General
dead sailor
What does dead sailor mean?
A botched jump where the rider freezes up and stays stiff and motionless in the air instead of committing to the trick, then lands awkwardly. It looks lifeless, like a dead sailor.
"He got scared halfway and just dead-sailored it to flat."
Origin
BMX slang for the stiff, lifeless mid-air posture.
Frequently asked questions
What is a dead sailor in BMX?
It's a botched jump where the rider freezes up and stays stiff and motionless in the air instead of committing, then lands awkwardly.
Why is it called a dead sailor?
The stiff, lifeless mid-air posture looks like a dead sailor, hence the name.
Can dead sailor be used as a verb?
Yes, riders say they 'dead-sailored it' when they froze up and rode out a jump stiffly.
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