves Cousteau

“The wind and the waves are always on the side of the ablest navigator.” ‍ ‍-Edmund Gibbon

“Sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind. Live passionately, even if it kills you, because something is going to kill you anyway.” ‍ ‍-Webb Chiles

“I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it - but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.” ‍ ‍-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

“It is not the ship so much as the skillful sailing that assures the prosperous voyage.” ‍ ‍-George William Curtis

“For the most part, a sailboat navigates through its world of wind and water not leaving a single trace of its passage. Nothing is consumed. Nothing is altered. The winds and the water are left in exactly the same condition for the next user. Sailing is forever.” ‍ ‍-Michael B. McPhee

“Wonders are many, and none is more wonderful than the power that crosses the white sea, driven by the stormy wind, making a path under surges that threaten to engulf him.” ‍ ‍-Sophocles

“The planning stage of a cruise is often just as enjoyable as the voyage itself, letting ones imagination loose on all kinds of possibilities. Yet translating dreams into reality means a lot of practical questions have to be answered.” ‍ ‍-Jimmy Cornell

“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

“And after two days in civilization we realized we could never stay for long and started to plan our next adventure.” ‍ ‍-Bob Bitchin

“Sail Now, Work Later” ‍ ‍-An Unknown Sailor

Funny Sailing Quotes

Below are our favorite funny sailing quotes that will make you laugh.

“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Give him a fishing lesson and he'll sit in a boat drinking beer every weekend.” ‍ ‍-Alex Blackwell

“Any damn fool can navigate the world sober. It takes a really good sailor to do it drunk.” ‍ ‍-Sir Francis Chichester

“When a man comes to like a sea life, he is not fit to live on land.” ‍ ‍-Dr. Samuel Johnson

“The cure for anything is saltwater - sweat, tears, or the sea.” ‍ ‍-Isak Dinesen

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.” ‍ ‍-Charles Davis

“Sailing – The fine art of slowly going nowhere at great expense while being cold, wet and miserable.” ‍ ‍-Irv Heller

“The only way to get a good crew is to marry one.” ‍ ‍-Eric Hiscock

“Only two sailors, in my experience, never ran aground. One never left port and the other was an atrocious liar.” ‍ ‍-Don Bamford

“Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit.” ‍ ‍-Brooks Atkinson

“Thing about boats is, you can always sell them if you don't like them. Can't sell kids.” ‍ ‍-Lin Pardey

Sad Sailing Quotes

Below are our favorite sad sailing quotes that are deeply thoughtful.

“As we sail through life, don't avoid rough waters, sail on because calm waters won't make a skillful sailor.” ‍ ‍-Unknown

“The ocean has taken everything from me and yet I still love her.” ‍ ‍-Unknown

“Only the guy who isn't rowing has time to rock the boat.” ‍ ‍-Jean-Paul Sartre

These are our favorite sailing quotes to get you inspired, motivated and happy.

Some of these quotes are deeply thoughtful whilst others are more light- hearted and funny.

What's your favorite quote?

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Pearls of wisdom: 20 most inspiring sailing quotes ever

• Katy Stickland

We all need some inspiration from time to time. These quotes by sailing legends and enthusiasts have inspired us all at YBW since we launched 20 years ago

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“Any damn fool can navigate the world sober. It takes a really good sailor to do it drunk.”  Sir Francis Chichester  

“Every single day since I heard that tap-tapping and knew I had survived, I have told myself I am lucky to be alive. Why go back? Because I’m a racing sailor; that’s what I do. I love the sea, and I love competition. You don’t give up on life just because you once had a narrow shave from death.”  Tony Bullimore

“My mother, when asked for her opinion of the voyage before I sailed, had replied that she considered it ‘totally irresponsible’ and on this Christmas Day I began to think she was right. I was sailing round the world simply because I bloody well wanted to – and, I realised, I was thoroughly enjoying myself.”  Robin Knox-Johnston

“The day passes happily with me wherever my ship sails.”  Joshua Slocum

“The art of the sailor is to leave nothing to chance.”  Annie Van De Wiele

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“I really don’t know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea, except I think it’s because in addition to the fact that the sea changes, and the light changes, and ships change, it’s because we all came from the sea. And it is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea – whether it is to sail or to watch it – we are going back from whence we came. ”  John F. Kennedy

“There have been times on this trip I’ve been convinced that GPS was wrong.”   Chris Robb

“Calm sailing doesn’t come from calm waters, it comes from having a good navigator; a good crew and a good vessel.”  Anthony T. Hincks

“It’s out there at sea that you are really yourself.”   Vito Dumas

“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.”  L. Francis Herreshoff

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“The charm of singlehanded cruising is not solitude, but independence.”  Claud Worth

“When you are in a huge storm, and you’ve set the boat up for the winds, and the autopilot is steering the boat, there’s nothing to do apart from stand there and watch the walls of water breaking around you; it’s an awesome sight.”  Emma Richards

“In splicing, practice makes perfect, and in the doing you will learn more than from reading any ten books on the subject.”  Hervey Garrett Smith

“The only way to get a good crew is to marry one.”  Eric Hiscock

“To win, you have to believe you can do it. You have to be passionate about it. You have to really ‘want’ the result – even if this means years of work. The hardest part of any big project is to begin.”  Sir Peter Blake

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“When you spend so much time pushing, caring for, cajoling and maintaining a beautiful racing machine like this, you get very close. She’s looked after me well, and I look after her. I haven’t been lonely at all.”  Ellen MacArthur

“The chance of mistakes are about equal to the number of crew squared.”   Ted Turner

“The desire to build a house is the tired wish of a man content thenceforward with a single anchorage. The desire to build a boat is the desire of youth, unwilling yet to accept the idea of a final resting place.”  Arthur Ransome

“I want a boat that drinks six, eats four, and sleeps two.”  Ernest K. Gann

“A sailing ship is no democracy; you don’t caucus a crew as to where you’ll go anymore than you inquire when they’d like to shorten sail.”  Sterling Hayden

• Sailor's anthem: Nautical quotes and sayings that set sail

The sea has long been a muse for poets, writers, and dreamers. Whether it's the calm waters reflecting the sky's hues or the tumultuous waves crashing against the shore, the sea's moods and mysteries have inspired profound quotes. We dive into the treasure trove of literary gems that pay homage to the vastness and unpredictability of the ocean.

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Onboard a ship, sailors have their own language—a unique blend of slang and terminology that fosters a sense of community and camaraderie. Dive into the fascinating world of sailor slang, from "landlubber" to "aye aye, captain!" Learn the meanings behind these colorful expressions and how they bring the crew together.

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Famous sailing quotes and sayings

Throughout history, sailing has captured the imagination of adventurers, philosophers, and writers. We delve into the words of luminaries such as Mark Twain, Herman Melville, and Joshua Slocum, who beautifully captured the essence of sailing in their quotes. These quotes not only celebrate the thrill of exploration but also reflect on the profound experiences of life at sea.

Inspirational quotes for sailors

Sailing isn't just a journey across the water—it's a metaphor for life itself. Inspirational quotes for sailors remind us of the lessons learned from the sea: resilience, adaptability, and the courage to face the unknown. We gather uplifting quotes that inspire sailors to set their course with confidence and determination.

Humorous sailboat quotes and sayings

Sailing isn't all serious business—there's plenty of room for humor on the high seas. Humorous sailboat quotes and sayings inject laughter into maritime life. From witty observations about navigation mishaps to playful jabs at the unpredictability of the wind, we highlight the lighthearted side of sailing.

Boat at sea.

Quotes of the sea: Capturing the essence of sailing

• "A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor." - Franklin D. Roosevelt
• "The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." - William Arthur Ward
• "The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Yves Cousteau
• "To reach a port, we must sail—sail, not tie at anchor—sail, not drift." - Franklin D. Roosevelt
• "I can't control the wind, but I can adjust the sails." - Ricky Skaggs
• "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen
• "The best way to observe a fish is to become a fish." - Jacques Yves Cousteau
• "Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do." - Mark Twain
• "Every time I stand before a beautiful beach, its waves seem to whisper to me: If you choose the simple things and find joy in nature's simple treasures, life and living need not be so hard." - Psyche Roxas-Mendoza
• "He that will learn to pray, let him go to sea." - George Herbert
• "A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind." - Webb Chiles
• "The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination, and brings eternal joy to the soul." - Wyland
• "Sailing a boat calls for quick action, a blending of feeling with the wind and water as well as with the very heart and soul of the boat itself." - George Matthew Adams
• "The sea has never been friendly to man. At most, it has been the accomplice of human restlessness." - Joseph Conrad
• "There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting, and enslaving than the life at sea." - Joseph Conrad

These quotes encapsulate the beauty, challenges, and allure of sailing and the sea.

So what are you waiting for? Take a look at our range of charter boats and head to some of our favourite sailing destinations .

FAQs about nautical quotes

Sailing Quotes: 50+ Sayings About the Ocean

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ OUR DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.

