Boat Names - Unique ?

[Jd1]

I was doing a web search on a particular boat and found at least three different boats with the same name. I was under the impression that boat names had to be unique. Only one vessel exists with that particular name.
Could someone shed some light on this issue?
I suppose one could cancel the registration on one boat and the name becomes available again ?
How do different countries synchronize their registry or do they ? Could there be a vessel "Example" in each country or would that name be unique in the world?
If the name is not unique, what describes a vessel uniquely?
Any help on clearing this up for me would be appreciated.

[Ironhorse74]

Vessels are identified by hull number not name. You can search by name here Office of Science and Technology

[TaoJones]

There is no restriction on the number of boats that can have the same name, jd1. If you do a search on Office of Science and Technology and enter just about any name starting with Wind, you'll find dozens of USCG-documented vessels with the same name. Try Windsong, Wind Dancer or Windswept for some obvious examples.

The hailing port helps to differentiate one vessel from another, but it's not even unusual for more than one vessel to have the same name and the same hailing port. What makes one vessel uniquely different from another is the Hull ID Number. Just as no two cars have the same VIN, no two boats have the same HIN.

TaoJones

[Jd1]

Thanks for the quick replies guys. I guess one learns something new every day .... boy would that cause a lot of confusion if you have two boats with the same name sailing out of the same port.

[Jimbo485]

That might be the case in the US, but is not the case for Aussie registered boats. Only one name allowed to exist.

[hummingway]

In Canada only one name for each boat can be registered but recently the rules changed and many pleasure craft are no longer registered and names can be changed and duplicated. I'm in the registry but someone else could use my boat name if they didn't register it.

[Roaring Girl]

As noted, the rules vary in different countries. There is no existing mechanism to synchronise registers, not least because in some countries (including the UK) there is no requirement whatsoever to register your boat.

Where such registers are compulsory the unique identifier tends to be a code,m either numerical or alphanumeric, which some countries (eg France) require to be painted conspicuously on the hull whereas in others (eg Italy) you just need a piece of paper with it on and it painted on the boat somewhere.

So call the boat something which means something to you, and is pretty easy to use on the radio in countries you intend to visit - and which won't be coming a tired joke after a few months.

[webejammin]

We just renamed our boat last spring and found out that with a US Coast Guard documented boat any city in the USA that is shown in 4 inch letters under the name in 10 inch letters can have the the same name even if it is excatually the same type of boat. We do not have to desplay any numbers outside our boat just the documented number inside somewhere in 3 inch letters that can not be removed, our numbers are on the bulkhead teak under salon cusions in perminate marker. It did take about 6 months for the Coast Guard to send us the final documentation papers.

[Zanshin]

U.K. registry restricts boat names to be unique by port. There is a list of valid ports available at List of Ports with about 120 or so cities named.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Jd1

I was doing a web search on a particular boat and found at least three different boats with the same name. I was under the impression that boat names had to be unique. Only one vessel exists with that particular name.
Could someone shed some light on this issue?
I suppose one could cancel the registration on one boat and the name becomes available again ?
How do different countries synchronize their registry or do they ? Could there be a vessel "Example" in each country or would that name be unique in the world?
If the name is not unique, what describes a vessel uniquely?
Any help on clearing this up for me would be appreciated.

How could that possibly accomplished, given the number of boats on the planet? Owners will traditionally put II on their second boat if they use the same name, but that's just out of respect for the previous post -- just as if a beloved pet dies, you may get a new one, but you give the new one a new name.

The name an owner gives the boat is personal choice. The registration number is unique in its state or country of registration. If you use state registration in Florida, your number starts with FL.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Another point to consider is that there are probably more boats in the USA than some countries have people.

Take Clear Lake, Texas, there are more boats there than citizens. Having a unique name in the USA would be difficult unless you came up with a name of BEGHGHIK YKFRVERT....

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Unicorn Dreams

Another point to consider is that there are probably more boats in the USA than some countries have people.

Take Clear Lake, Texas, there are more boats there than citizens. Having a unique name in the USA would be difficult unless you came up with a name of BEGHGHIK YKFRVERT....

My boat has a unique (for the U. S.) Greek name -- there are a lot of people of Greek descent in this area, and I suspect the original owner was one of those -- and it drives bridge tenders crazy. I would prefer to have a name from the English language but have bigger fish to fry so far.

[DutchTreat]

Originally Posted by Unicorn Dreams

Having a unique name in the USA would be difficult unless you came up with a name of BEGHGHIK YKFRVERT....

Dammit! I was going to use that!

[Wavewacker]

How many "Tilt'n Hilton" s are there?

[laSailer]

Originally Posted by DutchTreat

Dammit! I was going to use that!

LOL-funny-

should we change the direction of this tread, or start a new one?

I think a tread on the most humorist names of boats would be a good read.