A woman and a ship ever want mending

Cf. [Plautus Poenulus ll. 210-15] negoti sibi qui volet vim parare, navem et mulierem, haec duo comparato. ‥Neque umquam satis hae duae res ornantur, neque is ulla ornandi satis satietas est, whoever wants to acquire a lot of trouble should get himself a ship and a woman. For neither of them is ever sufficiently equipped, and there is never enough means of equipping them.

Who wil trouble hym selfe all dayes of his life, Let hym mary a woman, or buy hym a shyp.
[1578 J. Florio First Fruits 30]

Is it not an old Prouebe. That Women and Shippes are neuer so perfect, but still there is somewhat to bee amended.
[1598 Mirror of Policy (1599) X2]

A shippe and a woman are ever repairing.
[1640 G. Herbert Outlandish Proverbs no. 780]

As has often been said, a ship is like a lady's watch, always out of repair.
[1840 R. H. Dana Two Years before Mast iii.]

There are special proverbs for us shipmen:‥‘A woman and a ship ever want mending.’
[1928 A. T. Sheppard Here comes Old Sailor ii. vi.]

Related to: women

Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.