Nautical tattoo ideas

139 photos and flash · 40% Traditional, 21% Fine line · Forearm most common

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Solid black anchor design with a rope coiled around the shank and a knot near the ring, shown as a flat stencil-style drawing on a white background.
Anchor with rope wrapped around the shank
Black and grey shaded drawing of a compass wrapped in twisted branches with a rope, a stylised anchor and a flying bird, shown as a tattoo design on a white background.
Compass, anchor and bird tattoo design
Fine line black ink drawing of an anchor design with a small crescent at the top, shown on plain paper with no body part visible.
Fine line anchor design on paper
Black line drawing of an ornate anchor with swirling filigree detail and coiled rope, shown as a flash design on a white background.
Ornate anchor with rope
Black line drawing of an anchor with two crossed arrows on a plain white background, shown as a tattoo design without any body part visible.
Anchor with crossed arrows
Black line drawing of a compass rose with N, E, S and W letters above an anchor, shown as a flash design with no body placement.
Compass rose and anchor design
Flash sheet of compass rose designs in black, grey, blue and colour, with a few small ornamental cross motifs, shown without any body placement.
Compass rose tattoo flash sheet
Traditional style flash sheet showing a red crab with a heart-shaped body, an anchor wrapped in rope with waves, a scallop shell and a conch shell.
Nautical flash sheet with crab, anchor and shells
Blue line drawing of an ornate anchor with scrolled filigree and dotted detail on a textured paper background, shown as a tattoo design.
Ornate blue anchor design
Black and grey engraved drawing of an anchor with a twisted rope coiled around its shank, on a plain white background.
Anchor with rope wrapped around the shank
Hand-drawn black ink design of a ship wheel and an anchor with script lettering reading be the one to guide me and but never hold me down, drawn across a spiral notebook.
Ship wheel and anchor script design
Cream line drawing of an anchor whose rope shank forms a treble clef, set against a navy background, showing a tattoo design rather than skin.
Anchor with treble clef rope design
Black line drawing of an anchor wrapped in a twisted rope, in a traditional nautical flash style, with no body placement shown.
Anchor wrapped in rope line drawing
Flat navy anchor design with white rope coiled around the shank and crown on a plain white background.
Anchor with rope wrapped around the shank
Pencil drawing of a bearded skull wearing a peaked captain's cap with a star and laurel badge, with rope and crossed anchors below, shown as a tattoo design.
Skull in captain's cap with beard and anchor
Black ink drawing of a compass rose with an arrow and ribbon, shaded in stippled dotwork on a white background.
Compass rose and arrow design
A black and white flash sheet of nautical designs including anchors, a lighthouse, a whale, a compass star, a ship's wheel, a sailing boat and a sailing ship.
Nautical flash sheet of anchors, waves and ships
Brown ink drawing of a compass rose with a ship's wheel and anchor at its centre, shown on a cream notebook page, styled as a traditional nautical tattoo design.
Compass rose with ship's wheel and anchor
Traditional flash drawing of two compass roses with blackletter N, E, S and W labels, one in orange and red and one in teal and blue, on a tan background.
Two compass rose flash designs
Drawing of a vintage engraved anchor wrapped in rope and set with coral roses and teal foliage, shown as a tattoo design on a plain light background.
Anchor with roses design
Black and grey compass rose tattoo design with shaded points and N, E, S and W labels, drawn on a tan sheet with 3 inch dimension lines.
Compass rose design on a 3 inch stencil sheet
Black line drawing of a distressed compass rose with N, E, S and W letters, shown as a tattoo design on a plain white background.
Compass rose design in black ink
Black and grey engraved-style drawing of a vintage anchor wrapped in rope, with the script words Refuse to sink beneath it on a white background.
Anchor with rope and Refuse to sink script
White line drawing of an anchor with a twisted rope tied in a bow at the top of the shank, on a plain black background.
Anchor with rope bow design
Solid black silhouette of an anchor with a rope wrapped around its shaft and arms, shown as a tattoo design on a white background.
Anchor with coiled rope design
Pen drawing of a traditional-style anchor wrapped in rope, with a seagull, a ribbon banner reading family and blue water, shown as a design with no body placement.
Anchor and rope design with family banner
Black line drawing of an anchor built from angular facets in a geometric, origami-like style, shown as a tattoo design on a white background.
Geometric faceted anchor design
Black ink drawing of a compass rose with N, E, S and W letters above an anchor, shown on a plain white background as a flash design.
Compass rose and anchor design
Dark grey compass rose design with N, E, S and W lettering on a plain white background, shown as a flash sheet detail.
Compass rose flash design
Black compass rose design with N, E, S and W points on a plain white background, drawn in bold, symmetrical linework.
Compass rose design
Traditional flash drawing of a sailing ship inside a rope-edged star with an anchor behind it, shown on a stained paper background.
Nautical star with anchor and sailing ship
Brown line drawing of a compass rose with N, E, S and W letters and a fleur-de-lis at the north point, on a textured paper background.
Compass rose design
Black line drawing of a compass rose with a fleur-de-lis at north and dashed bearing lines, shown as a design sketch with no body visible.
Compass rose with fleur-de-lis design
Pen and ink flash drawing of an anchor with a ship's wheel across its shank, shaded with hatching and stippling on dotted paper.
Anchor and ship's wheel design
Black ink drawing of a three-masted sailing ship riding interwoven waves, with a hanging anchor on a thin line, in a traditional nautical design shown on cream paper.
Sailing ship on waves with anchor
Black tribal-style compass rose design with a patterned ring and central flower motif, drawn on a parchment background, with no body placement shown.
Compass rose design with tribal bands
Black line drawing of a vintage compass, an anchor and a compass rose with hatched shading, shown as a tattoo design without a body placement.
Compass, anchor and compass rose design
Black and grey pencil drawing of an anchor wrapped in rope with a ship's wheel on the shank, shaded with fine hatching and stippling, shown as a tattoo design with no body placement visible.
Anchor with rope and ship's wheel
Black ink brush-stroke anchor design with dripping edges on a plain white background, shown as a tattoo design with no body placement visible.
Brush-stroke anchor design
Flash design of a ship's wheel and an anchor wrapped in rope, with script lettering reading Be the one to guide me but never hold me down, in black ink on a pale background.
Ship's wheel and anchor with quote lettering
Black ink compass rose sketch with a star centre and fine ring detail on white paper, beside two black pens, shown as a possible tattoo design.
Compass rose sketch design
Black and grey ink drawing of a ship's anchor wrapped in rope, with two crossed hatchet axes behind it, on a pale parchment-style background.
Anchor with crossed axes and rope
Black ink flash sketches on tracing paper showing an anchor, a lighthouse, an octopus in a sailor cap, a stag skull with a ship between its antlers, and a paper boat.
Nautical flash sheet with anchor, lighthouse and octopus
Sheet of fourteen black ink anchor designs on a beige paper background, several with rope, rings or a ship's wheel, in a traditional hand-drawn style.
Anchor designs on a flash sheet
Traditional-style nautical design of two swallows, a rope-edged anchor and roses, burned into a pale wooden board, with no body placement shown.
Swallows, anchor and roses design on wood
Black silhouette anchors and ship wheels of varying sizes scattered across a white flash sheet, with no body placement shown.
Anchors and ship wheels design sheet
Black and grey pencil-style drawing of a compass rose with spiked points, a central hub, looping scrollwork and scattered ink dots, shown as a tattoo design on a white background.
Compass rose with swirls and ink dots
Flash sheet of twenty-four black and white anchor designs, many with crosses, shields, rope and an octopus, in traditional and line-art styles.
Anchor and cross flash sheet