Renaming Questions

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by galleygirl

We're going to be registering her federally as soon as next week and at that time we figure we'll have to give them her new name. But we don't plan on physically changing the name on her hull and doing the ceremony for a few months out. She needs extensive work and we'll do the changing process when we haul her out for bottom work this winter, possibly later.

Ooops!

I just reread your plan.

Your plan requires taking the new name docs on board as soon as it is registered otherwise you are boating with no documentation.

Not only would this confuse and anger neptune it would anger the local militia if they happened to do a boat safety check.

You can see we did our renaming at the dock and applied the name on the water.

If your haulout is "months" from now I would figure out how to apply new names, numbers and decals "in the water."

Neptune aside it is proper form to have the numbers match the docs.

[Wavewacker]

So long as you don't rename it Titanic or the Edmond Fitzgerald you should have no problems with Neptune. However, it will require a virgin sacrifice, for details on the ceremony just invite me and I'll take care of the duties!

[galleygirl]

Wow, I'm so grateful for all the replies. Why could I not find this info after hours of googling?

I think we're going to keep her old name for now and then change it when we put her on the hard since it's going to be quite the process. I have no desire to anger the gods but the amount of work removing the old name on top of our full time jobs is a bit much for this week. While we and our friends have never been boarded by the coasties, our friends have seen them actively boarding boats in the SF Bay lately. She won't be going out for recreational sails for a while so I'm not too concerned.

We do have a new name picked out but we'll not tell anyone (with the exception of the company making the new decal) until the ceremony. I'm looking forward to the naming celebration but might stop at the sacrifices and anything involving virgins.

I'm happy to have found such a warm and welcoming community with loads of knowledge. I'm looking forward to sharing our adventures with all of you!

[CapnBrown]

We looked up the "rules" before naming a friend's boat and based on your last post it looks like you'll be fine. I didn't read anything about fiberglass v wood making a difference but then there are different sources. Keep one thing in mind though, that you should not use the new name on the boat so not telling anyone until you rename her sounds like the plan. The ceremony that makes the difference is the one to remove the old name. All references to the old name must be removed including documents and log book etc. Then you do the ceremony and can then put the new name on at any time. And putting the new name on can be any kind of ceremony. The whole purpose is to keep from angering the gods by confusing them with the wrong name. If you are in their good graces in removing the old name they can't be confused by adding a name to an unnamed boat. This is why new boats can get away with a crowd and champagne across the bow with no particular verbiage required by the gods.

Good luck!

[The Blue Heron]

Galley,
You have a good plan. You will be alright.
We removed the old decal with a heat gun set to low. Just heat it a little and pull the old name decal off. Keep the heat gun moving. It will work. Don't burn the gel coat!

[Carlisle Spirit]

Originally Posted by Chasing Summer

I changed the name on my boat when I bought it almost 2 years ago. It won't be documented until I'm ready to drop her in the water. Like's been said earlier: It's fiberglass and the gods don't care.
The previous 2 names my boat had didn't even seem like boat names. One ment "forest". Like that has anything to do with the ocean or cruising.
Previous post is correct, though, the name and port on the boat must match the paperwork.
Have fun with your new boat ... I'm sure having fun with mine, and mine isn't even in the water yet.

Great blog with super-explanatory pics !

Carlisle Spirit

[Jane.Joy]

We bought the boat in mid-September and did the USCG documentation paperwork using the new name. We put the new name on the transom at the end of October, and did the boat-renaming ceremony in mid-December (right before our first offshore passage not that we're superstitious or anything.)


We weren't sure the letters would stick, it was so freeking cold.