# Boat Name Protocol ?



## rlltrash (Jul 5, 2012)

Is there any protocol for naming a boat? I just bought a "new" 20 ft sailboat and am thinking about giving it a name. I know of two different names it has had with previous owners. There were probably more.

The only reason I am aware of to name a boat is to facility radio communications - using the boat name as a call-sign. I see that boat names are also used in racing. In addition, it appears that the larger a boat is, the more likely it will have a name. (I guess there are USCG requirements at some point.)

So, should I give a name to my 1985 Holder 20?

Thanks, Richard


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## rhr1956 (Dec 18, 2010)

Sure...go ahead. Lot's of people change the name. It's not bad luck or anything like that.


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## paul323 (Mar 13, 2010)

There are many rituals and superstitions around changing the boat name. You'll pick up a lot of info if you simply do a google search, or simply start at John Vigor's Blog: How to Rename Your Boat, the expert in this matter; but in summary:

- It is generally considered bad luck to choose a name which taunts fortune, such as "Storm King", "wind tamer".

- Remove everything from the boat with the old name on it

- Hold a denaming ceremony

- hold a naming ceremony

Most sailors will say it is bad luck to change the name of a boat; but most will also agree that it is sometimes necessary, and if the correct rituals are followed, you will be okay. (As long as you don't do cheap on the "offering"!)


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

The most important thing is to name your boat something stupid.

And unintelligible.

Unpronounceable

Un spell able

And that includes "sea" like the boat I saw today: "Pregnansea". What the hell were they thinking? On board sex that needs to be advertised?
Or Ocean in the name, or something about retirement, dreams, rum, Happy Hours, Happy Ours etc, Island Time....

Or a catamaran has to include double something like Too Smart, Double Trouble.

One of the great Australian naming traditions is to name it something Aboriginal. Those names have the most consonants together of any language apart from Swahilli.... Try pronouncing Nhnumanjarra, let alone on spelling it to a Spanish port authority on the VHF radio...

So calling my boat Sea Life was meant to be simple. Who to F that up? Well, lots of people! Spanish have no concept of SEA and Life is pronounced "Leef Eh". And people who do speach English think I have said Sea LICE. Like I am gunna call a boat sea LICE?????


Or you could try one of the dirty American boat names... I never know how they register some of them like "Head Job" etc.


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## rockDAWG (Sep 6, 2006)

paul323 said:


> Most sailors will say it is bad luck to change the name of a boat; but most will also agree that it is sometimes necessary, and if the correct rituals are followed, you will be okay. (As long as you don't do cheap on the "offering"!)


Well... My Company is specialized handling this renaming important rituals. Please leave this to the professionals. Send $499 for the basis and $899 for premium renaming. You may ask what the difference is. The basic package we use domestic beer for offering, the premium one, we use imported beer. Please note no check and no CC. Western Union money only.

No form to fill out, no signature required. Just hand print the new boat name and send to us.


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## sailortjk1 (Dec 20, 2005)

> Un spell able
> 
> And that includes "sea"





> So calling my boat Sea Life


I'm just saying... LOL.


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## jameswilson29 (Aug 15, 2009)

Yes, you should name your boats.

A boat is a female. Give the boat a proper female name.

For those of us who grew up in the 60s and 70s, that means something natural, organic, or emotional. Mythical names are also acceptable.

My boat "Thoe" is named after one of the Nereids, the daughters of Poseidon. It is also very short for radio transmission purposes.

Just don't name your boat "Wet Dreams"...


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## mad_machine (Dec 16, 2012)

you mention the Coast Guard.. I know they only name their cutters.. anything less than 65feet in length is just a boat and only gets a number


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## runswithsisors (Oct 3, 2012)

if you google it, there is a protocal for renaming a boat, and appesing the gods


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## Siamese (May 9, 2007)

Name it Mayday.


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

Do not forget to name the boat after the wife or equal, they can get pretty pissy too if they are left out of it.....or at least let here have "some" say in it.......


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## killarney_sailor (May 4, 2006)

Good thing to give it a name so you don't just call it, 'that damned moneypit'.


