RB>>>> the genders. English has none, French two, and German three RB>>>> (masculine, feminine, neuter).
GK>>> Um? Let me count: he, she, it, makes three.
DR>> Not strictly true about English. A ship is always feminine.
GK> I guess this wasn't what Bob was referring to.
No, because calling a ship or boat "she" is simply a tradition and has nothing to do with the language. You would still be understood if you said "it".
GK> But by the way: Ships are always feminine in German, too, if they are GK> called by their name only. Same for airships, and -to a certain GK> extent- for planes.
The same applies to motorcycles: "die Bandit" (feminine) of Suzuki, for example, although the German name for "Bandit" would be "der Raeuber" (masculine). Apparently also a tradition.