Last Updated on October 9, 2021 by Amy

Whether you are just starting out and learning how to sail or have completed a world circumnavigation like us , sometimes it helps to be reminded why we do this. There are many benefits to the cruising life, and some inspirational words always help me get there. And at the moment, they make me miss cruising! That’s why I’ve compiled a list of over fifty sailing quotes to remind me how great – or how impactful, awe-inspiring, and essential the cruising life can be.

Are you just starting out? Or are you in the slumps about cruising? I hope some of these quotes about the sailing and cruising life will make you laugh, think, or even, dare I say it, want to go sailing.

Table of Contents - Click to Jump

Inspirational Boat Quotes

“To reach a port we must set sail – Sail, not tie at anchor. Sail, not drift.” ― Franklin D. Roosevelt

“I can’t control the wind but I can adjust the sail.” ―  Ricky Skaggs

“You must never despise the port you were born because no matter how small or how bad it is, it is the place you have started sailing to the universe!” ―  Mehmet Murat ildan

“We each have our oceans and seas that we travel on.” ―  Anthony T Hincks

“No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed to an uncharted land or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.” ― Helen Keller

“We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch – we are going back from whence we came.” ― John F Kennedy

“I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky. And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.” ― John Masefield

Dark Subjects

“She watched the gap between ship and shore grow to a huge gulf. Perhaps this was a little like dying, the departed no longer visible to the others, yet both still existed, only in different worlds.” ― Susan Wiggs, The Charm School

“Sometimes I pretend I’m an anchor because there’s a difference between sinking and drowning.” ―  R.I.D. Inkskinned

“When  Predator  sailed into war, she  sang . The rapid winds and rising shrieks suddenly blended into a single harmonious tone. Lines in the rigging and the yards and the masts themselves quivered in time, and began giving off their own notes of music, in harmony with one another. As the speed increased, the chord rose and rose, and built and  built , until it reached a crescendo of pure, eerie, inhuman fury. Grimm  felt  the music rise around him, felt the ship straining eagerly to her task, and his own heart raced in fierce exultation in time with her. Every line of the ship, every smudge upon her decks, every stain upon the leathers of his aeronauts leapt into his mind in vibrant detail. He could feel the ship’s motion, forward and down, could feel the wind of her passage, could feel the rising terror of his crew. One of the men screamed–one of them always did–and then the entire crew joined in with  Predator , shrieking their battle cries together with their ship’s. The ship would not fail them–Grimm knew it; he felt it, the way he could feel sunlight on his face or the rake of wind in his hair.” ―  Jim Butcher,  The Aeronaut’s Windlass

“So there you have it: hearing voices at sea is not a pathological condition. It’s quite normal. Welcome to the world of illusions at sea. Of mirages, looming, towering, stooping and sinking. Of moons that change size, suns that change shape, horizons that bend, lights that change colour, and sounds that play hide and seek. Of waves that speak, ships that effervesce and whales that turn into baby elephants. For the sea has a lobsterpot full of tricks and illusions to confuse and beguile even the most rational 21st century sailor.” ―  Nic Compton,  Off the Deep End: A History of Madness at Sea

“For I say there is no other thing that is worse than the sea is for breaking a man, even though he may be a very strong one.” ―  Homer

“Sail through the good days, and on bad days pick a spot of blue sky to steer toward.” ―  Richelle E. Goodrich,  Making Wishes

Practical Sailing Quotes

“Go small, go simple, go now” ―  Larry Pardey,  Cruising in Seraffyn

“She found out that having something to do prevented you from feeling seasick, and that even a job like scrubbing a deck could be satisfying, if it was done in a seamanlike way. She was very taken with this notion, and later on she folded the blankets on her bunk in a seamanlike way, and put her possessions in the closet in a seamanlike way, and used ‘stow’ instead of ‘tidy’ for the process of doing so. After two days at sea, Lyra decided that this was the life for her.” ―  Philip Pullman,  The Golden Compass

“A small boat that sails the river is better than a large ship that sinks in the sea.” ―  Matshona Dhliwayo

Humorous Yacht Sayings

“Thing about boats is, you can always sell them if you don’t like them. Can’t sell kids.” ―  Lin Pardey,  Bull Canyon: A Boatbuilder, a Writer and Other Wildlife

“For those of you who wish to get a feel for it, get in the car and bring it up to fifty miles an hour and then stick your head and arms outside and, while driving, try to fold up a simple bath towel in the wind” ―  Gary Paulsen,  Caught by the Sea: My Life on Boats

“Charter boats are like books with no covers.” ―  Tania Aebi

“One of the reasons there are so many terms for conditions of ice is that the mariners observing it were often trapped in it, and had nothing to do except look at it.” ―  Alec Wilkinson,  The Ice Balloon: S. A. Andrée and the Heroic Age of Arctic Exploration

“The winds of fortune tend to favour the sails of those who politely yell out to it, ‘Nice to meet you!” ―  Nabil Sabio Azadi

“You don’t throw a compass overboard because the ocean is calm.” ―  Matshona Dhliwayo

The Joys of Sailing Quotes

“Seas were meant to be sailed by those with salt in their veins, and love in their heart.” ―  Anthony T.Hincks

“I wanted freedom, open air, adventure. I found it on the sea.” ― Alain Gerbault

“Sailing unties the knots in my mind.” ― Al Noble

To some it’s just water. To me, it’s where I regain my sanity. ― Anonymous

“A sailing vessel is alive in a way that no ship with mechanical power ever be.” ― Aubrey de Selincourt

“There is no more thrilling sensation I know of than sailing. It comes as near to flying as man has got to yet – except in dreams.” ―  Jerome K. Jerome,  Three Men in a Boat

“Just because a sea is calm doesn’t mean that you can believe in its stillness.” ―  Anthony T. Hincks

“When I’m out sailing, I don’t wonder what heaven is like because I know.” ―  Anthony T. Hincks

It is not that life ashore is distasteful to me. But life at sea is better. ― Sir Francis Drake

The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. ― Jacques Yves Cousteau

There’s nothing like lying flat on your back on the deck, alone except for the helmsman aft at the wheel, silence except for the lapping of the sea against the side of the ship. At that time you can be equal to Ulysses and brother to him. ― Errol Flynn

“Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be Pirates” —Mark Twain

“That’s what a ship is, you know—it’s not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that’s what a ship needs. But what a ship is, really is, is freedom.” ― Captain Jack Sparrow, “Pirates of the Caribbean”

“You haven’t lived until you’ve sailed” ―  David Sedaris,  Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002

“Sometimes you need to tether your boats to stop them from following your dreams.” ―  Anthony T. Hincks

There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. ― Kenneth Grahame

“The ocean’s currents are a turbulent emotion which man has yet to come to terms with.” ―  Anthony T. Hincks

“If you are a boat that wants to sail in windy weather, you must be more stubborn than the waves!” ―  Mehmet Murat ildan

“We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds.” ― Aristotle Onassis

A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for. ― William Shedd

“Storms draw out something out of us that calm seas don’t.” ― Bill Hybels

“I hate storms, but calms undermine my spirits.” ― Bernard Moitessier

The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore. ― Vincent Van Gogh

“The only ship you can truly steer in this ocean is the one you’re sailing. Quit trying to alter the winds; harness them.” ―  Richelle E. Goodrich,  Making Wishes

“The wind does not change, the wind only blows and gusts, and it swells and swirls, and it whispers.” ―  Christopher X. Shade,  The Good Mother of Marseille

“Maria didn’t fear the sea but, as taught by her father, she respected its power. In her experience the ocean had no intent to drown travellers.” ―  Sara Sheridan,  On Starlit Seas

“A sailor is not defined as much by how many seas he has sailed than by how many storms he has overcome.” ―  Matshona Dhliwayo

“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” ― Louisa May Alcott

Distant Horizons

“The wind tousled his hair, and Dain’s chest loosed a little as his gaze broke from the wooden maid to follow a breeze-blown gull toward the horizon. The distant salmon skies dipped over the rim of the sea, and for the first time since boarding, he wondered where the waves might take him.” ―  Micheline Ryckman,   The Maiden Ship

“I hate the strange feeling of wanting to be in two places at once, like a sailor who misses the sea as much as he misses dry land.” ― Michelle Moran, Rebel Queen

“To meditate is to sail a course, to navigate, among problems many of which we are in the process of clearing up. After each one looms another, whose shores are even more attractive, more suggestive. Certainly, it requires strength and perseverance to get to windward of problems, but there is no greater delight than to reach new shores, and even to sail, as Camoëns says, “through seas that keel has never cut before.” If you will now open a bank-account of attention for me, I foretell sun-smitten landscapes and promise archipelagoes.” ―  José Ortega y Gasset

“But that’s how it is on a sailing ship, and in this respect its journey parallels that of life: simply knowing where you want to go isn’t enough, because life is a windblown voyage, consisting mainly of the detours imposed by alternating calm and storm.” ―  Carsten Jensen,  We, the Drowned

