Sailing Ships Quotes:

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

- Kenneth Grahame

source: TheWind in theWillows ch. 1 (1908)

topic: Witty, Sailing, Half, Mariners, Wind In The Willows

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

- Joseph Conrad

topic: Sea, Boat, Enticing, Mariners, Ocean Sea

A ship is always referred to as 'she' because it costs so much to keep one in paint and powder.

- Chester W. Nimitz

source: 1959 In the NewYork Times, 24May.

topic: Peace, War, Sea, Sailboat, Seamen

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

- Robin Lee Graham

topic: Sea, Littles, Needs, Mariners, Maritime

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

- Francis Drake

topic: Sea, Boat, Distasteful, Mariners, Maritime

The thing I realized this last few days is that the earth is a big place.

- Paul Cayard

topic: Sailing, Lasts, Earth, Sailboat, Sailing Ships

If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it.

- Jonathan Winters

source: "Biography/Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

topic: Inspirational, Life, Motivational, Nautical, Inspirational New Beginning

The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving.

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

topic: Love, Inspirational, Life, Sailboat, Change Growth

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.

- Lewis Francis Herreshoff

topic: Sailing, Retreat, Cabins, Mariners, Sailboat

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

source: John Masefield, “Sea Fever”

topic: Lonely, Stars, Sea, Captain Kirk, Mariners

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

- Alain Gerbault

topic: Adventure, Air, Sea, Mariners, Sailboat

The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with Joseph Conrad. She went to Africa with Ernest Hemingway and to India with Rudyard Kipling. She travelled all over the world while sitting in her little room in an English village.

- Roald Dahl

source: Roald Dahl (2007). “Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator”, p.160, Penguin

topic: Book, Reading, People, Olden Days, Amazing People

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

source: Letter to Le Ray de Chaumont, 16 Nov. 1778

topic: Life, Fear, Military, American Revolution, Military Aviation

No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company.

- Samuel Johnson

topic: Funny, Army, Men, Lexicographer, Army Navy

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

topic: Brother, Lying, Sea, Mariners, Sailboat

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

- George William Curtis

topic: Journey, Achievement, Sailing, Prosperous, Mariners

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

- Jimmy Dean

topic: Inspirational, Positive, Uplifting, Positive Change, Inspirational Attitude

Most sailing ships take what they call trainees, who pay to be part of the crew. The Picton Castle takes people who are absolutely raw recruits. But you can't just ride along. You're learning to steer the ship, navigation; you're pulling lines, keeping a lookout; in the galley you're cooking.

- Billy Campbell

source: Biography/Personal Quotes, www.imdb.com.

topic: People, Sailing, Cooking, Sailing Ships, Trainees

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

- Ernest K. Gann

source: Ernest K. Gann (2000). “Song of the Sirens”, p.37, Sheridan House, Inc.

topic: Frustration, Wind, Sailing, Sailing And Love, Sailing And Wind

Spirits rise as the sails fill... Gone is the sea's glassy surface, and with it the terrible glare. Close the hatches and ports! We're sailing again!

- Jim Moore

source: Jim Moore (1996). “By Way of the Wind”, p.105, Sheridan House, Inc.

topic: Sea, Sailing, Gone, Sailboat, Sailing Ships

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

source: Sterling Hayden (2015). “Wanderer”, p.67, Pickle Partners Publishing

topic: Sailing, Democracy, Ships, Caucus, Sailing And Love

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

- William Arthur Ward

topic: Inspirational, Inspiring, Leadership, Mariners, Navigate

There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.

- Willa Cather

source: Willa Cather (2013). “The Best of Willa Cather”, p.463, Simon and Schuster

topic: Inspirational, Summer, Nature, Calm Seas, Sailing And Love

Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World.

- Christopher Columbus

topic: Light, Sea, History, Medieval War, Old World

When you can’t change the direction of the wind — adjust your sails

- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

topic: Inspirational, Life, Positive, Positive Change, Nautical

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

topic: Life, Leadership, Determination, Risking Your Life, Sea Life

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

- Fitzhugh Dodson

topic: Inspirational, Success, Greatness, Life Goal, Career Goals

If you want to build a ship, don't summon people to buy wood, prepare tools, distribute jobs, and organize the work; teach people the yearning for the wide, boundless ocean.

- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

topic: Jobs, Ocean, People, Maritime, Innovative Leadership

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

- John Masefield

topic: Men, Ships, Boat, Nautical, Looking Down

If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favourable.

- Seneca the Younger

source: 'Epistulae ad Lucilium' letter 71, sect. 3

topic: Inspirational, Motivational, Positive, Quality In Business, Smooth Sailing

Men go back to the mountains, as they go back to sailing ships at sea, because in the mountains and on the sea they must face up.

- Henry David Thoreau

topic: Men, Sea, Sailing, Sailing Ships

The days pass happily with me wherever my ship sails.

- Joshua Slocum

topic: Ships, Boat, Sail, Nautical, Sailboat

I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.

- Louisa May Alcott

source: J. M. Barrie, Charles Dickens, Johanna Spyri, Louisa May Alcott, L. Frank Baum (2015). “Greatest Christmas Novels in One Volume: Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, Heidi, The Romance of a Christmas Card, The Little City of Hope, The Wonderful Life, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, Little Lord Fauntleroy, Peter Pan…”, p.1082, e-artnow

topic: Inspirational, Confidence, Wisdom, Storms Of Life, Tall Ships

And the winds and the waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators.

- Edward Gibbon

source: "History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire". Volume 6,

topic: Inspirational, Life, Wisdom, Mariners, Nautical

A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for.

- Grace Hopper

source: 1987 Address at Trinity College, Washington. Reported in Time, 22 Jun.

topic: Inspirational, Life, Motivational, Maritime, Nautical

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

- Aristotle Onassis

topic: Hope, Wind, Sea, Maritime, Sailing And Love

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, Jr.

source: "Personal Quotes/ Biography". www.imdb.com.

topic: Motivational, Lying, Moving, Nautical, Sailboat

Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit.

- Brooks Atkinson

topic: Land, Boat, Nautical, Land And Sea, Sailboat

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

- Charles Davis

topic: Beach, Sight, Land, Mariners, Land And Sea

He who lets the sea lull him into a sense of security is in very grave danger.

- Hammond Innes

topic: Sea, Boat, Danger, Mariners, Nautical

To young men contemplating a voyage I would say go.

- Joshua Slocum

source: Joshua Slocum (1985). “The Voyages of Joshua Slocum”, p.381, Sheridan House, Inc.

topic: Men, Voyages, Boat, Nautical, Sailboat

There is little man has made that approaches anything in nature, but a sailing ship does. There is not much man has made that calls to all the best in him, but a sailing ship does.

- Alan Villiers

topic: Men, Sailing, Doe, Nautical, Sailboat

It's out there at sea that you are really yourself.

- Vito Dumas

source: John Guzzwell, Vito Dumas, Joshua Slocum (1976). “Great voyages in small boats: solo circumnavigations”, John De Graff

topic: Sea, Boat, Sailboat, Sailing Ships, Boats And Sailing

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

- Whoopi Goldberg

topic: Sea, Looks, Forget, Nautical, Sailboat

Wind is to us what money is to life on shore.

- Sterling Hayden

source: Sterling Hayden (2015). “Wanderer”, p.80, Pickle Partners Publishing

topic: Wind, Boat, Shore, Mariners, Nautical

When it comes to politics, one has to do as one at sea with a sailing ship, reach one's course having regard to prevailing winds.

- William Lyon Mackenzie King

topic: Wind, Sea, Sailing, Sailing Ships