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Hello,

I recently had a long discussion about this, and nowadays "they" apparently can also be used in singular form.

I guess this topic will be argued long and hard for years, especially since we have now moved beyond the feminist movement into the "need for a masculinist movement"!!
But this link will give you both something serious about the topic, and something to laugh at as well. What a great combination!
Enjoy!

Hi MJ,

I’ve been on the water all my life. My father was chief engineer in the navy before working with the team that commissioned the first Polaris submarines.
We used to live on a narrow boat called “Mistress Masham” where my brother was born, and mum swore that Dad’s yacht “Antic Witch” had it in for her from the start.

My mother still tells of the time Antic Witch threw her overboard in Sharpness dock.
When she surfaced Mum said, “She pushed me.” That’s despite the fact that mum was always a landlubber at heart, and had used to say things like “it’s a nice boat” which is perhaps why she ended up in the water. After all, calling a lady “it” will not get you into her good books in a hurry. I also saw Antic Witch throw a fit of jealousy; refusing to go into neutral or even slow down just because Dad waved to this new woman in his life who was standing on the pier.
Believe me, ships and boats are female, and very much alive.

To me calling a ship “it” sounds really wrong and cold to the ship and anyone who has anything to do with her. I can only really think of a few cases when I’d use it. Perhaps if talking about a boat on the horizon, “That boat looks like it’s got wind in its sails” or something like that, although there is still nothing wrong with she/her in that context. I can imagine using it if you’re really detached, or talking about vessels in general of course, or as someone who has nothing to do with any one in particular.

So I do appreciate that some people will call ships it, but if you’re talking about a specific ship there is absolutely nothing wrong with using she, or her name. On the other hand I can think of several cases when using “it” will make you sound like a landlubber talking about their truck.

Here are a few examples of calling ships she or it. You decide whether one sounds wrong or right:

It is his ship, and he is its captain.
She is his ship, and he is her captain

The ship will be leaving at noon; it’s going to the Bahamas,
The ship will be sailing at noon; she’ll be visiting the Bahamas,

Look at the tattered flag on it’s front
Look at the tattered flag on her bows

It’s going backwards
She’s going astern

It’s going fast
She’s doing 20 knots

Wind the little boats down, it won’t float
Man the lifeboats, she’s going down

I’m going on a cruise on this big luxury liner, it should be nice because it’s a beautiful ship.
I’m going on a cruise on this big luxury liner, it should be nice because she’s a beautiful ship.

This is its last trip.
This is her last voyage.

The Santa Maria is a fine ship, it was built
The Santa Maria is a fine ship, she was built

I’m sure you can find many more references of people still using she/her today, or getting away with it.

If you’re translating a guide/promo for a Spanish tourist/training ship I can see absolutely nothing wrong with using she. Would the captain, crew, owners, and passengers rather you called their ship it or she? You decide, it’s your translation, but remember: she is his ship, and he is her captain.

some people use 'she' for cars, motorbikes etc; sailors often use 'she' for boats and ships (but most other people use 'it)
e.g.
the ship's struck a rock. she's sinking!

'practical english usage' by michael swan, oxford uni press 2005

so, i presume you can use both she and it in your text depending on who is saying it :-)