Visit our Popular Forums

**boatman61** · 09-05-2013, 07:09

Saw a great one in the Caribe about 15yrs back..
'Breakfasts in Bed'...
tickled me no end..

Mike OReilly · 09-05-2013, 07:36

I would agree that simple is better, although I have failed with both of my cruising boats so far. My first boat was named Elysian, which some people used to struggle with. And my current boat is named Pachina Mia, which breaks with Kettlewell's wisdom on a couple of levels.

We inherited both names and decided to keep them b/c we (my spouse and I) like them, but also b/c both boats are oldish (1970s) and carry with them a living history. The name is an important part of that history. As an example, out of the blue I was contacted by the first owners of my previous boat. They saw the name and reached out. It was immensely pleasurable to swap stories with these people who had first loved Elysian. Our current boat, Pachina Mia, has circumnavigated and been out there -- a lot. Perhaps we'll run into people who've known her. We are becoming part of her story.

So yeah, a name should be simple, straight-forward, and easy. Some day I may follow that good advice

.

Bash · 09-05-2013, 07:36

Careful, folks. If you documented your yacht in the USA, anyone knowing the vessel name and type can look it up online and discover your name and address, et cetera. I'm not sure why the USA government divulges this info, but it does.

Not only can you discover the vessel name, but its previous names and owners, as well as the previous owner's address. For example, I just looked up one of the boats divulged on this thread and discovered that its previous name was Norm's Place.

Again, just be careful. You may have less anonymity than you thought.

NewMoon · 09-05-2013, 07:47

Ours is New Moon. She was a retirement present to ourselves, so New Moon represents the beginning of a new phase in our lives. Our dinghy is Moonbeam.

Matt sachs · 09-05-2013, 07:53

Before she leaves the shed, we will have a naming party (any excuse to party , right?) AllisonjordaN will be on her stern. Named after my kids.

Kettlewell · 09-05-2013, 08:00

Quote:

Careful, folks. If you documented your yacht in the USA, anyone knowing the vessel name and type can look it up online and discover your name and address, et cetera.

Who cares? My name and address is available a million other ways.

Group9 · 09-05-2013, 08:02

Mine is named after my daughter.

Bash · 09-05-2013, 08:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Who cares? My name and address is available a million other ways.

I suppose the answer depends on individual circumstances. Were thieves able to derive my name and address from my vessel's name, they could google my name and easily determine when I'm scheduled to lecture abroad. Those same thieves might conclude that when I'm abroad I've left personal possessions behind, making them easy pickings.

My name is available many ways, but it's seldom linked to my boat. In my case, the documentation address is a PO box, so not much is being divulged by the government. However, for many forum members their documentation address is a private residence.

Hypothetical situation: CF member "Sparky" posts that he's leaving for a two-month cruise to Bermuda and points beyond, and invites us all to view his blog while he cruises. Thief links to Spark's blog, gets the boat name, finds the home address complements of the United States Coast Guard, and decides to pay the vacant home a visit during Sparky's absence.

I'm not urging members to be paranoid, only to be careful. For my part, Bash's boat name shall remain a mystery.

SeaBuffalo · 09-05-2013, 08:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by janice142

Kettlewell has it correct: a one word name that is easy to understand, and please, not IV Play. It's not cute ....... the common names "Voyager" and "Wind Catcher" come to mind, well, in a crowded anchorage you'd want a name that is unique to you for VHF calls and such..

I don't understand rational adults naming their boat vulgar names. Don't get me wrong I'm the farthest thing from a prude but its really sucks when your small children start asking you what some of those names mean.

The two that stuck out the most, one was a jet boat and it was named "blow job" the other was a sailboat that was decked out in confederate themed paint and the name on the back was "my DIXIE wrecked".

But on the topic of common names I really don't understand that either. If a boat is something personal to you and something your going to put a lot of your life into why not give it a original name?

I find the originality of the name normally indicative of the captain. Boats I've met that use the common names tend to have the types that have no clue what they are doing but think they know it all. And if you try to give them a helpful tip or advice then out comes the ego.

nimblemotors · 09-05-2013, 08:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewMoon

Ours is New Moon. She was a retirement present to ourselves, so New Moon represents the beginning of a new phase in our lives. Our dinghy is Moonbeam.

nice, like that one! My sailboat was "Attitude Adjustment"

Kettlewell · 09-05-2013, 08:55

We spent some time in the Bahamas in company with a boat called Ribbit, so whenever we called them on the VHF it would be: "Ribbit, Ribbit, Ribbit."

ReMetau · 09-05-2013, 08:56

ReMetau - People of the sea
Got it from Steve Thomas' book The Last Navigator.

Bash · 09-05-2013, 08:57

Funny. Just now in the CF portal there were two threads posted in consecutive order. One wants to know your boat's name, and the other wants to know the percentage of your net worth that's invested in the boat.

Can't make it much easier for thieves than that. Shall we post social security numbers next?

sequitur · 09-05-2013, 09:55

After decades of sailing in a variety of boats, in 2000 I bought a canal boat and began cruising the canals of France. Six years later, I addressed a gnawing thirst for one more sailing adventure and had a new boat built. I commissioned her Sequitur. Since non sequitur means an illogical conclusion, I figured Sequitur would be a logical conclusion. She was. We had a superb cruise in her from Vancouver down the west coasts, through Patagonia, around Cape Horn and up the east coasts. We have now sold Sequitur and have bought another canal boat to continue our wanderings in Europe.