“At the end of the day…we are anchoring into the peaceful lagoon, smiling at the majestic sun and its flirting rays, slowly slipping into the glittering ballroom of immense night skies, sipping on the platinum moon liquor under the blues of rippling waves kissing my golden foot hanging over the board of gently rocking boat, and diving into the bed of galaxies whispering magical stories of their eternal lives connecting souls…till the dawn…” ―  Oksana Rus

“And there’s that one particular harbour Sheltered from the wind Where the children play on the shore each day And all are safe within” ― Jimmy Buffett

“Midnight sail and moonlight. I remember sunset, and gentle breeze. Leaving the city lights behind, and gazing at the moon. Mountains of clouds. Waves slapping our boat. It was easy to forget that love has no direction, or need for compass. Let it guide you to its destination.” ―  Fidelis O Mkparu

“Cold November nights. It feels as if summer never happened. The beauty of setting sun, moon, and stars. Sailing to nowhere, but finding happiness in our togetherness. Never forget what we are. Stranded hearts.” ― Fidelis O. Mkparu, Love’s Affliction

“The moon was low but not full. The men set out along the dock in conversation. As they dropped onto the dark beach, Simmons declared, ‘There can be no better place in the world than this.’ Henderson had to agree. The beach was beautiful. The stars lit the sand and balmy air rode in as the waves washed up on paradise” ―  Sara Sheridan,  On Starlit Seas

“There, in the shimmering distance, was a sail. I stared in momentary disbelief, but there it was, one of the most beautiful sights the Pacific can ever offer — a ship in full sail edging her way through the blue waters.” ―  Tom Neale,  An Island to Oneself: The Story of Six Years on a Desert Island

“Life on the blue part of the globe for eight years had suited me – the wild open spaces, the bliss of buoyancy, the volatile, soul-powered wind. Sailing had struck a nerve both primal and poetic. On and near the ocean life made sense, It made every sense work.” ―  Kaci Cronkhite

“A true sailor is one who finds love in every port.” ―  Tapan Ghosh

“Never a ship sails out of bay but carries my heart as a stowaway.” ―  Roselle Mercier Montgomery

Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit. ‍ ― Brooks Atkinson

“Simply sailing in a new direction you could enlarge the world” ―  Allen Curnow

“We didn’t make it around the world, but we were able to wrap the world around us.” ―  Janis Couvreux,  Sail Cowabunga!: A Family’s 10 Years at Sea

“It had occurred to her many times that on board it didn’t matter where you were coming from or where you were heading. Each voyage had its own charisma. Like writing a book – word by word – or crossing a country – step by step – each minute had to be lived moment by moment.” ―  Sara Sheridan,  On Starlit Seas

The Cruising Lifestyle

“The cruising life isn’t for all of us. It isn’t even for most of us, but it is for some of us, and for a few of us it is essential to survival.” ―  Jim Trefethen,  The Cruising Life

“What do you do?” is not a question asked to define someone, because out here we’re all working the same jobs: yachties, mechanics, navigators, weather-readers, fishermen, adventure travelers, storytellers.” ―  Torre DeRoche,  Love with a Chance of Drowning

“At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much.” ― Robin Lee Graham

“Maybe you’re getting into the rhythm of sailing life,” says James. He looks out at the waves that are rolling in to lap against the dock. “You know, the tides going in and then out, the wind blowing east and then west, the high of a perfect day out on the water, the low of a thunderstorm or a wind that won’t go your way.” ―  Melissa C. Walker,  Unbreak My Heart

“For the most part, a sailboat navigates through its world of wind and water not leaving a single trace of its passage. Nothing is consumed. Nothing is altered. The winds and the water are left in exactly the same condition for the next user. Sailing is forever.” ― Michael B. McPhee

Quotes On Love & Crew

“We simply can’t abandon ship every time we encounter a storm in our marriage. Real love is about weathering the storms of life together.” ―  Seth Adam Smith

“He stared at her hard and long, as if he were gauging a cloudbank that might be worth the trouble to sail around rather than through.” ―  A.S. Peterson,  Fiddler’s Green

“That’s what sailing is, a dance, and your partner is the sea. And with the sea you never take liberties. You ask her, you don’t tell her. You have to remember always that she’s the leader, not you. You and your boat are dancing to her tune.” ―  Michael Morpurgo,  Alone on a Wide Wide Sea

“The only way to get a good crew is to marry one.” ― Eric Hiscock

“Now I remembered a captain’s honor and his only duty: to bring his crew back alive.” ―  Carsten Jensen,  We, the Drowned

“We of the sea come to know each other quickly; our loves, like our hates, are born of sudden dangers.” ―  Lew Wallace,  Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ

Quotes On Departing Ports

“I had acquired the skills to sail a ship; I didn’t acquire the knowledge.” ― Tom Holland

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that 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.” ―  H. Jackson Brown Jr.,  P.S. I Love You

“You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” ― Christopher Columbus

“The boat is safer anchored at the port; but that is not the aim of boats.” ― Paulo Coelho

“The thing that most forget while dreamily looking off into the horizon for the ship of their dreams is that such ships never sail in but are built beneath their feet.” ―  Mike Dooley

“The sea is the same as it has been since before men ever went on it in boats.” ― Ernest Hemingway

“The sea was not meant to be controlled. The sea was meant to be sailed.” ―  Jon Acuff

“The sea speaks a language polite people never repeat. It is a colossal scavenger slang and has no respect.” ― Carl Sandburg

“The sea has never been friendly to man. At most it has been the accomplice of human restlessness.” ― Joseph Conrad

“How inappropriate it is to call this planet Earth, when clearly it is Sea.” ― Arthur C. Clarke

“She loved the sea. She liked the sharp salty smell of the air, and the vastness of the horizons bounded only by a vault of azure sky above. It made her feel small, but free as well.” ―  George R.R. Martin,  A Storm of Swords

Which sailing quote is your favorite?

Beautiful quotes. A pleasure to read. Thank you using so many of my quotes. “The sea is what makes me feel so young.”

All the best. Anthony T. Hincks

You have a way with words!

Amy, devem existir incontáveis citações célebres envolvendo o mar e o nosso eterno caso de amor, que é velejar. Parabéns pelo seu bom gosto. Surpreendente. Já li algumas mas sua seleção é melhor de todas. Sinceros agradecimentos.

The sea is a good muse! 🙂

I collect sailing/travel quotes and many of these were new to me. What a great list.

And…you corrected my erroneously attributing a certain quote to Mark Twain 😉

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is society where none intrudes, By the deep Sea, and music in its roar: I love not Man the less, but Nature more, Lord Byron

Thank you, Amy!

I looked up the Mark Twain thing before I posted, because I saw it attributed to both. Geat Bryon quote.

The quote: ‘Quit trying to alter the winds; harness them.’ really resonated with me today 🙂

Thanks for all the work putting this lovely collection together.

Aw great to hear from you! 🙂

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The Best Yacht Quotes

POSTED BY Pablo Carosella on 31/08/2018

Our collection of quotes on yachting, sailing and sea. Some of them are wise, some other inspirational, some of them are really humorous and some generated controversy. As yachts lovers, we appreciate them a lot and we hope you will enjoy them as well! “Money can't buy you happiness, but it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right alongside it.” ― David Lee Roth “If you don't succeed on your own ground, then there's no reason to succeed. Unless, of course, you really want a boat. If you're a person who feels that with a yacht, everything will be all right, then you should do whatever you have to and get the yacht.” ― Albert Brooks “I’ve met the most interesting people while flying or on a boat. These methods of travel seem to attract the kind of people I want to be with.” ― Hedy Lamarr “Being on a boat that’s moving through the water, it’s so clear. Everything falls into place in terms of what’s important and what’s not.” ― James Taylor “There never was a great man yet who spent all his life inland.” ― Herman Melville “Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit.” ― Brooks Atkinson “Having a yacht is a reason for being more cheerful than most.” ― Kurt Vonnegut “All I ask is a tall ship and a star to sail her by.” ― John Masefield “Boats, like whiskey, are all good.” ― R. D. Culler "It's out there at sea that you are really yourself." ― Vito Dumas " A tourist remains an outsider throughout his visit; but a sailor is part of the local scene from the monent he arrives." - Anne Davison "I wanted freedom, open air, adventure. I found it on the sea." ― Alain Gerbault, Sailor "No literature is richer than that of the sea. No story is more enthralling, no tradition is more secure." ― Felix Riesenberg "Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than those you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." ― Mark Twain

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Yacht management, yachts for sale.

Sailor Sayings and Sailing Quotes – Inspirational Quotes for Sailors

Are you a sailor and needs some more inspiration? Here’s my list of Quotes about the sea and sailing on a boat.

Two years ago, when Jonathan and I were still broke backpackers, he told me about how he dreams of sailing the open seas – that someday, he would buy himself a boat. Live in it. And travel around the world with it. And you guessed right; he sure did buy us a sailboat.

