# Launching a ship **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 4, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/launching-a-ship/668017 "2013-09-04T19:20:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/launching-a-ship/668017/1 "2013-09-04T19:20:59Z")
Not to hijack [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=701185), When new ships are launched, is there a rule for which end leads into the water. I realize that in a formal “christening,” the ship is launched stem-first, for esthetic reasons. But are there rules for non-christening launches? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/launching-a-ship/668017/2 "2013-09-04T19:25:55Z")
[Any direction you want.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPGBEI5orIg) Sideways, forwards, backwards. Just watch out for the spray. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/launching-a-ship/668017/3 "2013-09-04T20:59:15Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Not to hijack [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=701185), > > When new ships are launched, is there a rule for which end leads into the water. I realize that in a formal “christening,” the ship is launched stem-first, for esthetic reasons. But are there rules for non-christening launches? Actually stern first (which is the opposite of stem first). ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/launching-a-ship/668017/4 "2013-09-04T23:04:29Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > [Any direction you want.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPGBEI5orIg) Sideways, forwards, backwards. Just watch out for the spray. As long as the keel is on the bottom… ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/launching-a-ship/668017/5 "2013-09-05T00:00:44Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > As long as the keel is on the bottom… Well, _pointing to_ the bottom. _ON_ the bottom would be a sign of a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/launching-a-ship/668017/6 "2013-09-05T00:15:06Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > As long as the keel is on the bottom… That happens sometimes: the keel scrapes the bottom…of the bay. Running aground upon launching is one of the more embarrassing jinxes that can befall a ship. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/launching-a-ship/668017/7 "2013-09-05T02:10:17Z")
There’s an answer [here](http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081121154708AAC80Dz) on Yahoo answers (of all places) that sounds reasonable. > [@](#): > > The traditional launch, stern first, is still the most common, even if there are other ways to launch a ship such as sideways or in the dry-dock. > > In the traditional launch, the ship is launched stern first for several reasons. In general, the shape of the stern is rounder than the streamlined bow profile, thus providing greater resistance when entering the water. Moreover, the stern provides more buoyancy to lift the ship from the cradle faster than the bow, thus favoring the gradual detachment from the slipway. > > Finally, the greater beam astern helps to stabilize the ship crosswise as she enters the water and to avoid dangerous listings. > [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > [Any direction you want.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPGBEI5orIg) Sideways, forwards, backwards. Just watch out for the spray. None of those are launched bow first, just stern and side launches.