Like many others whose duties are sea-related, fisherman do hold various superstitions and new vessel launching ceremony is one of them. This procedure is considered of a great importance as a common tradition, enforced regardless to the purpose of the constructed vessel.

The variety of traditions and rituals that accompany the launching of a new ship are worth talking about.

Launching ceremonies in times past

The first description of the consecration procedure was discovered in Egyptian papyri and dates back to 2100 BC. It was, so to speak, a report on the launching of the pharaoh's ship onto the Nile.

Since ancient times, the launching of a ship in many cultures has been likened to a religious ceremony of baptism, during which the child is given a Christian name, thereby gaining the protection of God. This same way sailors are reaching out for the protection of higher powers for themselves and their ship during the launching.

Even the Greeks and Romans, when launching ships, sought the mercy of their sea gods: Poseidon and Neptune. While offering prayers, they covered their heads with wreaths, drank wine and poured water on the ship, blessing it. At the same time, sacred relics were brought on board, and then stored on the ship throughout its entire service life.

Launching ceremonies of times past were often more barbarous than they are today – they sometimes included human sacrifice. The Vikings, for instance, used to sacrifice a slave to win the favor of their sea god. Among the Babylonians, and later in Islamic countries, prayers were accompanied by animal sacrifices.

With the introduction of Christianity, this custom was dropped and in the Middle Ages wine became an invariable attribute of consecration.

The ceremony of consecrating the ship was always very luxurious - the royal dignitary, who was presented with wine in a golden goblet, would make a toast to the well-being of the ship. This cup was then thrown overboard. At the end of the 17th century, they stopped throwing precious cups overboard, but the custom of breaking a bottle of wine on a ship being launched was established.

Present-day launching ceremonies

The present-day custom of breaking a bottle of wine or champagne apparently began in the days of the early Georges, in the 18^th century. The first recorded case concerned one of the Princesses of Hanover, who threw the bottle with more energy than accuracy, missing the ship entirely, and injuring one of the spectators, who put in a claim for damages against the Admiralty. From about 1810, it was customary for a lady to be asked to perform the ceremony.

The ancient custom of consecrating a vessel continues to this day, however, various nations across the world have developed a diverse range of practices to mark this memorable moment.

A champagne bottle smashed against a ship’s hull is one of the most recognized rituals in western ship launching ceremonies. This act is thought to bestow good luck upon all who travel aboard her maiden voyage. 

Traditionally, a woman breaks a bottle of champagne on the bow of a ship. Usually this is the wife of a high-ranking official, less often a famous artist, movie star or public figure. By breaking a bottle of champagne, a woman becomes the “godmother” of the ship.

The bottle should break the first time. Otherwise, as history says, there will be trouble. A case in point was the “godmother” of the ship Albion, Princess Alice, who failed to break a bottle on the bow of the cruiser for three times. When the ship was already crawling down the slipway, the nerves of one of the spectators could not stand it, and, thanks to the efforts of one caring comrade, the bottle finally broke. But it's too late. The wave from the ship hitting the surface of the water washed away several people from the shore.

In American shipyards there is even such a position as a “bottle catcher”, his function is to catch an unbroken bottle and bring the job to an end!

Many interesting ship launching ceremonies could also be observed in other cultures.

In Japan, a ship being launched is decorated with many colored ribbons and balloons, and at the height of the ceremony, pigeons are released from captivity and a real rain of candy is made. The ceremony ends with an offering of sake to appease the spirits and ensure a safe voyage.

In Turkey, it is customary to sprinkle pre-blessed water on a ship under construction. 

Iranians use river water for a launching ceremony or sprinkle the sled with the blood of a sacrificial lamb. The Arabs use water from the holy spring in Mecca for the same purpose.

The Danes sprinkle orange juice on fruit-carrying ships as they launch and scatter pieces of ice on refrigerated vessels.

In New Zealand Maori culture, waka (traditional canoes) are considered sacred creatures and are ornately carved to demonstrate respect and reverence during elaborate launching rituals.

Ship launching ceremonies are time-honored maritime traditions dating back to ancient times in various cultures around the world. Although these customs differ across countries and peoples, they all share a common understanding: investing good fortune in each vessel is vital to ensuring its safety for all who sailed on it.

Given the superstitious nature of sailors, these century-old ship launching rituals will likely continue as long as the navy exists.