Here is the list of some popular sailor sayings and sailing quotes that will have you set before your sailing rendezvous:

actually, every sailor deserves a sailing challenge coin to record sailing life, the point is that you can use these popular sayings and aphorisms to customize an exclusive sailor challenge coin at GS-JJ.com, which is very important for every sailor because they all have unique meanings. You can create a nautical commemorative coin by clicking the navy challenge coins of GS-JJ.com , which is not only for the navy but also for seafarers.

Table of Contents

1. Sailors, with their built-in sense of order, service, and discipline, should really be running the world. – Nicholas Monsarrat

2. the wind and the waves are always on the side of the ablest navigator. – edmund gibbon, 3. the pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails. – william arthur ward.

4. Mackerel skies and mares tails, soon will be time to shorten sails . – sailors proverb

5. 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. – l. francis herreshoff.

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6. I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving – we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it – but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor. – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

7. A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for. – William Shedd

8. You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. – Christopher Columbus

9. He who loves practice without theory is like the sailor who boards ship without a rudder and compass and never knows where he may cast. – Leonardo da Vinci

10. He is the best sailor who can steer within fewest points of the wind, and exact a motive power out of the greatest obstacles. – Walter Scott

11. I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky. And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by. – John Masefield

12. That’s what a ship is, you know – it’s not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that’s what a ship needs. But what a ship is, really is, is freedom. – Capt. Jack Sparrow

13. A tourist remains an outsider throughout his visit, but a sailor is part of the local scene from the moment he arrives. – Anne Davison

14. The perfection of a yacht’s beauty is that nothing should be there for only beauty’s sake.  – John MacGregor

15. A sailing vessel is alive in a way that no ship with mechanical power ever be. – Aubrey de Selincourt

16. Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made, for somewhere deep in their oaken hearts the soul of a song is laid . – Robert N. Rose

17. He that will not sail till all dangers are over must never put to sea. – Thomas Fuller

18. Until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore, you will not know the terror of being forever lost at sea. – Charles Cook

19. We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds. – Aristotle Onassis, Shipping Magnate

20. The wind and the waves are always on the side of the ablest navigator. – Edmund Gibbon, Historian

21. I wanted freedom, open-air, and adventure. I found it on the sea. – Alaine Gerbault, Sailor

22. It is not the ship so much as the skilful sailing that assures the prosperous voyage. – George William Curtis

23. A ship on the port always waits for you to sail to the oceans!  – Mehmet Murat ildan

24. The only ship you can truly steer in this ocean is the one you’re sailing. Quit trying to alter the winds; harness them . – Richelle E. Goodrich, Making Wishes

25. That’s what sailing is, a dance, and your partner is the sea. And with the sea you never take liberties. You ask her, you don’t tell her. You have to remember always that she’s the leader, not you. You and your boat are dancing to her tune. – Michael Morpurgo, Alone on a Wide Wide Sea

26. The sea hates a coward. – Eugene O’Neill

27. I was born in the breezes, and I had studied the sea as perhaps few men have studied it, neglecting all else. – Joshua Slocum

28. If my ship sails from sight, it doesn’t mean my journey ends, it simply means the river bends . – Enoch Powell

29. I keep sailing on in this middle passage. I am sailing into the wind and the dark. But I am doing my best to keep my boat steady and my sails full. – Arthur Ashe

30. There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. – Kenneth Grahame

31. I was born in the breezes, and I had studied the sea as perhaps few men have studied it, neglecting all else. – Joshua Slocum

32. I keep sailing on in this middle passage. I am sailing into the wind and the dark. But I am doing my best to keep my boat steady and my sails full. – Arthur Ashe

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One thought on “ Sailor Sayings and Sailing Quotes – Inspirational Quotes for Sailors ”

Twice you have the same quote in here twice: 27 & 31 (Slocum) and 29 & 32 (Ashe).

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100 Best Sailing Quotes To Get You Out On The Water

Inspirational Sailing Quotes

Famous sailing quotes, sailing quotes about life, sailor quotes, quotes about the sea, ocean quotes, ship quotes, boat quotes.

Sailing is a method that uses wind to propel a craft on the water's surface.

A point of sail is the course that is defined with true wind direction. Sailing, as fun as it seems, can be deadly if done alone.

Sailing has been an instrumental part of the development of civilization, aiding in mobility on the waterfront of society. Towards the Middle Ages, the advancements in sailing showed, which allowed explorers to go on longer voyages under extreme weather.

Improvements in masts, sails and the build of ships, with further development in the marine investigation, sailors were able to sail with more certainty. Until the mid-19th-century sailing was primarily used as a method for marine commerce, but now it is also a source of recreational activity and sports.

For more related content take a look at ocean quotes and boat quotes .

Some of the very best smooth sailing quotes that will inspire and motivate you!

1. “I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”

― Jimmy Dean.

2. “In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth.”

― Rachel Carson.

3. “The only ship you can truly steer in this ocean is the one you’re sailing. Quit trying to alter the winds; harness them.”

― Richelle E. Goodrich, ‘Making Wishes’.

4. “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.”

― William Arthur Ward.

5. “On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty.”

6. “It is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears.”

― John F. Kennedy.

7. “The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea.”

― Isak Dinesen.

8. “Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

― Mark Twain.

9. “One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight, for a very long time, of the shore.”

― Andre Gide.

10. “The charm of singlehanded cruising is not solitude, but independence.”

― Claud Worth.

11. “Calm sailing doesn’t come from calm waters, it comes from having a good navigator; a good crew and a good vessel.”

― Anthony T. Hincks.

12. “‘Tis the set of the sail that decides the goal, and not the storm of life.”

― Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

13. “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”

— Louisa May Alcott, ‘Little Women’.

14. “Sometimes there is no time for the sea to calm down! If you have to reach your target, let your voyage start and let the storm be your path!”

― Mehmet Murat Ildan.

15. “We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds.”

― Aristotle Onassis.

16. “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.”

― Dolly Parton.

17. “No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.”

― Hellen Keller.

Great quotes about sailing by world-renowned personalities like Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway.

18. “It's remarkable how quickly a good and favorable wind can sweep away the maddening frustrations of shore living.”

— Ernest K. Gann.

19. “Wind is to us what money is to life on shore.”

― Sterling Hayden.

20. “Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World.”

― Christopher Columbus .

21. “It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we will go.”

― Jim Rohn.

22. “The sooner we learn to be jointly responsible, the easier the sailing will be.”

― Ella Maillart.

23. “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than those you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor.”

24. “To reach a port we must set sail –

Sail, not tie at anchor

Sail, not drift.”

― Franklin D. Roosevelt.

25. “The lovely thing about cruising is that planning usually turns out to be of little use.”

― Dom Degnon, ‘Sails Full And By’.

26. “When you sail for the first time, you have one of two experiences. It becomes a one-time, bucket-list thing you check off your list, or it becomes a part of your soul forever.”

— Michelle Segrest.

27. “The days pass happily with me wherever my ship sails.”

― Joshua Slocum.

28. “If one doesn’t know to which port one is sailing, no port is favorable.”

― Lucius Annaneus Seneca.

29. “There is no unhappiness like the misery of sighting land again after a cheerful, careless voyage.”

30. “A sailing ship is no democracy; you don’t caucus a crew as to where you’ll go anymore than you inquire when they’d like to shorten sail.”

31. “Sailing - The fine art of slowly going nowhere at great expense while being cold, wet and miserable.”

― Irv Heller.

32. “Hoist up sail while gale doth last, Tide and wind stay no man's pleasure.”

― Robert Southwell.

33. “To meditate is to sail a course, to navigate, among problems many of which we are in the process of clearing up.”

― Jose Ortega y Gasset.

34. “The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.”

― Sir Richard Burton.

35. “The goal is not to sail the boat, but rather to help the boat sail herself.”

― John Rousmaniere.

Find the best sailing quotation to motivate yourself with these great quotes about life.

36. “It is not the ship so much as the skillful sailing that assures the prosperous voyage.”

― George William Curtis.

37. “When I’m out sailing, I don’t wonder what heaven is like because I know.”

38. “Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.”

― Fitzhugh Dodson.

39. “To desire nothing beyond what you have is surely happiness. Aboard a boat, it is frequently possible to achieve just that. That is why sailing is a way of life, one of the finest of lives.”

― Carleton Mitchell.

40. “Sail through the good days, and on bad days pick a spot of blue sky to steer toward.”

41. “You haven’t lived until you’ve sailed.”

― David Sedaris .

42. “To reach a port we must sail, sometimes with the wind, and sometimes against it. But we must not drift or lie at anchor.”

― Oliver Wendell Holmes.

43. “Have an anchor so that life doesn't toss you around.”

― Debby Ryan.

44. “On life's vast ocean diversely we sail. Reasons the card, but passion the gale.”

― Alexander Pope.

45. “Thought is the wind, knowledge the sail, and mankind the vessel.”

― Augustus Hare.

Great sailor sayings and quotes praising sailors for their devotion to sailing the vast waters!

46. “If it wasn’t for seasickness, all the world would be sailors.”

― Charles Darwin.

47. “Any fool can carry on, but a wise man knows how to shorten sail in time.”

― Joseph Conrad.

