# Your Boat Name - the story behind it



## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

SanderO posted a great story on the name of his boat and I got to thinking that many on here have special significances or stories concerning your boats name. Care to share? 

( Hopefully this thread will not bring any controversy and get us back on track )🤘😀🤘🌪


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

Our dink is named after our grand daughters... one is Daniela and the other Alana... nicknames are Lani and Dani...

The dink is called the "LaniDani" and the OB is named after Lani's step sister's nickname... ChaCha.


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## FSMike (Jan 15, 2010)

"MANDOLIN"

The original Mandolin was a 26' double ended cutter rig with a gaff main, and she was a pretty thing.
I named her Mandolin because she was a small, well crafted instrument that made beautiful music.
I am now on the fourth boat of that name.


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## titustiger27 (Jan 17, 2013)

I have had three small sailboats (the smallest one was already named and the year I had it I didn't change the name)

The first was a Chrysler LoneStar 13. I named the boat "A Tangent"

so I could go off on one. I was kind of proud of that, so when I named the Designers Choice 15, I staked with the play on math and called the boat "Vector XY"

I liked that, mainly because I think that sailing is about a lot of angles

why pay someone to entertain yourself, when you can do it for free.

This makes me wonder... I have no problem naming boats, but I don't name my cars or bicycles --- other means of transportation...


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

I have a little storey with mine.

We had a lot of trouble finding our current boat, we had a rough idea of what we wanted, but there didn't seem to be anything quite right on the market.

I wanted the very opposite of a blue water boat, I wanted a brown water boat and then some. I wanted a sail boat that was comfortable sailing in very sheltered waters; swamps, wetlands and canals. Small power boat territory. I wanted something could float in a couple feet of water, something that could pass easily under low bridges, something that could be beached for the night, something that could be trailered to lakes and rivers far inland that rarely ever see a sailboat, or any boat much bigger than a canoe. However, I didn't want an open dinghy. I wanted a proper hard cabin with port lights and bug screens for little ones to get out of the wind, and rain and bugs, Basically, I wanted a real cruising boat but in a tiny size for exploring out of the way wetlands.

After looking at dozens of boats we happened across just the right boat and she was quite pretty to boot. Both my wife and I knew it was the right boat for our planned adventures as soon as we saw her.

The boat had no name on the transom when we bought her and sailing season was on us, so we went ahead with our sailing plans. I bounced around quite a few names trying to find just the right one, I wanted something that was representative of her unique abilities to get into creeks and swamps that any prudent sailor would only look at with binoculars. I had recently re read Wind in the Willows so I had Mister Ratty and Mr Mole on my mind, I wanted a wetlands creature.

I first thought beaver, which was vetoed by my wife before I completed the sentence. Otter came up, my wife liked it but I wasn't convinced because you just don't see a lot of river otters around here and I wanted something I would regularly see in my daily travels. Which led me to the wet land birds. Herron, Crane. I really liked Crane, but it was vetoed.

Away we went with no name on the boat, just referring to her model name. About 4 or 5 days into our second cruise on her we passed through a set of very old locks. The locks around here were built of cut stone in the mid 19th century and grow a thick layer of moss on them. We passed through one particular lock; my wife was running the outboard and tiller while I tended the lines, my mom was holding the toddler. All of a sudden we heard a loud thwump! I turned around and saw a snapping turtle had fallen from the moss on the lock wall and landed square in the middle of this little cockpit holding my wife and I, a toddler, a grandmother and two hound dogs.

Before panic could take hold my mom tossed her grand son down in the cabin and grabbed the snapping turtle by its shell, picked it up, showed it off to every body including the lock masters before throwing the little snapper back in the canal where it had come from.

Some time later my wife suggested *Little Snapper* and the name was a hit with every one.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Great story


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## titustiger27 (Jan 17, 2013)

Arcb said:


> I have a little storey with mine.
> /// snip //
> 
> I wanted the very opposite of a blue water boat, I wanted a brown water boat and then some. I wanted a sail boat that was comfortable sailing in very sheltered waters; swamps, wetlands and canals. Small power boat territory. I wanted something could float in a couple feet of water, something that could pass easily under low bridges, something that could be beached for the night, something that could be trailered to lakes and rivers far inland that rarely ever see a sailboat, or any boat much bigger than a canoe. However, I didn't want an open dinghy. I wanted a proper hard cabin with port lights and bug screens for little ones to get out of the wind, and rain and bugs, Basically, I wanted a real cruising boat but in a tiny size for exploring out of the way wetlands.
> ...


this is interesting. I am assuming you are talking about the Bay Hen 21? I guess I just assumed you collected interesting boats (partly because of the Prindle) from watching your channel.

This is a great story... and might be good episode :svoilier:

I feel a little like a dope, because whenever you were in the weeds and what not, never thought it was a purpose trip, not to mention it was perfect for the purpose of the boat


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## NewportNewbie (Jul 30, 2011)

Cuajota

Jota in spanish is the letter J, and Cua in front of it means 4. So its name literally mean 4 "J's". Original owner of the boat was a Cuban doctor whose family was 4 people all whose names began with a J. 

