The Harbor Column:

The ghosts and goblins will be walking the streets on Halloween this weekend, and my wife is preparing to ride her broomstick. Boaters are known to be superstitious. Many superstitions have survived for centuries and are passed down across generations. Even modern seamen have their rituals, especially fishermen who would never dare to bring bananas aboard.

Boaters’ superstitions tend to lean toward safety while fishermen have rituals for a good catch. Interesting that these seafaring sailors try to influence things that are out of their power such as weather and ocean conditions. As strange as some of the superstitions are, people always seem to seek some sort of mystical connection to the environment and objects around them.

Did you know that black traveling bags will bring bad luck for sailors or that a silver coin put under the mast will bring good luck? We all know that renaming a boat can bring bad luck, and the naming process has a long list of various superstitious rituals to follow. However, dolphin around your boat is a sign of good luck.

Earlier I mentioned bananas can bring bad luck, and sailors will throw all bananas overboard if found on the boat. Sailors believe that bananas are an omen of disaster, and fishermen believe that the fruit will ruin any chance of catching fish.

Tip of the week is that it is time to start winterizing your boat, whether your boat is floating in a slip or on dry land. The cooler air and increasing separation in the day time and night time air temperatures will cause mold to grow. You can prevent mold from growing in your boat by removing towels, extra clothes and bedding. Open up the interior cabinet doors and compartment doors to increase air circulation.

Boat dehumidifiers work well, but some require attention, so read about the product carefully. Old timers might have a lamp set to turn on during the night to help heat the boat. One of the best practices is to visit your boat and open her up to let the afternoon breeze blow through the boat while you sit in the cockpit admiring the gem of a harbor we have in our back yard.

MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating columnist. Send marine-related thoughts and story suggestions to mike@boathousetv.com or go to www.boathousetv.com .