I'd say it's because of the 'hot factor' if there's a lot of fanart or official art that depicts them as pretty-boys, and I know that Sauron was very good-looking at one point in his life(his whole life? Or does he turn after the fall of Numenor? I can't recall).

Otherwise the uh, less nice side of my brain posits that it's about attention more than actual love of the ship.

Or maybe they just pick their ships very strangely.