Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
Bon rouleur, bon marcheur
English translation:
A good roller is a good sailer
Added to glossary by
Philip Taylor
Mar 6, 2009 12:14
15 yrs ago
3 viewers *
French term
Bon rouleur, bon marcheur
French to English
Other
Ships, Sailing, Maritime
"Bon rouleur, bon marcheur". On le dit pour se consoler lorsqu'un bateau est pris d'un roulis qui rend la vie à bord insupportable. En réalité, ce n'est pas vrai du tout !
Just wondering if there is by any chance an English language equivalent of this nautical phrase, or if someone can invent a suitably catchy and authentic sounding version...
Many thanks in advance for any ideas.
Just wondering if there is by any chance an English language equivalent of this nautical phrase, or if someone can invent a suitably catchy and authentic sounding version...
Many thanks in advance for any ideas.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 | A few more ideas |
Michael GREEN
|
| 4 +2 | roller bowler |
Graham macLachlan
|
| 3 | easy to roll, easy to run |
Bourth (X)
|
| 2 | see explanation |
mohanv
|
Proposed translations
2 hrs
Selected
A few more ideas
Just to throw a few more ideas into the ring ...but they can't be put to music, I fear:
All's well that rolls well
If she rolls well she'll sail well
Rollworthy is seaworthy
A good roller is a good sailer
A crank ship will take you far (!)
etc
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Note added at 4 days (2009-03-11 10:26:56 GMT) Post-grading
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Thank you Philip, though I'm almost embarrassed to be given the points in the face of so many other good suggestions!
All's well that rolls well
If she rolls well she'll sail well
Rollworthy is seaworthy
A good roller is a good sailer
A crank ship will take you far (!)
etc
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 days (2009-03-11 10:26:56 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
Thank you Philip, though I'm almost embarrassed to be given the points in the face of so many other good suggestions!
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I think, for my puroses, I'll have to go with this kind of more literal answer, despite being very impressed with, and appreciative of, Graham's answer. Thanks to everyone who contributed."
+2
52 mins
roller bowler
There is a shanty which talks of, or rather insults a ship as a "roller bowler", in it the protagonist is happy to get ashore and meet the ladies:
"A-way, you roller bowler!
Timme, hey-rig-a-jig a-jig a ha-ha,
Good morning, ladies all!"
http://www.finnandhaddie.com/lyrics/07-01_roller_bowler.php
to "bowl along" means go fast and smoothly:
ship bowling along and skimming over the waves before a favorable wind, ...
books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=0801851300...
however "bowler" is more likely to refer to rolling:
BOWL
1. verb intrans. Play at bowls or skittles etc.; roll a bowl, hoop, etc., along the ground. LME.
2. verb trans. Cause to roll; send rolling. L16.
OED
There is no doubt that a ship prone to rolling is called a "roller":
ROLLER
10b b. A ship that rolls. L19.
OED
"A-way, you roller bowler!
Timme, hey-rig-a-jig a-jig a ha-ha,
Good morning, ladies all!"
http://www.finnandhaddie.com/lyrics/07-01_roller_bowler.php
to "bowl along" means go fast and smoothly:
ship bowling along and skimming over the waves before a favorable wind, ...
books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=0801851300...
however "bowler" is more likely to refer to rolling:
BOWL
1. verb intrans. Play at bowls or skittles etc.; roll a bowl, hoop, etc., along the ground. LME.
2. verb trans. Cause to roll; send rolling. L16.
OED
There is no doubt that a ship prone to rolling is called a "roller":
ROLLER
10b b. A ship that rolls. L19.
OED
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Michael GREEN
: Like it ! Better than anything I might come up with, Graham : now, when are you going to sing it for us ?
17 mins
|
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:)) thanks Mike!
|
|
| agree |
Glen McCulley
: good job
25 mins
|
|
thanks Glen
|
52 mins
see explanation
A boat that rows well, sails well
A boat which rides well, maneuvers well
A boat that tracks well, turns well
A boat that runs well must also maneuver well
A boat which rides well, maneuvers well
A boat that tracks well, turns well
A boat that runs well must also maneuver well
1 hr
easy to roll, easy to run
It would seem this guy says "bon rouleur, bon marcheur" is true:
I wanted to end up with a boat that could carry her sail well (an essential conflict between cruising and racing yachts, the stability being penalized in the latter for rating purposes). On the other hand I wanted the desirable WAVE PERFORMANCE of a tender boat. That is, one which is an EASY ROLLER. There is only one solution to this seeming conflict. I get the sail carrying ability from the moderately heavy displacement (directly proportional to the riding moment). I achieve the easy motion by shaping the hull sections with a high angle of deadrise and very easy bilges, or more technically, designing the shape with a low meta-centre. The result is a hull which is driven easily and has relatively less wetted surface for her length than many yachts of her size range.
http://frances26.org/reviews.html
I wanted to end up with a boat that could carry her sail well (an essential conflict between cruising and racing yachts, the stability being penalized in the latter for rating purposes). On the other hand I wanted the desirable WAVE PERFORMANCE of a tender boat. That is, one which is an EASY ROLLER. There is only one solution to this seeming conflict. I get the sail carrying ability from the moderately heavy displacement (directly proportional to the riding moment). I achieve the easy motion by shaping the hull sections with a high angle of deadrise and very easy bilges, or more technically, designing the shape with a low meta-centre. The result is a hull which is driven easily and has relatively less wetted surface for her length than many yachts of her size range.
http://frances26.org/reviews.html
Discussion
I prefer Graham's suggestion, though perhaps it doesn't quite tackle the basic idea, ie that a "ship that rolls is a good sailer".