My family has 6 people and 4 of our names start with the letter J.

You don't pick your boat, it picks you.


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## flyingriki (Sep 27, 2012)

WANUSKEWIN
(In the Cree language: ᐋᐧᓇᐢᑫᐃᐧᐣ / wânaskêwin means, "being at peace with oneself".)


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

A name should also be easy to understand by others on the radio...


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

My boat is called Sea Life because that's what I do.


Becareful with names if your intend to go overseas. A nice name to you may be completely different in another country. 
One friends boat meant Hot Testicles....


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

MarkofSeaLife said:


> My boat is called Sea Life because that's what I do.
> 
> Becareful with names if your intend to go overseas. A nice name to you may be completely different in another country.
> One friends boat meant Hot Testicles....


hahahahahahahaha

In what language?


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## Saltwater Taffy (Aug 31, 2016)

_I posted this as we were going through the process of buying our 'new' boat back in '12:

That which we call 'Windbag' by any other name would be as sweet&#8230;.. (apologies to Mr. Shakespeare!)

Deciding to get a new boat; searching for the 'one'; inspecting; haggling; budgeting; waiting for the survey: these are all the easy parts of the new to you boat buying process.

The hard part is coming up with the right name for your new vessel.

We, my wife and I, brainstormed and came up with about 75 potential names. Mine tended to be based more on traditional or historical lines such as 'Griffon' (the first ship to explore the Great Lakes) or mythological names. I included some names translated from other languages - especially Algonquin names as I have an affinity for the First Nations people. Being a Chef I also suggested some culinary focused ideas: 'Mise En Place' ('everything in its place') and so on. My wife's ideas reflected her business (finance) with names such as 'Tacks Evasion', 'After Tacks' etc.

Once we had arrived at the 75 names we then each took the list and tossed out the names that we could not live with. When we came back together and compared our new lists we found that our list contained 25 potential names.

The next step was for each of us to list the top ten names of the 25 that were left. We figured that we should arrive at a winner. This was an incorrect assumption! We found that we didn't agree on any of the top ten!

Now my wife and I have been together for about 30 years. We get along really well. One of the reasons that that we get along so well is that we came to the understanding that our brains seem to function in complete opposition. One is hot, the other cold; one goes left, the other right; one likes asparagus, the other Brussel sprouts. You get the picture.

So we were back at square one: no boat name!

Time is getting tight. The survey should be done in 3 - 4 weeks. Once that's done we've got to remove the old name, wax, apply anti-fouling and paint the new name before launch - which I hope will happen in early May.

This past weekend we were sitting down watching some documentary or other when on the screen appeared an incredible animal, one that is high on my bucket list of animals I would love to see in the wild. It is graceful, very unique and in complete control in the water. It also has a pretty cool name: Sea Dragon.

My wife and I looked at each other and shared one of those very rare moments of thinking the same thought. We had hit upon the name!

I've dusted off John Vigor's renaming ceremony and am ready for the service.

Now that the hard part is behind us we've just got to get through the relatively simple process of learning how to sail a bigger boat.

Can't wait._


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

When I got my cruising boat someday I was going to name her "Horizon Seeker." I have been holding onto that name for 20 years.

I have come up with names for all my other boats but never actually named them. Our Potter 15 was going to be painted yellow some day. Her name will be Lemon Drop, because she will look like a little lemon drop bobbing in the ocean. After years 8 of ownership I completely stripped and refurbished and upgraded her but did not paint her. In the process I realized it is just too tight for a man my age, limberness and dexterity. There is a group of guys in their 60s and beyond sailing and cruising P15s.... they must have taken better care of their bodies over the years.

When I saw a fixer upper Potter 19 I bought it. We decided she should be red and take us on some longer adventures. She will be named "Red Rover." I ended up getting ill just as I purchased her. Someone delivered it to my wife when I was in the hospital. We had discussed the boat, but she did not know it was on the way yet, so she was a bit surprised.

I had a partnership in a 32 foot boat and the boat and it was just not working out for me so needed a boat of my own. So I bought an S2 7.9 from Sailing Uphill a Sailnetter. She is currently called "Rum Line." But because i confuse the two bigger boats I mistakenly call her Redrum when talking about her with my wife. It's not official yet but she may be called "Red Rum."

All my boats are in storage in California now but I am hoping to go back in the next week or so and bring Red Rum to her new home. Unfortunately the waiting list for a mooring is 3+ years, a slip is 20+ years.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

SanderO said:


> hahahahahahahaha
> 
> In what language?


Spanish.

The first time he cleared into a Spanish port the Immigration officer was :grin
What? 
:laugh
What?? 
:laugh :grin :kiss
WHATTTT?


