Cúng hạ thủy tàu thuyền (offering at the launching of a boat)

Fishing communities, Folk practice

1. Setting out the offerings, the boat owner reads the prayer text inviting the quan Hành khiển of the year, Thành hoàng bản cảnh (local tutelary deity), Thổ thần (Earth God), Long mạch (dragon vein), Táo quân (Kitchen Gods) and the deities governing that place
2. Inviting also the Tiền chủ, Hậu chủ and the spirits of the surrounding area to come and share the offerings
3. Some guides note that those who work on the water worship the Thủy thần (Water God), cá Ông (the Whale), Bà Cậu, Quan Âm Nam Hải (Guanyin of the South Sea), and also make offerings to cô hồn (wandering spirits), those who died on rivers and seas

Central Vietnam, Chăm, Folk practice

1. The master introduces himself (Akhan ka drei)
2. Lễ Mời Thần (Invitation to the Deities, Da-a Yang): from the Tháp deity to 37 Holy Ones, including deities of the Vietnamese
3. Reading the Lễ kinh (Ricauw) together with the purification incantation (Mưrôy); some guides note there are 7 kinh lễ

North Central Coast, Fishing communities, Xuân Hội, Nghi Xuân, Hà Tĩnh, Folk practice

1. The boat owner sets out the offering in front of the boat
2. Light 3 incense sticks, pray to the deity who guards the wharf to give thanks for keeping the boat safe while anchored and to pray for a safe trip and a good catch of shrimp and fish

South Central Coast, Fishing communities, Hải Tân, Phổ Quang, Đức Phổ, Folk practice

1. Prepare the offering tray at home and then carry it out to set at the bow
2. Hang the national flag on the post in front of the bow and on the boat's roof
3. The boat owner prays to give thanks to the boat that has made a living with him all year
4. On the morning of the second day of Tết, the fishing community holds a cầu ngư (prayer for a good catch) ceremony at the shrine of Nam Hải deity and then beats the drum for the boats to leave the wharf

Mekong Delta, Khmer, Folk practice

1. Decorate the boat, set out the offerings
2. The monks, achar pray to the deities to protect the ghe Ngo
3. The rowers stand on both sides of the boat and listen to the monks chant blessings
4. To the sound of ngũ âm music, the whole team joins forces to bring the boat from the shed down to the water
5. Check the boat, especially the đòn dong (the main beam), then bring the boat to the gathering place.

Fishing communities, Folk practice

• When a boat is finished, at departure or at the start of work, the giờ Mẹo (hour of the Cat) is avoided, by custom the birth hour of Bà Cậu
• It is taboo for strangers to touch the eye of the boat
• People on the boat avoid speaking words of ill omen and avoid the words úp (capsize), lật (overturn), rơi (drop), rớt (fall off), đổ (spill), ngã (fall down), sẩy (slip), trở (turn over), lăn (roll), té (tumble), nhào (plunge).
• When selling a boat, the owner does not sell the long pole and the water-bailing trough
• It is taboo to meet a snake or a goose swimming in front of the bow; it is taboo to carry a cat or a turtle; if a knife is dropped into the water it must be retrieved

North Central Coast, Fishing communities, Xuân Hội, Nghi Xuân, Hà Tĩnh, Folk practice

• Fishermen in the cửa Hội area avoid setting out on the first day of the lunar month