Boat Naming Tips?

[Group9]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

I would hope with a name like War Bird that you are a military veteran or still in the armed forces?
I surveyed a yacht that had a name that implied that the owner was a particular type of person. When I asked the owner the background behind the name he said he just liked it. I asked around the marina and most of the people thought he was just suffering from short man syndrome!
So chose wisely as that boat name becomes a first impression for most people.
Cheers

I bought a boat named The Flying Chef. I assumed he was some kind of Cook or chef. It turned out he was an F-16 pilot and his call sign was "Chef".

[CruisingKitty]

Originally Posted by Sparx

When cruising the boat names becomes the moniker that people know you by. Choose well.

So true. We are the Alerians. I wrote an article about boat naming (or renaming) here.
Renaming Your Boat

[Perfect Ride]

The radio and first impression suggestions are spot on. Try saying the name on a weak signaled cell or in a whisper to see what others might hear on a weak radio signal and offer it up to others and get first impressions. Also take into consideration your areas of most intended travel. An appropriate name for a USA bound vessel, may not be the same for a boat that will be in the Med or circumnavigating.

[ssteakley]

IN Corpus Christi I saw a crying sailboat named "South Bound" , think about the confusion creates on the VHF! Also you can search the USCG documented boat names on their site to get an idea of how many vessels have same or similar names.

[Bill_Giles]

If you want to check on a boat name then visit https://www.itu.int/mmsapp/ShipStation/list you will find lots of “Sun Bird” and the like. But against all the advice above my boat is Ambitious Alice, never a problem with spelling, too many syllables or letters!

[Montanan]

[IMG][/IMG]You might consider naming your boat after a place of special significance to you, perhaps your home, or place of birth, where you were married or fell in love. But that might be a bit difficult if the name is long or complex in spelling.

By way of example: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysilio gogogoch, Cymru. The name means "St Mary's church in the hollow of the white hazel near to the fierce whirlpool of St Tysilio of the red cave" in Welsh. Cymru is Welsh for Wales.
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...9QEwAHoECAsQBg


The videos linked below provides for guidance to the town's pronunciation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PSotifsGKA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCwEztj3g-w

There being a few advantages to such a name:
It is distinctive so unlikely to be confused with another vessel.
Few people will attempt to hail you, except those that really need to, and you will have fun listening to their attempts. Those that don't pronounce the name properly probably are not people that know you well.
Fewer people will attempt to ask you to spell the name or repeat the spelling thereof. But good luck with pronouncing each of the letters phonetically using an appropriate Welsh dialect / accent.

[CarinaPDX]

I chose Carina for a number of reasons. The two downsides are 1) there are a fair number of boats with the same name, and 2) it rhymes with "marina", so when someone calls a marina on the VHF I often miss the first consonant and thus am unsure of whether they are calling me. Also, it is a female name (appropriate for a traditional boat IMHO) which means I am referred to as Carina, or better, Carina Greg.

BTW you should also try to plan ahead - how will it fit years down the road, in this case long after your loved one has gone to doggie heaven? I only mention this because calling yourself BoatingNewbie wasn't planning for the time when you won't be a newbie

Greg

[fatherchronica]

We have three boats. We kept the name of Mana for karmic reasons, we renamed our Cape Dory after Bill Tilman, my sailing hero, who coincidentally only sank as many boats as one of my other sailing heroes, Bernard Moitessier, and our nesting 12 foot dinghy that I designed and built on docks and beaches during a cruise I named Mintberry Crunch. Mintberry for it's good taste and Crunch for the satisfying feel of crunching. I am old, possibly crazy, so I really have no advice except do want you want, and if you rename a boat make sure you find the proper incantation to keep you safe. My first boat was the " Delphi Tramp", but I wrote only Tramp on her and never ever said Delphi in reference to her again.

[stefnieman]

Originally Posted by boatingnewbie

When it comes to naming a boat, are there any tips to keep in mind?

I have heard "Try and keep the name short."

Is the vessel name written a lot on customs & marina forms? I would assume that's one of the reasons to keep it short.

I would also assume try and make it easy to spell?

Any tips or feedback from your own experience?

Thanks!

don´t call her : Mayday

[Aethelwulffe]

My boat names have been:


Sailbad the Sinner
Jester
Jouster
Ghengis
Little Shoe
Placid Plow
...and a lot that started with the initials U.S.S.


Easy to use on the radio, and Sailbad was used for short, not that that old salvaged Cuban refugee boat had a radio or electrical system other than a flashlight.
-Most important thing: DO NOT LEAN OVER the transom to paint it on, unless you are sure you can remember to write it up-side down from your perspective!

[Miss Pessimist]

We purchased a boat named "The Lotus of Kuan Yin". The day after purchasing, we sailed her home and passed through a lock. After several repeats of the name including spelling over the radio to the lock keeper, my decision to rename her was pretty easily made.

[JMitchell]

Originally Posted by Aethelwulffe

My boat names have been:


Sailbad the Sinner
.....

OMG, thats great. LOVE IT!


As for naming recommendations, just stay away from any of the stupid, cute pun names like "seas the day", "wet dream", etc. Treat your boat with respect, including the name.

[Robert Tilbury]

I remember seeing a story of a Yacht drifting in the pacific ,,
the boats name was

"EXCAPE POD"
The confusion when it was called in hos so hard to hear the radio operator was stating the name of the yacht ,,
the marine rescue kept asking IF THEY WERE IN A EXCAPE POD ??

was like getting your teeth pulled out with a rattle gun !

[Tornadosailing]

I was under contract on a new boat, but suddenly found myself with a bigger better boat for 1/3 less money. My girlfriend and I went from having 8 months to come up with a name, to needing a name overnight. The only criteria we had for the boat name was it needed to be one word, and easy to pronounce. We went through lists of boat names, most of which are way overdone. Then we started on the usual suspects. Greek gods/goddesses and constellations. While browsing constellations, I came across the very minor constellation Monoceros. I liked the way it sounded, and asked the better 3/4 what she thought. She liked the sound as well, but of course wanted to know what it means. Unicorn. She said sold. No need to look further. The dinghy is now Miniceros.

[brcdive]

The most important thing is that you like it.
You are the ones that will have to live with it.