There’s something magical about boats and open water. The gentle sway, the smell of the sea, and the endless horizon create a sense of freedom and adventure. Boats inspire dreams of far-off places and peaceful escapes.
Here is a collection of the best boat quotes. They capture the spirit of sailing and the love for the sea. Whether you’re a sailor at heart or simply enjoy the waterside, these quotes will speak to you.
Inspirational Boat Quotes
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
“The cure for anything is saltwater: sweat, tears, or the sea.”
“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.”
“If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to meet it!”
“To reach a port we must set sail – Sail, not tie at anchor – Sail, not drift.”
“Only the guy who isn’t rowing has time to rock the boat.”
“Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.”
“The sea, the great unifier, is man’s only hope. Now, as never before, the old phrase has a literal meaning: We are all in the same boat.”
“The goal is not to sail the boat, but rather to help the boat sail herself.”
“It is not the ship so much as the skillful sailing that assures the prosperous voyage.”
“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.”
“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.”
“Life is like sailing. You can use any wind to go in any direction.”
“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.”
“There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.”
“I wanted freedom, open air, and adventure. I found it on the sea.”
“Sailors, with their built-in sense of order, service, and discipline, should really be running the world.”
“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”
“The sea is the same as it has been since before men ever went on it in boats.”
“To young men contemplating a voyage I would say go.”
“The wind and the waves are always on the side of the ablest navigator.”
“The ocean is a mighty harmonist.”
“Old and young, we all sail towards death, but we have to go on.”
“Boats, like whiskey, are all good.”
“A boat is a vehicle that allows us to conquer the waves, yet embrace the serenity of the oceans within our souls.”
“The sail, the anchor, and the wind – metaphors of life’s mysteries.”
“Life’s roughest storms prove the strength of our anchors.”
“My soul is full of longing for the secret of the sea, and the heart of the great ocean sends a thrilling pulse through me.”
“The sea is everything. It covers seven-tenths of the globe. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all sides.”
“When a man has the wind in his sails, the world is his oyster.”
“Moor your boat to the wind, not the shore.”
Funny Boat Quotes
“A boat is a hole in the water you throw money into.”
“Work like a captain, play like a pirate.”
“If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it.”
“The sea is the same as it has been since before men ever went on it in boats.”
“Sailing: The fine art of getting wet and becoming ill while slowly going nowhere at great expense.”
“The only ship you can truly steer in this ocean is the one you’re sailing.”
“There is no better way to disconnect from work than by reconnecting with nature on a boat.”
“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”
“I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living.”
“Why work when you can captain a boat?”
“You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy a boat and that’s pretty close.”
“The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.”
“A bad day on the boat beats a good day at the office.”
“A sailor’s joys are as simple as a child’s.”
“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
“Life’s roughest storms prove the strength of our anchors.”
“At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much.”
“The goal is not to sail the boat, but rather to help the boat sail herself.”
“Goodbye boring land, hello exciting sea!”
“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.”
“we only regret the chances we didn’t take, including the boat rides we didn’t make.”
“The man who has experienced a shipwreck shudders even at a calm sea.”
“There’s nothing quite like the sound of the waves gently lapping against the side of your boat.”
“A small craft in an ocean is, or should be, a benevolent dictatorship.”
“To young men contemplating a voyage, I would say go.”
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
“Boats, like whiskey, are all good.”
“There’s no smoother sailing than floating through the waves of laughter.”
“We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.”
“When a man comes to like a sea life, he is not fit to live on land.”
“Adventure is worthwhile in itself.”
“I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky.”
“The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare let go.”
“If the wind is low, row.”
Famous Boat Quotes
“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.”
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
“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.”
“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.”
“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.”
“The goal is not to sail the boat, but rather to help the boat sail herself.”
“To reach a port we must set sail. Sail, not tie at anchor. Sail, not drift.”
“You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.”
“we only regret the chances we didn’t take and the times when we were afraid to sail away.”
“Life’s roughest storms prove the strength of our anchors.”
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
“We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds.”
“I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.”
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”
“The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea.”
“A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind.”
“We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.”
“Sometimes, the ocean does not want to be tamed, and the best journeys feel like an embrace with the waves.”
“The winds and the waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators.”
“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination, and brings eternal joy to the soul.”
“Sailing is the closest I can get to nature — it’s adrenaline, fear, a constant challenge and learning experience.”
“The true peace of God begins at any spot a thousand miles from the nearest land.”
“Masts in the mist are like thoughts in the uncharted sea of the mind.”
“A ship ought not to be held by one anchor, nor life by a single hope.”
“Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit.”
“He that will not sail till all dangers are over must never put to sea.”
“We have lingered in the chambers of the sea.”
“Boats, like whiskey, are all good.”
“The water is the same on both sides of the boat.”
“I wanted freedom, open air and adventure. I found it on the sea.”
“A boat is freedom, a boat is possibility, and a boat is the wind.”
Adventure Boat Quotes
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.”
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things 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.”
“Boats, like whiskey, are all good.”
“The sea is everything. It covers seven-tenths of the terrestrial globe. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all sides.”
“There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting, and enslaving than the life at sea.”
“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.”
“Set your course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship.”
“A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind.”
“The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea.”
“To reach a port we must set sail – Sail, not tie at anchor – Sail, not drift.”
“Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board.”
“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.”
“No one would have crossed the ocean if he could have gotten off the ship in the storm.”
“There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”
“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.”
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”
“Boats are the closest thing we have to dreams.”
“The sea finds out everything you did wrong.”
“Home is where the anchor drops.”
“A boat is a hole in the water you throw money into.”
“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.”
“You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”
“There is no better way to start an adventure than with a boat.”
“The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach — waiting for a gift from the sea.”
“Wherever we want to go, we’ll go. 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… what the Black Pearl really is… is freedom.”
“The river is constantly turning and bending and you never know where it’s going to go and where you’ll wind up. Following the bend in the river and staying on your own path means that you are on the right track. Don’t let anyone deter you from that.”
“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.”
“Life’s roughest storms prove the strength of our anchors.”
“We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds.”
“If a man must be obsessed by something, I suppose a boat is as good as anything, perhaps a bit better than most.”
“Sailors, with their built in sense of order, service and discipline, should really be running the world.”
Final Thoughts
Great boat quotes remind us why we love the open water and the adventures it brings. Whether you own a boat or dream of sailing one day, these quotes capture the spirit of exploration and the peace found on the water. They inspire us to appreciate the beauty of nature and the thrill of the journey.
Next time you need a dose of inspiration or a reminder of the joy of boating, turn to these quotes. They offer wisdom, humor, and a touch of nostalgia. So, let these words sail through your mind and spark your sense of wonder and adventure.