48. “There is but a plank between a sailor and eternity.”

― Thomas Gibbons.

49. “A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind. Live passionately, even if it kills you, because something is going to kill you anyway.”

― Webb Chiles.

50. “A man can pretend to be a lot of things in this world; but he can only pretend to be a sailor for as long as it takes to clear the harbor mouth!”

― Bernard Hayman.

51. “Only two sailors, in my experience, never ran aground. One never left port and the other was an atrocious liar.”

― Don Bamford.

52. “There are three sorts of people; those who are alive, those who are dead, and those who are at sea.”

― Aristotle.

53. “The art of the sailor is to leave nothing to chance.”

― Annie Van De Wiele.

54. “Sailors, with their built in sense of order, service and discipline, should really be running the world.”

― Nicholas Monsarrat.

55. “Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.”

― Charles C. Davis.

56. “Men in a ship are always looking up, and men ashore are usually looking down.”

― John Masefield.

57. “The wind and the waves are always on the side of the ablest navigator.”

― Edmund Gibbon.

58. “A captain who does not know where he wants to sail, there is no wind on Earth that will bring him there.”

― Ami Ayalon.

These quotes talking about the sea are a great source of information to learn from!

59. “How foolish to believe we are more powerful than the sea or the sky.”

― Ruta Sepetys, ‘Salt To The Sea’.

60. “For I say there is no other thing that is worse than the sea is for breaking a man, even though he may be a very strong one.”

61. “It isn't that life ashore is distasteful to me. But life at sea is better.”

― Francis Drake.

62. “The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths, it has its pearls too.”

― Vincent van Gogh.

63. “The sea does not like to be restrained.”

– Rick Riordan, ‘The Lightning Thief’.

64. “He that will not sail till all dangers are over must never put to sea.”

― Dr. Thomas Fuller.

65. “When I forget how talented God is, I look to the sea.”

― Whoopi Goldberg.

66. “I went to sea from the most tender age and have continued in a sea life to this day. Wherever anyone has sailed, there I have sailed.”

― Christopher Columbus.

67. “There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting, and enslaving than the life at sea.”

68. “The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.”

― Vincent Van Gogh.

69. “The sea is the same as it has been since before men ever went on it in boats.”

― Ernest Hemingway.

70. “I wanted freedom, open air and adventure. I found it on the sea.”

— Alain Gerbault.

71. “Why do we love the sea? It is because it has some potent power to make us think things we like to think.”

― Robert Henri.

72. “It’s out there at sea that you are really yourself.”

― Vito Dumas.

73. “Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson.

74. “The sea speaks a language polite people never repeat. It is a colossal scavenger slang and has no respect.”

―Carl Sandburg.

75. “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”

― Jacques Yves Cousteau.

76. “How inappropriate it is to call this planet Earth, when clearly it is Sea.”

― Arthur C. Clarke.

77. “The sea drives truth into a man like salt.”

― Hilaire Belloc.

78. “At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much.”

― Robin Lee Graham.

79. “The sea will grant each man new hope, and sleep will bring dreams of home.”

Great quotes about the ocean that will leave you with a sense of awe!

80. “We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea whether it is to sail or to watch it we are going back from whence we came.”

81. “You will love the ocean. It makes you feel small, but not in a bad way. Small because you realize you’re part of something bigger.”

― Lauren Myracle.

82. “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean, in a drop.”

83. “The ocean is an object of no small terror.”

― Edmund Burke.

84. “In one drop of water are found all the secrets of all the oceans; in one aspect of you are found all the aspects of existence.”

― Kahlil Gibran Jr.

85. “The beauty and mystery of the ocean, fills our lives with wonders, vast beyond our imagination.”

― M. L. Borges, ‘By The Sea’.

86. “If you want to hear the distant voice of the ocean put your ear to the lips of a seashell.”

― Curtis Tyrone Jones.

87. “We are all born in a little port but not all of us sail the vast oceans! Majority remains in the port!”

― Mehmet Murat ildan.

88. “The ocean is this beautiful, unexplored place. Why on Earth everyone isn't down there, I don't know.”

― Graham Hawkes.

89. “Without the will or desire to achieve one is like flotsam on the oceans of time.”

― Steven Redhead, ‘Life Is Simply A Game’.

Inspirational sailing sayings about the majestic nature of ships.

90. “Ship is the nearest thing to dreams that hands have ever made, for somewhere deep in their oaken hearts the soul of a song is laid.”

— Robert N. Rose.

91. “Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board.”

― Zora Neale Hurston.

92. “A ship in harbor is safe, but that’s not why ships were built.”

― John A. Shedd.

93. “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”

― Antoine de Saint Exupery.

94. “I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way.”

― John Paul Jones .

95. “If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out and meet it.”

― Jonathan Winters.

Great inspired with these great boat quotes!

96. “If the water is calm, the boat is also calm! If your thoughts are calm, your life is also calm!”

— Mehmet Murat ildan.

97. “Sometimes you need to tether your boats to stop them from following your dreams.”

— Anthony T. Hincks.

98. “Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit.”

― Brooks Atkinson.

99. “The boat is safer anchored at the port, but that is not the aim of boats.”

― Paulo Coelho.

100. “Even if it is made up of gold, the sailing boat can go nowhere without the humble wind!”

Here at Kidadl , we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for sailing quotes then why not take a look at water quotes or fishing quotes.

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More for you, 60 family travel quotes, 50+ feet quotes, 80+ brevity quotes.

Master of Arts specializing in Mass Communication/Media Studies

Srija Chanda Master of Arts specializing in Mass Communication/Media Studies

An aspiring media professional, Srija is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Mass Communication at St. Xavier's University, Kolkata, after completing her degree in journalism. With experience in PR and social media, she has also honed her leadership skills through her participation in a youth parliament. Srija's interests include devouring books, watching movies, and exploring new places through travel.

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2) At Kidadl, we strive to recommend the very best activities and events. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.

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99 Ocean Quotes that will give you Goose Bumps

Best ocean quotes & nautical sayings.

We never need any added incentive to cruise, but these Ocean Quotes sure do excite us for our next sailing! You’ll find sayings from Whoopi Goldberg to Mark Twain. We even through in an Ocean Quote from The Princess Bride!

For the true nautical fan out there, make sure to also check out our Best Cruise Shirts post . There you’ll find 20 funny, inspiring, and nostalgic tees expressing your love for the ocean and cruising. If you’ve found yourself on this post, we recommend the “thalassophile” t-shirt!

Take your time and scroll through the following ocean quotes. Pin those that you’d like to remember and revisit when you miss the ocean. We hope it’ll get you even more excited to cruise.

Use the Pin It button above to save this post to your favorite Cruise Pinterest Board! You can also hover over any of the 99 Quotes to pin them individually!

And now, please check out the best Ocean quotes we could find.

99 Ocean Quotes & Sayings

“When I forget how talented God is, I look to the sea.” – Whoopi Goldberg

“Waves are not measured in feet or inches, they are measured in increments of fear.” – Buzzy Trent

“I start from the premise that no object created by man is as satisfying to his body and soul as a proper sailing yacht.” – Arthur Beiser 1978, The Proper Yacht

Anchor Bracelet (Paracord)

This paracord anchor bracelet makes for an amazing gift to the Ocean Lover in your life!

“When the draught of your vessel exceeds the depth of the water, you are most assuredly, aground.” – Ian Walsh

“When a man comes to like a sea life, he is not fit to live on land.” – Dr. Samuel Johnson, Writer

“We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds.” – Aristotle Onassis, Shipping Magnate

“Until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore, you will not know the terror of being forever lost at sea.” – Charles Cook

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than those you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain, Great American Writer

“To sail is human… to power divine!” – Preben Sejer Kristensen

“Anchor as though you plan to stay for weeks, even if you intend to leave in an hour.” – Tommy Moran

“Without patience, a sailor I would never be.” – Lee Allred

“Whenever your preparations for the sea are poor; the sea worms its way in and finds the problems.” – Francis Stokes

“To my crew: Please be reasonable and do it my way.” The Captain – Rusty Mills

“To be successful at sea we must keep things simple.” – R. D. ( Pete ) Culler

“Time and Tide wait for no man.” – St. Marher, 1225

“There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting, and enslaving than the life at sea.” – Joseph Conrad, Writer

“There is nothing like lying flat on your back on the deck, alone except for the helmsman aft at the wheel, silence except for the lapping of the sea against the side of the ship. At that time you can be equal to Ulysses and brother to him.” – Errol Flynn

“There is nothing absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” – Kenneth Grahame, Writer

“There is but a plank between a sailor and eternity.” – Thomas Gibbons

“There are three sorts of people; those who are alive, those who are dead, and those who are at sea.” – Old Capstan Chantey attributed to Anacharsis, 6th Century BC

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” – William Arthur Ward, Writer

“The only way to get a good crew is to marry one.” – Eric Hiscock

“The ocean is an object of no small terror.” – Edmund Burke

“The lovely thing about cruising is that planning usually turns out to be of little use.” – Dom Degnon

