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Explain your boat's name

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2003 : 15:24:07

Our boats are objects of out affection: we name them, talk to them, spend as much time with them as possible. We call them "she", and we lavish them with gifts. We are visibly happier when in their company. If you'd tell someone all that and leave out the fact that it's about a boat, they'd think you'd gone astray.

The (most) loved one could become jealous, and as we all know the wrath of a woman, like a rogue wave, comes out of nowhere with the deadliest of forces. Some of history's best found and manned ships were never heard from again after probable encouters of that nature..(Yes, the wave and the woman.....we all have friends that no longer own a boat because the b*%ch said: "The boat or me," and they made the wrong decision

)

So, there is no choice in the matter. Just like the fishing vessels and river barges around me growing up in my native Holland, my boats are named after my wife. Period. It is a sign of humility, deference and respect. Pasting her name on it subrogates it in the emotional pecking order. And, it just might tickle her pride too, just a little bit, just enough to avert the wrath, and let any doubt in her mind as to who comes first become a little smile.

Finally, occasionally I go sailing solo. And although she knows I never would, I could take off my wedding band, but I couldn't take her name off the boat, and I would be constantly reminded of her, so I wouldn't forget to come back.....as much as the temptation to just keep sailing into the sunset is there........

Oscar
250WB#618 Lady Kay on the Chesapeake

Edited by - Oscar on 11/17/2003 08:33:52

Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2003 : 21:37:25

I've also told this story before, but our boat was previously named "Head Quarters" by the original owner, Don Head. We were sailing the boat not long after buying her, and were sitting in the cockpit discussing possible names. My son, Drew, was sitting on the cockpit sole looking up at the hull number on the mainsail: 5050. "Fifty-fifty," Drew said. "Even Chance." It was obvious.

Brooke

Edited by - on

PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2003 : 22:00:39

My first boat was an 8 foot punt that I built in the 8th grade. I named her Sho Nuff. I figured if floated I'd say sho nuff it floats.
My Cat-25 is maybe a bit more obvious. I first thought of Wave Dancer
because we were ardent dancers, but saw other boats with same or similar names. I spent 40 years making my living coping Morse Code
and the ship to shore telegraph ended at our station in the USA in
1999 shortly after I acquired Sparky. Sparks or sparky was a nickname for radio operators and also has the connotation of being lively which
our craft is. I have a John boat for a dingy which I call Big Jon.
Maybe some of you remember Big John and Sparky on the radio. Sparky
was the ventriloquists dummy. Around the bay here I've heard a woman
in contact with others who signs Thirtyfour Double D. Now there's a significant name?

Edited by - on

cathluk
Admiral

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USA
513 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2003 : 22:07:40

Although our boat was 2 years old when we bought it the previous owner had never named her (just another sign of how little they'd used it - lucky us!). We had planned to name her "Puff", but was talked out of it by the dockmaster at our marina (too common she said). I would have chosen a name from Tolkien's writings, but Dan hadn't yet discovered Middle Earth so we were stuck. On our second sail we were still discovering all the new things that came with a "real" boat like running aground (found the local unmarked sandbar that day

),navagation aids, & docking as well as the wonderful sense of peace & love of sailing together (instead of beach sailing on separate boats) when it occurred to us that we were "Blown Away" by it all

. We thought it was clever & it wasn't until this past summer I discovered Herb Payson had written a book by that name

.

As a side note - we have a friend with a 1968 27' Vega he named Farther (after a bus in some '60s movie). His dinghy is "A Little Farther".

Edited by - cathluk on 11/18/2003 20:48:34

ekremer
Deckhand

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19 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2003 : 22:48:30

From the Latin abbreviation on a medical prescription: use with freedom, as much as desired.

Ed
AD LIB 250 W/B 146

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2003 : 05:57:57

Passage was Passage when we bought her... We've thought about doing our own name, but actually haven't even changed her home port yet--it's currently Noank, CT (by Mystic). We like that end of the state better than this one, and it gets a few second glances when we're entering our harbor.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2003 : 05:59:58

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ekremer
 From the Latin abbreviation on a medical prescription: use with freedom, as much as desired.

