19 Meanings When You Dream about Boat (2023)

Maybe you live in a beach town and see boats all the time. Or you have waterfront property with your own cruiser parked in the backyard. But whether you’re routinely exposed to boats or you just see them on TV, dreaming about boats can send a significant spiritual message.

But what do these boat dreams mean? Deciphering boat dream meanings relies on context and other important clues. You’ll need to focus on how you felt during the dream and confirm your perspective. Were you driving the boat or watching from the water? Let’s see!

Boat Dream Meanings

1. You Need Something to Change

Boats are primarily a form of transport. They move you from one place to another, using water as their medium. So what does it mean when you dream of seeing a boat on the horizon? Think about your feelings during the dream. Was it longing, fear, or eagerness?

Each one has a different meaning, but all dreams suggest you want something in your life to change. The boat could be bringing something exciting into your life. Or taking something away from your world. Either way, it’s a shift, and it shows you need some kind of change.

2. You Want to Escape

When you see a boat in your dreams, it may mean you’re running away from something. Or you’d like to. This is especially true if you’re on the boat in the dream, and if the boat is sailing on calm waters. You can see the land in the dream, but you’re sailing away from it.

If looking at the land behind you leaves you feeling peaceful and relieved, there’s something you’d like to escape from. The dream may be slightly different with the boat coming toward you and an urgent desire to get on board. This dream also implies that you need to get away.

3. You’re Ignoring Your Feelings

In the spirit world, water is a symbol of emotions. And when you’re on a boat (as opposed to, say, a submarine), you’re mostly above the water with maybe a foot or two submerged. Essentially, this means you’re floating above your feelings and barely engaging with them.

The waters might be calm, meaning there’s no real crisis. Or they might be choppy and turbulent. Either way, the boat barely interacts with the water, and that’s how you’re dealing with your sentiments. To grow, you’ll need to get a bikini or wet suit and dive in eventually.

4. You’re About to Lose a Friend

What does it mean if you dream of being alone inside a boat with nothing but waves all around you? Well, you’re not capsizing in the dream, so your emotions are stable. The emphasis here is on the depth and vastness of that ocean with no hint of land in sight.

You’re about to experience (or have recently felt) deep, soulful longing for someone dear to you. You’ll soon lose a friend, someone you consider a soul mate. They won’t die, but you’ve buried important issues between you, refused to address them, so now you’re drifting alone.

5. You May Be Feeling Self-Destructive

Remember Noah’s Ark? Even if you weren’t raised in a religious home, you probably know bits of the story or sang that two-by-two song in daycare. The boat was meant to protect Noah, his family, and the animals from the floods and rain that would drown the world.

We know water represents emotions, so if you dream of yourself building a boat, it means you’re about to endure a flood of negative emotions that threaten to overwhelm you. You plan to use your personal resources to battle these feelings, and that could go quite badly…

6. You’re Thirsting For Adventure

Most of us would prefer to sail a yacht or luxury liner. We wouldn’t want to be in a rowboat, canoe, kayak, or dinghy. So if you’re dreaming of propelling yourself on a small watercraft, it means you’re bored with the drudgery of your day-to-day life and are seeking adventure.

You want something hands-on and intensive. Preferably something you can do on your own, like wrangling the oars or managing your motor. You want to test yourself against the elements. Maybe you want to let go of responsibility for a while and do something outdoorsy.

7. You Badly Need to Relax

Pontoon boats have hollow log-like tubes that keep them afloat. Their stability and buoyancy allow them to sail at a leisurely pace in skinny water, mostly rivers, lakes, and bays. So dreaming of a pontoon boat could mean your life is moving too fast and you want it slower.

You might see yourself on a tourist pontoon, enjoying the sights around the lagoon or in the bayou. You might even see yourself fishing in an inflatable boat or cycling on a paddleboat. Check your schedule and plan for some time off from work and family – you need that RnR.

8. Control is a Problem!

If you dream of working a sailboat by yourself, you’re probably a control freak. After all, sailboats require intense manual skill. You have to work the ropes, tweak the sail, adjust the rudder, etc. All this is easier if you have someone helping you, so the dream is a loud hint.

If you’re working the boat alone, it may mean you have a hard time delegating. You have to run everything yourself, even if it drains you. But dreaming of a powerboat has the opposite meaning. You want more control of your life, particularly your emotional triggers and cues.

9. Work Towards Adaptability

If you watched the video above, you’ll know that sailboats combine wind, pressure, current, sails, rudders, and centreboards to stay afloat. And these boats don’t always have motors. So you have to pit your sailing skills against the elements and harness them to work for you.

In this sense, dreaming about a sailboat could indicate a need to rely on yourself more. But it’s also an invitation from your higher helpers to be more flexible and adaptable. Things are about to shift in a big way, and you should go with the flow if you want to survive and thrive.