“The goal is not to sail the boat, but rather to help the boat sail herself.” – John Rousmaniere

“The difference between a fairy tale and a sea tale? A fairy tale starts with “Once upon a time”. A sea tale starts with ” This ain’t no $hit!” – Edith Widder

“The desire to build a house is the tired wish of a man content thenceforward with a single anchorage. The desire to build a boat is the desire of youth, unwilling yet to accept the idea of a final resting place.” – Arthur Ransome

“The days pass happily with me wherever my ship sails.” – Joshua Slocum

“The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea.” – Isak Dinesen

“The chance for mistakes is about equal to the number of crew squared.” – Ted Turner

“The best bilge pump of all is a bucket in the hands of a frightened man.” – Butch Dalrymple-Smith

“The art of the sailor is to leave nothing to chance.” – Annie Van De Wiele

“Some years ago never mind how long precisely having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.” – H. Melville, Opening Line from Moby Dick

“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” – Robert N. Rose

“Sailors, with their built in sense of order, service and discipline, should really be running the world.” – Nicholas Monsarrat

“Sailing unties the knots in my mind.” – Al Noble

“Sailing The fine art of slowly going nowhere at great expense while being cold, wet and miserable.” – Irv Heller

“Remember. It was a professional who built the Titanic, It was an amateur who built Noah’s Ark.” – Vanessa Linsley

“Pull that thing. Pull that other thing. Sail faster.” – from the movie The Princess Bride

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.” – Charles C. Davis

“Only two sailors, in my experience, never ran aground. One never left port and the other was an atrocious liar. – Don Bamford

“Only fools and passengers drink at sea.” – Allan Villiers

“One of the best temporary cures for pride and affection is seasickness.” – Henry Wheeler Show

“Now bring me that horizon.” – The last line from Pirates of the Caribbean

“Never a ship sails out of a bay, but carries my heart as a stowaway.” – Roselle Mercier Montgomery

“Men in a ship are always looking up, and men ashore are usually looking down.” – John Masefield

“Man marks the earth with ruin – his control stops with the shore.” – Byron

“Mackerel skies and mares tails, soon will be time to shorten sails.” – Old sailors proverb

“Life’s roughest storms prove the strength of our anchors.” – unknown

“The planning stage of a cruise is often just as enjoyable as the voyage itself, letting one’s imagination loose on all kinds of possibilities. Yet translating dreams into reality means a lot of practical questions have to be answered.” – Jimmy Cornell (World Cruising Handbook)

“The right of way goes to the vessel with the least competent crew.” – Mike Baiocchi

“The sea drives truth into a man like salt.” – Hilaire Belloc

“The sea finds out everything you did wrong.” – Francis Stokes

“The sea hates a coward.” – Eugene O’Neill

“The sea is the same as it has been since before men ever went on it in boats.” – Ernest Hemingway

“The thing I realized this last few days is that the earth is a big place.” – Paul Cayard

“The wind and the waves are always on the side of the ablest navigator.” – Edmund Gibbon, Historian

“There are more sharks on the land than in the sea.” – Neil Wheatley

“There are only two colors to paint a boat, black or white, and only a fool would paint a boat black.” – Nathanael G. Herreshoff

“Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit.” – Brooks Atkinson

“It’s scary to have a 30 foot wave chasing you. If you are steering, you don’t look back. The crew looks back for you, and you watch their faces. When they look straight up, then get ready!” – Magnus Olsson

“It’s remarkable how quickly a good and favorable wind can sweep away the maddening frustrations of shore living.” – Ernest K. Gann

“It’s out there at sea that you are really yourself.” – Vito Dumas

“It is not the ship so much as the skillful sailing that assures the prosperous voyage.” – George William Curtis, Writer

“It is not that life ashore is distasteful to me. But life at sea is better.” – Sir Francis Drake, Sea Captain

“If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it.” – Jonathan Winters

“If you’re not getting close to capsize, you’re probably not pushing hard enough.” – James Spithill, ORACLE Racing Team USA

“If you can’t tie a knot, tie a lot.” – Motto of a representative of the Winslow Liferaft Company

“If you can’t repair it, maybe it shouldn’t be on board.” – Lin and Larry Pardey

“If a man is to be obsessed by something, I suppose a boat is as good as anything, perhaps a bit better than most.” – E. B. White

“I’m telling you that India is that way, now set my course.” – Christopher Columbus

“I was born in the breezes, and I had studied the sea as perhaps few men have studied it, neglecting all else.” – Joshua Slocum

“I wanted freedom, open air and adventure. I found it on the sea.” – Alaine Gerbault, Sailor

“I want a boat that drinks 6, eats 4, and sleeps 2.” – Earnest K. Gann

“I once knew a writer who, after saying beautiful things about the sea, passed through a Pacific hurricane, and he became a changed man.” – Joshua Slocum

“I need the Sea because it teaches me.” – from THE SEA by Pablo Neruda

“I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky. And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.” – John Masefield

“I loved cruising the coast of Maine. For one thing, it helped me conquer my fear of fog. Not that I have learned to feel secure in the fog, but at least I have learned how to grope without panic.” – Herb Payson

“I don’t know who named them swells. There’s nothing swell about them. They should have named them awfuls.” – Hugo Vihlen

“I cannot not sail.” – E. B. White

“I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.” – Louisa May Alcott in Little Women

“However bad the storm you are in, there is still sun somewhere over your horizon.” – Ken Nutt

“Headwinds are sore vexations and the more passengers the sorer.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“He that will not sail till all dangers are over must never put to sea.” – Thomas Fuller

“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Give him a fishing lesson and he’ll sit in a boat drinking beer every weekend.” – Alex Blackwell

“Everyone must row with the oars he has.” – Dutch proverb

“Cruising has two pleasures. One is to go out in wider waters from a sheltered place. The other is to go into a sheltered place from wider waters.” – Howard Bloomfield

“Can we go downwind now please. I’ve been hit in the face by a grill pan.” – Julian Megson

“Boats, like whiskey, are all good.” – R. D. Culler

“At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much.” – Robin Lee Graham

“A tourist remains an outsider throughout his visit; but a sailor is part of the local scene from the moment he arrives.” – Anne Davison

“A Smooth Sea NEVER made a Skilled Sailor.” – John George Hermanson English Proverb

“A small craft in an ocean is, or should be, a benevolent dictatorship.” – Tristan Jones

“A ship is safe in harbor but that’s not what ships are for.” – William G.T. Shedd

“A ship is always referred to as “she” because it costs so much to keep her in paint and powder.” – ADM. Chester Nimitz

“A sailor’s joys are as simple as a child’s.” – Bernard Moitessier

“A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind.” – Webb Chiles

“Any damn fool can navigate the world sober. It takes a really good sailor to do it drunk.” – Sir Francis Chichester while loading his boat with gin

We hope that you’ve enjoyed these Ocean Quotes and Nautical Sayings. Which was your favorite? Did we miss any? Use the comment section below and add your best quote or tell us which you like best!

Please use the buttons below to Share 99 Ocean Quotes with your fellow nautical fans and Cruise Facebook Pages!

Happy cruising!

9 thoughts on “99 Ocean Quotes that will give you Goose Bumps”

“Ships and sailors rot in port”

The background images for the quotes are those horrible cruise ships! Over-sized, over crowded, decorated like the inside of a pinball machine, and designed to extract as much cash from the passenger as they can. Try some sailing yachts instead.

Its not the size of the ship, its the ability of the Captain to get his ship into port and disembark all his passengers

Your past is like an anchor, free yourself to sail the open waters

Love it, Debra! Thank you.

Picture a little boat in an ocean. One of them is lies and the other is truth. But which?

Thanks, Gene! Love it.

Never turn your back on the sea

Those who describe the sea as calm, peaceful, angry, ferocious…..don’t know the sea. The sea doesn’t care or know that you are there. You take the sea as you find it or it takes you. Jeffry Schmitz

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Boat Quotes

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There is nothing as relaxing as being out on the open sea, listening to the waves and the wind and the sails and voices downstairs yelling "HOW DO YOU FLUSH THESE TOILETS?"

The wilderness does not make you forget your normal life so much as it removes the distractions for proper remembering.

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.

Shells sink, dreams float. Life's good on our boat.

We must row in whatever boat we find ourselves in.

Whatever is stealing your peace and rocking your boat, what ever is taking your smile away, reach down, pick it up, and throw it overboard.

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.

A boat is safe in the harbor. But this is not the purpose of a boat.

The breeze of grace is always blowing on you. You have to open the sails and your boat will move forward.

Did you know you can't steer a boat that isn't moving? Just like a life.

Water in the boat is the ruin of the boat, but water under the boat is its support.

When you're on a boat, it is this tiny little island where you have to be completely self-sufficient.

Jolly boating weather, And a hay harvest breeze, Blade on the feather, Shade off the trees.

You have to be careful on the deck, because of the "hatches," which are holes placed around a sailboat at random to increase the insurance rates.

The sea hates a coward.