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

killarney_sailor said:


> Good thing to give it a name so just call it, '*that damned moneypit*'.


There, fixed it!:laugher:laugher


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## bobnpaula (Nov 17, 2008)

Yes, name it, but keep it two or three easily pronounceable syllables. You want someone to understand you and take you seriously when you hail on VHF. A friend who has a stupid punny name for their boat is regularly laughed at and told to "get off the radio" when they say their boat name.... everyone assumes they are just fooling around and not to be taken seriously. This is dangerous.


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

rlltrash said:


> ... In addition, it appears that the larger a boat is, the more likely it will have a name. (I guess there are USCG requirements at some point.)
> 
> So, should I give a name to my 1985 Holder 20?
> 
> Thanks, Richard


That's probably because larger boats that cruise tend to be USCG documented rather than state registered.

Naming your boat (or not naming it) is up to you as a boat that size probably won't be documented. It is helpful, as others pointed out, when needing to radio for help. However, just in case, here is the rule for naming a documented vessel:

_Documented vessels do not display their official numbers on the outside of the hull, but are identified by the name and hailing port. The application for documentation must include a name for the vessel composed of letters of the Latin alphabet or Arabic or Roman numerals and may not exceed 33 characters. The name may not be identical, actually or phonetically, to any word or words used to solicit assistance at sea; may not contain or be phonetically identical to obscene, indecent, or profane language, or to racial or ethnic epithets. Once established, a vessel's name may not be changed without application, fees, and the consent of the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center. There is no rule against duplication of names for documented vessels, so hailing ports are helpful in identifying vessels._

From the USCG FAQ page on vessel documentation.


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## pdqaltair (Nov 14, 2008)

My boat has a perfectly acceptable name... and wife calls it _The __Other Woman _anyway.


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## Capt.aaron (Dec 14, 2011)

My grandfather renamed my boat before I took over ownership. The first thing that happend after he changed it was an electrical fire on the way to the Bahamas. Then an alcohol stove fire when we got there. Then the engine crapped out forever, still engineless. Then the main sail ripped in half in a squall. Then when I was impounded by the Belizean government for over staying my welcome, which was just after a dismasting by my own hand, ( I pulled the wrong pin) then it sunk on thanksgiving, then again the following christmas, then I sold it and bought it back a year later, then huricane wilma knocked it off it's stands in the yard and it landed on the Yanmar one cyl. that I had on a pallet under the boat which I had just rebuilt. holed the boat and the eng was a complete loss.,Then the boat yard seazed the boat for an unpaid bill...................................................those are just the main points over a 30 year period, there is much more. I'm sure it's bad luck to rename a boat and leave port for a passage on friday, that's another string of stories. Hopefully I've paid the name change dues, it appears so any way's.


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## norahs arc (Jan 23, 2013)

There is one tradition I have heard about for naming a boat,
"Never name it after your spouse but a blood relative is fine - relatives will stick arround
- but spouses have been known to leave."
One cute name I have come across and liked. " A LOAN AGAIN "


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## FinallySailing (Feb 12, 2013)

We renamed our boat once we finished the first season refit. Any renaming has to involve lots of bubbly for the boat and some for those at the ceremony.


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## denverd0n (Jun 20, 2008)

FinallySailing said:


> Any renaming has to involve lots of bubbly for the boat and some for those at the ceremony.


I think I would reverse those two.


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## FinallySailing (Feb 12, 2013)

denverd0n said:


> I think I would reverse those two.


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## paul323 (Mar 13, 2010)

denverd0n said:


> I think I would reverse those two.


Strangely enough I wouldn't. And I do enjoy bubbly....

If you are superstitious (or cautious) enough to have a (re)naming ceremony, then going cheap in the "sacrifice" is guaranteed to risk the ire of good fortune, and many would say guarantee bad luck. Many people - for right or wrong - are concerned about renaming a boat to begin with; I reckon if you want to do it, do it right - don't shortchange Fate or the gods (or God) by cutting corners.

As a boat owner for a few years, let me assure you that a nicer bottle for the libation will be the least of your costs....

(another good renaming site: Renaming Your Boat - BoatSafe.com)


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