Define: "Old Salt"

[john]

Some of you may have noticed the tag lines under member posts. New members get the line "Greenhorn" and once you have a certain number of well rated posts gCaptain promotes your status up to the venerable title of "Old Salt".

So for National Maritime Day 2009 via twitter @gCaptain asked the question What is your definition of the nautical term "Old Salt"?

Here's what google has to say:

An Old Salt in the English speaking naval services is often a raconteur, or teller of sea stories. Much of the history and traditions of the naval services are passed from generation to generation of service members by these sea stories as told and retold by old salts. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_salt
(Fishing) Some crusty old fisherman who has survived many storms offshore, and seen many fish.
www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage

What are your thoughts on the meaning of the term Old Salt?

[Capt. Nemo]

Someone who's seen about as much salt water pass over his head as has passed beneath his feet.

Real "old salts" are a vanishing breed. The real old salts on here will agree.

Nemo

[c.captain]

to paraphrase Justice Potter Stewart in 1964 trying to explain "hard-core" pornography:

I shall not today attempt further to define what makes a seaman an "old salt" . . . but I know one when I see him (or smell him first). . .

In reality, I think of a seamen an "old salt" as being a veteran of many years sailing on ships or boats on which he is near continuously exposed to the elements giving his features a weather beaten craggy look. A frizzled white beard undoubtedly helps to seal the deal as well.


an "old salt"

You're certainly right in that in the age of Starship Enterprise bridges on ships that "old salts" are a thing of the past.


not an "old salt"

Although some fairweather sailors become something other than "old salts"


they become Denny Crane

"I'mma givin you all I kin captain...I dun know how much longer I kin hold her tagether"

[seadawg]

"old salt" = "old coat" = "stripey"

**in today's terms any AB that can tie a bowline and put a eye splice in a line!

[Old Bakelite]

I must not be all that ambitious these days as I have recently figured out how the tagging works (as confirmed here) and all I really want at the moment is to be an "Old Salt" on gCaptain.

For sure, I could no longer put an eye in a mooring rope or SWR without my EDH book, but I am grateful that Mike banned Manoverboard so that he does not get there before me.

[john]

I must not be all that ambitious these days as I have recently figured out how the tagging works (as confirmed here) and all I really want at the moment is to be an "Old Salt" on gCaptain.

Tag away Old Bakelite! We could use Able Bodied interneters like you (seriously!).

Great comments guys, keep them coming!

[cmjeff]

There is no definition of an Old Salt. I can only share examples from some of the Old Salts I've worked with:

*The guy who ALWAYS has a better sea-story than every-one else but rarely tells it.
*The guy who knows the best brothel in every world port.
*The guy who can make an entire mess-deck of hardened seamen violently ill with the telling of his latest sexual exploits in port
*The guy who has sailed everything from Russian trawlers to general cargo, LNG to workboats in Nigeria
*The guy who can curse in Filipino, Hindu, Russian and Chinese
*The guy who thinks he can make better tools than Craftsman... and is right!
*The guy sailing a winter north atlantic run straight off a 4 month bender, the entire crew gets food poisoning and the swine flu... he calls them weak and spends the next few days smiling & cleaning his tools with diesel oil.

[albertpachino]

He mother was a mermaid and he father was King Neptune. Was born on th’ crest of a wave and rocked in the cradle of th’ deep. Seaweed and barnacles are he clothes. Every tooth in he head is a marlinspike; every hair on he head is hemp. Every bone in he body is a spar, and when he spits, he spits tar! He’se hard, he is, he am, he are!

[albertpachino]

Just ask around.

If he looks like this guy he might tell you he's a Salt but he's probably just an A$$hole:


If she looks like this girl and her "Team Mates" call her a Salt, keep looking:


BUT

If you find the guy who's z-card looks like this:


But today he looks likes this:


And, when asked, tells you lift your skirt and F off before he keelhauls you... you have found the Real Salt.

[c.captain]

Bravo Sir....

BRAAAAVO!

[Stareed]

That is priceless! I am still laughing!

[stevefoster]

Some of you may have noticed the tag lines under member posts. New members get the line "Greenhorn" and once you have a certain number of well rated posts gCaptain promotes your status up to the venerable title of "Old Salt".