Ed
AD LIB 250 W/B 146
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Excellent!!

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2003 : 09:48:46

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Oscar
 ...my boats are named after my wife. Period. It is a sign of humility, deference and respect. Pasting her name on it subrogates it in the emotional pecking order.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Amen, Oscar... I think I just decided on the new name.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2003 : 10:55:42

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">...my boats are named after my wife. Period. It is a sign of humility, deference and respect. Pasting her name on it subrogates it in the emotional pecking order.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I know of a few lovestruck guys who tatooed their significant other's name on their bodies only to discover that, after the divorce, it wasn't the wisest thing to do.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2003 : 11:25:06

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dlucier
 I know of a few lovestruck guys who tatooed their significant other's name on their bodies only to discover that, after the divorce, it wasn't the wisest thing to do.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
In your cases, Don, just find a virgin to perform the de-naming/re-naming ceremony.

In our case, the only issue would be with the next owner.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2003 : 12:21:51

I think there is some danger in how you phrase the lady's name. A fellow at our lake has a Catalina 30 named "lil Jeanne". I know the lady, she is very nice and contrary to the name, much littler than the boat!

Edited by - on

Bruce Baker
Captain

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USA
402 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2003 : 17:20:50

>My Catalina came from the original owner, he bought it new out of >the Fort Walton, Fla. factory and named it "Mary Anne" for his >wife...I liked the name but I wanted more of a "mine" feeling so >after a bit of study I decided on Moxie. It sort of nodded to the >original name and embodied not only their life with the boat but my future as well.

>Moxie is one of those words that everyone knows what it means but >can't quite define it.It is synonymous with Courage, Determination, >Expertise. Turns out it is also a soft drink.

Moxie is a very peculiar soft drink. It's made from gentian root, and it tastes a bit like root beer. Supposedly has medicinal qualities. Available in New England only.

Last year, I bought my '83 SR/SK, which the PO had named "Wind to Go". Say that three times fast!! So I renamed her "Yee Ha!" When I lived in New Zealand, we often sailed in heavy wind. When you tack in 40 knots, you say "ready about" then "YEE HA".

Public reaction has been great! Whenever we go out, people yell "Yee Ha!" and hold up their beer cans. It's also a great benefit while racing. People tend to stay out of my way:)

Edited by - on

glstout
Deckhand

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USA
23 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2003 : 17:59:42

These stories are great and very interesting; we do love our "hole's in the water" into which we pour our spare money. Our 250 is our 8th boat but most difficult to name. We loved a Cape Dory 28, which was about #5, and called her Galatea after a beautiful Greek Goddess and that made sense. The first boat we could call a mini cruiser was a Venture 17 and we called her "Amicus", meaning friend in Spainish as I recall. Others were pretty much PO's handy work included "New Horizons" which we liked and she still had that name when she went to the next owner. But the 250; considered "Galatea"; considered "6 Bells" logic being at age 69 at he time that the end of the watch wasn't expected but nontheless inevitable. Family didn't like that and suggested Oh My Knee based on the fact these old peoples knees had seen surgery more that once and probably be a bit of a challenge when the seas got rough. Decided to go with "O My Nee" for a couple of reasons but mostly because I laid the letters out on the computer and traced it on contact paper and fewer letters made it easier.

Gordon & Rosemary, 250 WK "O My Nee"

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2003 : 20:25:54

GL, remember the old saying that the hours spent sailing are
not subtracted from one's lifetime.

Stay out there !

Edited by - on

sailgal
Captain

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USA
400 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2003 : 21:12:25

I like that saying clam!

Edited by - on

Gary P
Deckhand

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2 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2003 : 20:22:47

I didn't like the name we were using and as I hadn't put it on the boat I kept trying to come up with a name. My wife came up with Toy Box as I carry tools,spare parts and have lots of gadgets. (thats why my boat weighs 7500 pounds!) After all, I am a cruiser, not a racer. The name stuck!

