Random questions about Liveships (spoilers Farseer, LST and TM)

[Farseer]

Today, in the company of Newsgroup friends, I learned the answer to a LST question that has befuddled me forever but I have forgotten all about ever asking!

Did you ever wonder why it was that Althea and Brashen made such a fuss about Amber placing the hatch cover as she did within Paragon? Well, you may not have but I always thought, "What's the big deal? I'd have thought that a very sensible idea, really..."

Well, there is actually a sailor's superstition that says (this was taken from Williams and Company's Marine Superstitions- Volume One but there are many other sources):

"Hatch Upside Down - Placing a hatchcover or manhole upside down is bad luck. There are various explanations. Upside down covers forebode of a capsized vessel. Practically speaking, all hatches and manholes should be in the sealed position while at sea in any event; to do otherwise is said to be bad practice. This superstition is known to have been modified on some vessels to prohibit buckets of water from being placed on the hatchcover – possibly symbolizing standing water over the hatch, a bad situation in any case."

Ah, good stuff. Even better that Amber built it, and I am sure that even Brashen would had to have agreed...!