So for National Maritime Day 2009 via twitter @gCaptain asked the question What is your definition of the nautical term "Old Salt"?

Here's what google has to say:


What are your thoughts on the meaning of the term Old Salt?

In case that newbie doesn't know what old salt means on this forum, here it is................

[SailorDaniel]

There is no definition of an Old Salt. I can only share examples from some of the Old Salts I've worked with:

*The guy who ALWAYS has a better sea-story than every-one else but rarely tells it.
*The guy who knows the best brothel in every world port.
*The guy who can make an entire mess-deck of hardened seamen violently ill with the telling of his latest sexual exploits in port
*The guy who has sailed everything from Russian trawlers to general cargo, LNG to workboats in Nigeria
*The guy who can curse in Filipino, Hindu, Russian and Chinese
*The guy who thinks he can make better tools than Craftsman... and is right!
*The guy sailing a winter north atlantic run straight off a 4 month bender, the entire crew gets food poisoning and the swine flu... he calls them weak and spends the next few days smiling & cleaning his tools with diesel oil.

This gave me a great idea. You could easily steal Jeff Foxworthys "If you.....you might be a ..."

i.e...
If you have a harder time keeping your balance in a parking lot than you do in 20' swells, you just might be an old salt.

If you know the best brothel in every world port, you might be an old salt. (couldnt help but steal that one after several fun port calls to places like Phuket)

If you require a spoon to drink your coffee you just might be an old salt.

I'm sure if everyone just came up with one or two of these we could compile this thread into a best seller book.

Plus since my definition of an Old Salt is anyone opposite of my green ass, I'm sure most of you could come up with a lot better ones than I can

[SailorDaniel]

If you can sew better than my grandma, you just might be an old salt...

[seadog!]

John-

From the same wiki article you quoted- "Never drunk on duty, never sober on liberty".

I suspect a "real" old salt would know all the knots in the contest, and their best uses, and be able to tie them behind his back, in the dark, on a pitching deck, while telling a good yarn...

[Jon]

If you've never written the commandant asking for a medal, you might be an old salt.
If you've used the phrase, "I don't need no stinkin' uniform," you might be an old salt.
If you resemble the man in the statue in Gloucester, you might be an old salt.
If you've lit and finished a cigarette on a pitching and rolling deck, in the driving spray, you might be an old salt.
If you're a retired Master Chief Bosun's Mate, you might be an old salt.

[DPWinter]

If you were sitting on the pier waiting for God to make water, you might be an Old Salt.

[Capt. Fran]

There is no definition of an Old Salt. I can only share examples from some of the Old Salts I've worked with:

*The guy who ALWAYS has a better sea-story than every-one else but rarely tells it.
*The guy who knows the best brothel in every world port.
*The guy who can make an entire mess-deck of hardened seamen violently ill with the telling of his latest sexual exploits in port
*The guy who has sailed everything from Russian trawlers to general cargo, LNG to workboats in Nigeria
*The guy who can curse in Filipino, Hindu, Russian and Chinese
*The guy who thinks he can make better tools than Craftsman... and is right!
*The guy sailing a winter north atlantic run straight off a 4 month bender, the entire crew gets food poisoning and the swine flu... he calls them weak and spends the next few days smiling & cleaning his tools with diesel oil.

*The gal who knows all the brothels in all the ports so she can go save her shipmates from getting killed when they don't pay!
*The gal who can put a tag line on her shipmate and haul his drunk stinking ass up the jacob's ladder and get him to his bunk before the Captain sees him!
*The gal who will eat mayonnaise out of a jar with a spoon in 30' seas just to make the new academy grad that won't shut up puke!

[JAFO]

If you have to ask........ you know the answer already.

[Jon]

*The gal who knows all the brothels in all the ports so she can go save her shipmates from getting killed when they don't pay!
*The gal who can put a tag line on her shipmate and haul his drunk stinking ass up the jacob's ladder and get him to his bunk before the Captain sees him!
*The gal who will eat mayonnaise out of a jar with a spoon in 30' seas just to make the new academy grad that won't shut up puke!

Shhhitttt, and you haven't applied for a medal yet?