Being on a boat that's moving through the water, it's so clear. Everything falls into place in terms of what's important and what's not.

Row, row, row your boat. Gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.

Boats in the harbor are safe but that is not what they are meant for.

Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered.

At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much.

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.

We are imprisoned in the realm of life, like a sailor on his tiny boat, on an infinite ocean.

Now then, Pooh," said Christopher Robin, "where's your boat?" "I ought to say," explained Pooh as they walked down to the shore of the island, "that it isn't just an ordinary sort of boat. Sometimes it's a Boat, and sometimes it's more of an Accident. It all depends." "Depends on what?" "On whether I'm on the top of it or underneath it.

O God, thy sea is so great and my boat is so small.

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• Bernard Moitessier Sailor
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• Ernest Hemingway Author
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• Jacques Yves Cousteau Filmmaker
• Herman Melville Novelist
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90+ Boat Captions for Those Perfect Days on the Water

These boat captions for Instagram will float anyone's boat!

As a college instructor and communication expert with extensive nonfiction and educational writing experience, Mary shares tips and advice related to a wide variety of topics.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

For those setting sail this season, creative boat captions are the best way to seas the attention of the many scrollers on your feed! The next time you're out on the water, snap a lot of fun photos and pair them with sailorly sayings to share your seafaring joy with your landlubber friends.

Not sure how to caption your pics? Explore the brilliant boat captions below and discover the perfect words to sum up your time on the water!

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and captions are original and written by LoveToKnow Staff.

Short Boat Captions for Instagram

Let your boating photos speak for themselves by pairing them with super-brief captions. These short and snappy boat Instagram captions pair perfectly with fun photos of you and your crew on the water.

• Hope floats
• Boating babe
• Makin' waves
• Float therapy
• Just add water.
• Fortunate floater
• Salty as I want to be
• 99 Sizzlin' Summer Captions to Make Your Instagram Posts Shine

Carefree Boat Ride Captions to Show Off Your Bliss

There's nothing quite as relaxing and awe-inspiring as a boat ride. The next time you're out on the lake or river, snap some spectacular shots and share them with your social connections.

• Floatin' the coast.
• Livin' the lake life.
• Not a pier in sight.
• Chillin' on the river.
• Cruisin' with my bffs.
• Boat hair, don't care!
• Sailin' away from ordinary.
• Ain't life grand on the water?
• I like my water just a bit choppy.
• Just soakin' up some sun and sea.
• Does this boat make me look happy?
• There's no such thing as a bad day on a boat.
• Getting (a little) lost at sea is how I find myself.
• There's nothing like sunshine and the open sea.

Funny Boat Captions to Bring Some Salty Smiles

Okay, so maybe puns inspire more groans than laughs. Either way, they're still super-cute. Your friends are sure to at least let out a chuckle (even if they also roll their eyes) when you post these punny boat captions for Instagram.

• Wake for me!
• Ship happens...
• Too hot to paddle.
• Thrown for a sloop ...
• Taking the sea-nic route.
• Float-loose and fancy-free.
• Did I leave you in my wake?
• Gettin' a boost of vitamin sea .
• In port today? Naut if I can help it!
• Will I be back soon? Naut if I can help it!
• A day at sea? Just what the dock-tor ordered!
• I love boating a yacht .
• Back that raft up.
• I was ferry impressed with today's views on the water.
• It was a boat-iful day to be on the water!
• Canoe believe it?!
• I have been harboring hopes of a boat day for a while.
• 250 Clever Family Boat Names People Will Remember

Sweet Boat Day Captions for Couples

When you and your beau go out cruising on the water, that's the best time to snap a few selfies of the two of you. Choose your favorites and share away. The sayings below will help you find just the right thing to say.

• Love on the water.
• My catch of the day.
• Boatin' with my boo.
• [He/she/they] reeled me in.
• The only crew I need.
• Just me and my buoy.
• Me and my bae, floating away.
• [He/she/they] really floats my boat.
• Just me, my old man, and the sea.
• Oh Captain, my Captain!
• He/she is my anchor!
• Isn't she boat-iful?
• On land or at sea, together is where we always want to be.
• Who's the captain and who's the first mate? That is the question!
• Just [him/her/them], me, and the open sea. There is nothing else on earth I need.

Paw-some Insta Captions for Dogs on Boats

Boats aren't just for people! Puppers love them too. There's nothing quite as smile-inducing as a photo that captures the sheer joy of a dog boating with its people. Steal Instagram with a fetching dog caption .

• Dogs love boats.
• That's one happy pupper.
• Welcome to the pup deck.
• Dogs are built for boating.
• That's a bow wow of a wave.
• It's ruff out here on the water.
• Ah, to feel the wind in one's jowls...
• Boating beats playing fetch any day.
• Woof! I'll never go back to car windows.
• There's a reason it's called the dog paddle.
• Boat days are simply paw-fection.

Yacht & Sailboat Instagram Captions to Highlight Your Adventures

Lucky enough to spend time on a yacht or sailboat? Document your boating adventure by taking all the photos your SIM card can hold and then pair each one with a suitable saying.

• Come sail away.
• Yacht too shabby!
• Sailing is in my nature.
• Livin' the yacht life.
• A sailor's life for me.
• Work hard, sail free.
• Sailing soothes my soul.
• She's a lot more than a little dingy.
• Ready to sail-ebrate in style!
• The bigger the boat, the better the vacay!
• The best yacht is one that someone else gets to maintain.
• I'm not the type to ride off into the sunset. I'd rather set sail.
• If you still think one can't buy happiness, you've probably never been on a yacht.

If you are spending the day on a boat, you will likely dock somewhere. This makes beach captions another great source of inspiration! And for those frequenting freshwater, don't forget about lake captions either!

Famous Boat Captions for the Serious and Silly Sailors

Sometimes the best way to caption a boat day is with the sage words of someone else. These silly and serious boat quotes can be a great choice for the seamen looking for some sage words to pair with their post!

• "For to reach a port, we must sail-sail, not tie at anchor-sail, not drift." - Franklin D. Roosevelt
• "Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered." - William Shakespeare
• "You're gonna need a bigger boat." ~ Roy Scheider
• "I know everybody says money can't buy happiness, but it could buy me a boat. It could buy me a truck to pull it. It could buy me a Yeti 110 iced down with some silver bullets. Yeah, and I know what they say, money can't buy everything. Well, maybe so, but it could buy me a boat." - Chris Janson
• "Boats. Vessels of freedom. Harbors of heeling." - Kenny Chesney
• "Shells sink, dreams float. Life's good on our boat." - Jimmy Buffett
• "Now…bring me that horizon." - Johnny Depp
• "The motions of our sail--the play of its pulse so like our own lives, so thin and yet so full of life." - Henry David Thoreau
• Stay Safe While Setting Sail

Caption Your Love of Boating

With such a fabulous list of aquatic captions, it's easy to spread the word about your love of boating. Use these boat day captions as-is, or get inspired to come up with even more fabulous sayings about the joy of being on the water. Also, be sure to check out our 250 family boat names if you're trying to name your crew's vessel.

31 Captions For Yacht Pictures That'll Get You Yachts Of Likes This Summer

Let's get real: Whenever you find yourself hanging out on a boat or a yacht, you secretly want to start belting out "I'm On A Boat" by The Lonely Island. Of course, you have to take a picture of you and your bestie or SO standing at the front, recreating the iconic Titanic pose . There's no shame, because I know I've done both as well, which is exactly why you need captions for yacht pictures for the next time you find yourself cruising on the water.

With summer right around the corner, you and your friends might be planning a little excursion on a yacht. You can even rent your own via services like GetMyBoat . Search your destination and party size to find a fancy yacht you and your crew can sail into the sunset and beyond. This is perfect for any bachelorette party, or if you just want to plan an unparalleled trip with the crew, filled with sunny days and seas-ing every single moment.

When you find yourself chilling on the yacht, there are a ton of pics you'll want to snap, like a group selfie lounging on the plush couches, or a cheers boomerang in your swimsuits. When the time comes to post those snaps, use any of these 31 yacht captions, so you can get right back to dancing around, because you're on a boat, after all.

1. "Having yachts of fun with my grill friends."

2. "I'm on a boat." — The Lonely Island, "I'm On A Boat"

3. "I'm the king of the world." — Jack, Titanic

4. "I'm flying, Jack!" — Rose, Titanic

5. "Do whatever floats your boat."

6. "I like big boats and I cannot lie."

7. "Let's get nauti."

8. "Ocean air, salty hair."

9. "Time to get nautical."

10. "Good vibes and high tides."

11. "Planning on seas-ing every moment of this."

12. "The doctor said I needed more vitamin sea, so here I am."

13. "Was feeling pier pressure, so I left the dock."

14. "You can't ship with us."

15. "Yeah buoy, we're on a yacht!"

16. "Oh ship, it's a sea day."

17. "I seek to sea more."

18. "Paradise found."

19. "Happiness comes in waves."

20. "This is my happy place."

21. "What happens on the yacht stays on the yacht."

22. "It's a-boat time we set sail."