10. You’re Feeling Overwhelmed

We’ve mentioned that a boat typically skims over the water, which represents your emotions. So what does it mean when you dream about a sinking boat? First, were you on the boat as it struggled, or were you watching it from a safer spot on the shore? Or aboard a nearby boat?

In all three cases, the message is overwhelming feelings that are headed your way. If you’re on the sinking boat, it’s your own emotions threatening to drown you. If you’re on the beach or riding a neighboring boat, you may feel worn down by other people’s emotional venting.

11. You’re Scared to Commit

We’ve seen that dreaming of a solo boat in the ocean could mean loss and loneliness. But what does a ferry boat dream mean? Ferries are often pontoon boats that navigate shallow waters such as lakes, rivers, ports, or bays. Examples include the famous Staten Island ferry.

Ferries transport people across short but regular distances e.g. touring an island, shifting cargo on a barge, or commuting to the mainland. The dream could mean you’re unwilling to commit to the emotional waters of a serious relationship. You prefer things short and sweet.

12. You’re Carrying Burdens

You can’t help feeling warm and fuzzy when you see a tug boat leading a massive ship into port. Some of these boats are cute and colorful, belying their power and maneuverability. They easily tow boats up to 120 tonnes and hit 15 knots despite their seemingly small size.

But what does it mean if you dream of a tug boat? The ship that’s behind the boat represents emotional baggage. So if you’re in the tug boat in the dream, your partner is dragging you down and you’re getting resentful. If you’re the ship in the dream, help your partner out!

13. Fear of Failure … or Success?

A lot of the time, we’re afraid to start something new because we’re scared we’ll suck at it. But there’s a bigger, less intuitive fear that sometimes comes from childhood. Sometimes, we sabotage ourselves because we’re afraid to succeed and outshine our parents and families.

If you grew up being criticized for your strong points, you subconsciously learn that you must never get too big for your britches or do better than your relatives. Dreaming about a docked boat could mean you have a brilliant opportunity but you’re terrified that you’ll be good at it.

14. You’re Considering a Spiritual Calling

If you grew up Christian or spent any time at Sunday School, you’ve probably heard the term ‘fishers of men’. In the gospels, Jesus meets fishermen, blesses them with a miraculous catch, then invites them to help him save lost souls instead. Of the 12, four were fishermen.

So if you have a religious background and you dream of fishing in a boat, perhaps you’re being called into the ministry. This is more likely if you were using analog tools to fish – something like a single fishing pole, hand-held trawling nets, or even woven DIY fish traps.

15. Your Fields are Fertile …

You might already know that water dreams can signify pregnancy. They could imply a new life growing in your partner’s woman, or even your own. And dreaming about a boat can have a similar meaning. Suppose you spot a boat tied to an unseen dock and bobbing gently.

The boat is calm and empty, which suggests a willingness and capacity to be filled with a fresh catch. The boat has an open hull and idle oars. This means you (and/or your partner) have the resources and the desire to start a family, nurturing a new generation in love and health.

16. You Need to Be a Touch More Practical

Here’s an interesting but unsurprising boat dream. Suppose you’re in a boat and a huge wave crashes over the side, tossing you into the water. You wake up gasping, flailing, and drenched in sweat, which heightens your panic because the sweat feels reminds you of salty seawater.

That makes the dream seem so real! The interpretation of this dream is that you’re letting your emotions and sentiments control you, and are messing yourself up in the process. You need to trust your gut, yes, but right now, you also need a tangible, practical approach to life.

17. You’re Ready to Face the Drama

This next boat dream can seem rather disturbing but don’t worry, it’s far more positive than it looks! What does it mean when you dream about jumping off a boat? You might be walking the plank, using the diving board, or launching yourself off the bow into the deep blue ocean.

A lighter version may have you falling backward to keep your hands on your scuba gear. None of these dreams mean you’re suicidal. Remember, water is a symbol of your emotions, so when you dream of propelling yourself into it, it means you’re willing and ready to deal.

18. Good News is Headed Your Way

You’ve probably spotted some interesting boat names in your time. Some of the cheekiest include Future Poor Person, No Mas Dineros, or even Tak-Sea-Vasion / Taxi Vation. These all comment on the price of the boat – they’re not cheap! But what does the dream mean?

If you dream of buying a boat, it means you’re about to get some very exciting news. It’s not necessarily about boat money, but it’s something that will make your life a lot more pleasant. The message is likely to be connected to love and romance, so it could be a fun new partner!

19. Your Money is in Trouble

At the other extreme, how can a boat dream meaning warn you about financial disasters? This can come through a dream about a damaged boat. The boat may have crashed onto the shore while you were driving it. Or you might see it as a shipwrecked or abandoned boat.

You might even dream about an old rundown vessel rotting in someone’s backyard or some neglected dock. All these dreams suggest money problems. You might lose your job soon, or your stocks will dip. You might even get into a situation that leaves you unable to go to work.

What was your last boat dream? What did it tell you? Share your insights in the comments!