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2003 : 20:51:59

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I know of a few lovestruck guys who tatooed their significant other's name on their bodies only to discover that, after the divorce, it wasn't the wisest thing to do.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Shouldn't be too hard to find a replacement by the same name.....as opposed to getting rid of the gelcoat fading under our prolific vinyl graphics.....

(Just kidding honey.....)

Oscar
250WB#618 Lady Kay on the Chesapeake

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2003 : 21:41:04

Hey... after finally getting loose... I wouldn't have dated a girl with the same name.

Edited by - on

ppetracca
Navigator

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USA
163 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2003 : 08:42:27

Our first boat, the Catalina 22, was named "Noah Genda" by the PO. As I had always wanted a daughter named Katie she was renamed "Katie Mae" (the Mae comes from our niece).

Our Catalina '25 was named "Argos" by the PO who lived in beutiful home on Lake Palestine, TX and I believe did find the golden fleece. We renamed her "Yankee Spirit" to give the Americana flair that I've always possessed. Between my 6 years in the Marine Corps and my collections of flags for my house, people around know how patriotic I am. Also, the enormous red/white/blue spinnaker that came with the boat is very intimidating running down on finish lines! We've added a Betsy Ross flag design to the hull logo and red canvas on everything for the little extra "stand-out" appeal in the marina.

Edited by - on

jguyot
1st Mate

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USA
97 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2003 : 09:35:53

We have always had a hard time naming our sailboats, just could never come up with one we liked. When we bought our 250 we decided that we HAD to find a name for it. Whenever we were out on the boat, we kept saying that "This is the life". My wife is French, so she would say "C'est La Vie" Which loosely translated to the above. So...........We changed it to "Sail La Vie" Meaning Sailing is the life!!

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2003 : 10:57:19

?????WAITING FOR ROOF-ROOF?????

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2003 : 11:00:37

Caddy Shack was a movie the original two owners (friends of mine) could quote verbatim. Judge Smails Boat was called the Flying Wasp, so that is what they named it. When I bought my half a year later, the name stayed.

dw

Edited by - on

John V.
Admiral

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USA
559 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2003 : 15:14:55

I realize I'm catching up with some threads, but the pre-Christmas season is a bit hectic for music teachers. Now with the school Christmas program behind me I am following a few old threads, so forgive me for jumping in late.

My C22 was named Nin Bimash and the C25 named Nin Bimash II. Since I sail the North Channel there are many there who still speak Ojibway and understand the meaning of the boat name. "I'm Sailing" Our home port is on Neebish Island (Ojbway for "the place of dancing waters" or place of rapids) since my great grand father bought the property over 100 years ago from the ojibway brother and sister who ran the little Inn on the island most place names were in ojibway and things have pretty much remained the same all this time. The boat name is unusual enough that it is remembered from season to season by marina staff in various towns who always welcome us long before we reach port.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2003 : 16:09:01

FellowShip
We have been trying to figure out a name for our boat since we got it. On this site I listed it as Mocca Latte because of the color combination, there has been huge resistance to that name. When we bought it was named Cooper's Island, my name is not Cooper, close but not right. We have thought about many names and my favorite was Beater, it has a lot of connotations for a 21 year old sailboat. This weekend we went to see the final installment of Lord of the Rings. Our first born was named after Sam's daughter, who in turn was named after the Elanor flower in the forest of Galadriel. In other words we were into LOTR. When we left the movie my wife announced that the boat is named FellowShip. Sailing is certainly about fellowship, both with others and with your inner self. The soliloquies I have had, the songs I have sung, yes fellowship with one’s self is time well spent. So this spring we will perform the renaming ritual and toast all here as we do it.
(Thanks honey, good job.)

Edited by - on

capn rick
1st Mate

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USA
36 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2003 : 16:54:04

"Cavale" Fr. adv. To escape from. 1st used by Victor Hugo.

From the novel "Papillion" by Henri Charriere-who described his various escape attempts from Devils Island, etc. as 'en cavale'.

Also a Brit racing boat of the same name which lost a crewman overboard in the '79 Fastnet.

the current Cavale is sail #2458. Previous boats were a Catalina 22, Buccaneer 18 and Sunfish. Same name.

Capn Rick Stieg

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