23. "Water you doing today? I'm on a yacht."

24. "My milkshake brings all the buoys to the yard."

25. "If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me, one day I'll know, if I go there's just no telling how far I'll go." — Moana , "How Far I'll Go"

26. "Everything is better on the water."

27. "I love you a yacht."

28. "The ocean is everything I want to be. Beautiful, mysterious, wild, and free."

29. "Yacht to have all the fun in the summer."

30. "Always take the sea-nic route."

31. "Definitely not salty about this view."

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Late hedge fund billionaire and philanthropist had a 222-foot yacht called Archimedes

James simons died last week at the age of 86.

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James Simons left behind a legacy in mathematics, finance and philanthropy, as well as a massive personal fortune and a yacht, when he passed away at age 86 last week.

The billionaire, who founded the extremely successful hedge fund Renaissance Technologies, built up a personal fortune worth $31.4 billion over the course of his lifetime and used billions of that money for charity, according to Forbes . His charitable organization, the Simons Foundation that he co-founded with wife Marilyn, provides funding for science, education, autism and other areas.

Marilyn Simons and Jim Simons attend the CSHL Double Helix Medals Dinner at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 15, 2023, in New York. (Patrick McMullan via / Getty Images)

At one point in the 2000s, Simons reportedly used some of his wealth to acquire a yacht for himself. Outlets like the BBC and CNN have identified him over the years as the owner of the Feadship-built Archimedes.

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The yacht, built in 2008, is about 222 feet long and can sail at speeds of up to 16 knots, per BOAT International. In 2018, it received a refit. 

The Plymouth Marine Laboratory said in mid-February that Simons and his wife were "support[ing] marine research in some of the most remote and least studied parts of the ocean" with the Archimedes. Scientists affixed a light-measuring instrument to the vessel to help with their research, according to the organization. 

JEFFERIES CEO RICH HANDLER CASHES IN MORE THAN $65M IN STOCK TO BUY YACHT

The yacht Archimedes sails in the Hudson River as storm clouds pass over midtown Manhattan in New York City on May 28, 2019. (Gary Hershorn / Getty Images)

In March, the yacht received a Science & Discovery award at the YCM Explorer Awards in Monaco for its contributions to ocean exploration and research, a Feadship press release said.

FOX Business reached out to the Simons Foundation for comment regarding the yacht.

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Simons and his wife together have dolled out charitable contributions totaling around $6 billion, Forbes reported. 

He left his role as chairman of Renaissance Technologies , which operates the Medallion Fund, back in 2021, over a decade after his retirement as the hedge fund’s CEO.

ROSEN, A LEADING LAW FIRM, Encourages Malibu Boats, Inc. Investors to Secure Counsel Before Important Deadline in Securities Class Action - MBUU

WHAT TO DO NEXT:  To join the Malibu Boats class action, go to  https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=24654   or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email  [email protected]  for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court  no later than June 28, 2024 . A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW:  We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition.  Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases . Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE:  According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Malibu Boats engaged in an “elaborate scheme to over manufacture and pump nearly $100 million of its highest priced, highest margin, slow moving boat inventory into fifteen [Tommy’s Boats (“Tommy’s”)] dealerships”; (2) as a result, Malibu Boats artificially inflated Malibu Boats’ sales performance, market share, and stock value; (3) Malibu Boats was withholding certain incentives and rebates from its dealers; (4) as a result of the foregoing, Malibu Boats faced substantial risk of litigation from one of its top dealers, Tommy’s; (5) Malibu Boats’ Chief Executive Officer departed due to this role in this scheme; and (6) as a result of the foregoing, defendants’ positive statements about Malibu Boats’ business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Malibu Boats class action, go to  https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=24654   or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email  [email protected]  for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/rosen_firm  or on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ .

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The US’s first hydrogen-fueled ship is officially ready to set sail

The  Sea Change , a hydrogen-powered catamaran ferry, just got Coast Guard clearance to operate commercially in the Bay Area.

Maritime vessel developer SWITCH Maritime received US Coast Guard approval on Friday to operate its flagship hydrogen ferry, the Sea Change, as a public ferry service.

 “We are immensely grateful for the support from the US Coast Guard and all our partners along the path to completion,” said Pace Ralli, CEO of SWITCH. “This is not the finish line, but just a starting point from which to build many more.”

The Sea Change is equipped with hydrogen fuel cells that power its all-electric motors. These cells allow the vessel to travel up to 300 nautical miles (345 miles) at speeds of up to 15 knots (17 mph) and don’t require shoreside charging infrastructure.

Built and launched at All American Marine shipyard in Bellingham, Washington, the  Sea Change  is a 75-passenger catamaran ferry featuring an integrated hydrogen power system from Zero Emission Industries that has 360 kW of fuel cells from Cummins and 600 kW of electric motor propulsion from BAE Systems.

Following a formal launch event in June, the Sea Change  will be operated in a six-month pilot service by the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA). It’s funded by a public-private sponsorship that includes the Golden State Warriors and a $3 million grant from the California Air Resources Board.

SWITCH Maritime will put the hydrogen ferry into a more permanent route when the pilot finishes. The company is also developing new designs for larger and faster ferries for San Francisco Bay and other major US and international ferry markets.

Read more: Toyota goes large on hydrogen with new US headquarters

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Michelle Lewis is a writer and editor on Electrek and an editor on DroneDJ, 9to5Mac, and 9to5Google. She lives in White River Junction, Vermont. She has previously worked for Fast Company, the Guardian, News Deeply, Time, and others. Message Michelle on Twitter or at [email protected]. Check out her personal blog.

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Billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg spend six figures a year maintaining their superyachts. Here's how.

• Superyachts  are one of the most expensive assets money can buy.
• The true cost of ownership is even more, adding up to millions a year.
• Here's how much it costs to own a superyacht — and what that money is going toward.

Financial advisors are quick to warn prospective owners that a boat is nothing more than a hole in the water in which to throw money. When it comes to superyachts , you'd better have bags and bags of cash.

As one luxury agent told Business Insider at the Palm Beach International Boat Show: "Buying a boat, it's a huge purchase — and nobody needs a yacht."

A superyacht, generally over 30 meters long, is one of the most expensive assets money can buy, with the largest costing more than a lot of real estate or a private jet. Billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs each spent nine figures on their megayachts.

That doesn't include operating costs. Owners should expect to pay about 10% of a yacht's new-build price each year, experts told Business Insider. That's tens of millions of dollars annually for the most luxurious boats.

"It's a small-to-medium-sized business in its own right," said Jeffrey Beneville, a senior vice president at insurance company NFP, where he specializes in consulting clients about yachts.

Unlike many smaller boats, superyachts need staff, not just a captain. Some superyachts have space for dozens of crewmembers , including a chef, engineer, and masseuse for the guests onboard. Each gets an annual salary — the highest-ranking members earn six figures — and benefits. Eric Schmidt's yacht fits a crew of 28 for a ratio of about two crewmembers per guest.

Then there's fuel, dockage fees, routine maintenance, and insurance. The latter hinges on everything from the reputation of a yacht's shipyard to where an owner wants to take it (if a vessel is taking frequent trips to the South China Sea, for example, expect to pay a higher premium). If a superyacht has a support yacht — or a support superyacht, in Bezos ' case — expect to pay another 10% of that boat's price annually.

"The cost to maintain a yacht is so high that they just think that money's getting lit on fire," Matthew Fleissig, the CEO of wealth management firm Pathstone, told BI of his clients who choose to charter rather than own.

One of his firm's clients who does own has a 23-meter yacht valued at $5.2 million. The annual cost to staff, maintain, dock, and insure the boat is $346,297, according to documentation provided to BI. The lion's share is spent on marina fees ($95,970) and maintenance work ($88,408.) While not exactly a Sunfish, that boat is too small to count as a superyacht.

At 106 meters, the Amadea, owned by a sanctioned Russian oligarch , definitely does. The $300 million yacht, which was seized in 2022 and is docked in San Diego, cost $922,000 a month to maintain, a court filing showed: $360,000 for crew salaries, $75,000 for fuel, $144,000 for insurance, $178,000 in dry-docking fees, and $165,000 for maintenance, waste removal, food for the crew, and miscellaneous expenses.

"And that's an inactive yacht that's in the water," NFP's Beneville said.

If it were operational and carrying guests, the costs would be about twice that, or between $20 million and $30 million a year, he added.

Of course, it makes more financial sense for the non-obsessives to charter, and many of Fleissig's clients do. And some owners choose to offer their yachts for charter — the most luxurious cost as much as $1 million a week — to offset the costs.

"If you charter the boat for 50 days a year, it's going to help a lot," Anders Kurtén, the CEO of brokerage firm Fraser Yachts, told BI.

Then again, the running costs don't matter as much at a certain point. "If you're worth $30 billion, it's nothing. And if you're worth $117 billion — and these are the guys we're talking about — they're in it as long as it's still enjoyable for them," Beneville said. "It's not a money thing."

Watch: Why South Sea pearls are so expensive

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