any port in a storm; when you've lost your boat midstream, even a pot is worth a fortune
Proverb meaning that in a desperate situation, even something normally of little value becomes precious. The literal image is of a person who has lost their boat in the middle of a river and would cling to even a simple pot for flotation.
The proverb 'When you've lost your boat midstream, even a pot is worth a fortune' means that in times of trouble, anything can be a help.
Standard kanji form of the proverb, using 舟 for boat.
Variant using 船, a more common character for boat/ship.
Derived from the Classical Chinese saying 中河失船、一壺千金, recorded in the 《鶡冠子》: when a boat is lost midstream, even a gourd becomes worth a thousand pieces of gold.