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## titustiger27 (Jan 17, 2013)

MarkofSeaLife said:


> My boat is called Sea Life because that's what I do.
> 
> Becareful with names if your intend to go overseas. A nice name to you may be completely different in another country.
> One friends boat meant Hot Testicles....


I think I will call my next boat (if there is one)

"Testículos calientes"

I wonder if there are many people who have actually called their boat _'hot testicles'_


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

titustiger27 said:


> I wonder if there are many people who have actually called their boat _'hot testicles'_
> [/FONT]


You obviously haven't gone down the ICW and seen the names on some motor boats.

:devil

BTW one boat name mentioned in this very thread will make any Australian (male) laugh!


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Look at some of these.... Then translate into some other language

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=b...new&gws_rd=cr&dcr=0&ei=rjrKWqXqOcHysQX_z7zgCw


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## titustiger27 (Jan 17, 2013)

I haven't.. but my question was sort of rhetorical because I know there are lot of off-color names

*edit:* so imagine you need to "open the bridge for 'master baitor' "


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

My boat is named _Pachina Mia_. I was told it is Sicilian for "My Little Sweetheart" &#8230; or something like that. And indeed, there are heart inlays in the teak and copper-punched into some of the cabinetry. The boat has a history, and pedigree, so I don't want to change the name, although it's definitely not a good one for Anglos.

Despite this rather poetic translation, "Pachina" is apparently a slang term for a certain part of the female anatomy, so I'm looking forward to cruising into an Italian port some day:

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pachina


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

Years ago I was in the Marina in Isla Mujeres. We shared the boat with a large yacht named "Lucky Sperm." I talked to the Captain of the boat and he told the story of the boat's name.

The owner's parents were killed in some famous mishap, my mind says the Titanic but the timing is not right. Anyway the boat owner was left at home as a baby so survived to inherit a sizeable fortune. Growing up rich did not affect his sense of humor. According the Captain the owner was very cool and would come meet up with the boat on occasion when he was not spending the money on other fun endeavours. In between visits the Captain had to oversee the crew to make sure things were polished when the owner arrived.

Here is a photo in Latitude 38 about a year after I saw the boat.

https://www.latitude38.com/LectronicLat/2005/0705/Jul18/July18.html


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## titustiger27 (Jan 17, 2013)

MikeOReilly said:


> My boat is named _Pachina Mia_. I was told it is Sicilian for "My Little Sweetheart" &#8230; or something like that. And indeed, there are heart inlays in the teak and copper-punched into some of the cabinetry. The boat has a history, and pedigree, so I don't want to change the name, although it's definitely not a good one for Anglos.
> 
> Despite this rather poetic translation, "Pachina" is apparently a slang term for a certain part of the female anatomy, so I'm looking forward to cruising into an Italian port some day:
> 
> https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pachina


the propositions you will get

maybe lucky sperm can mate with your boat


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

My first vessel 'Halfsafe" designed /built in '58' from a Pogo cartoon. wasn't even. Found out later the name was used for an amphibious jeep that circumnavigated. ....Thane ,is the title of a Viking captain, Later in Britian ,a landed nobleman ,after they'd chase those pesky Scots back into the hills. MacBeth ,Thane is known for killing every one in his way but I prefer the older version of rape and pillage by sea. Anyone who's spent anytime in Thailand knows their greeting of Pai Nai? Like 'hows it going? or Qui Passa? Ja is future tense so my Ja Pai Nai (where will you go?) was a big hit with the squid fishermen and longtail tourist boats as we wandered in the fleet.


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## zeehag (Nov 16, 2008)

The Conditions of a Solitary Bird

The conditions of a solitary bird are five:
The first, that it flies to the highest point;
The second, that it does not suffer for company,
not even of its own kind;
The third, that it aims its beak to the skies;
The fourth, that it does not have a definite color;
The fifth, that it sings very softly.

these are the words of
San Juan de la Cruz in his "Sayings of Light and Love"
and quoted in "Tales of Power" by Carlos Castaneda


and my boat and i live up to this .... except i am loud in voice. oh well cannot have everything hahahahaha


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

Our first boat back in 2000 was a 22 foot Catalina sailed on the Delaware River that we named "Island Time" because we had Jimmy Buffett dreams of sailing in warmer latitudes some day.

Our second and still current boat, a Catalina 30 is also named "Island Time". We've sailed her on Barnegat Bay for the past ten years. She was in salt water but no further south.

In another two months our boat "Island Time" will change her latitude to 24°43'47.2"N 81°00'40.4"W and her name will go from wishful thinking to we're finally here... :grin


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

JimMcGee said:


> Our first boat back in 2000 was a 22 foot Catalina sailed on the Delaware River that we named "Island Time" because we had Jimmy Buffett dreams of sailing in warmer latitudes some day.


When life in the keys become too much work you can look at the Margaritaville Retirement homes.

https://www.billboard.com/articles/...ett-launching-margaritaville-retirement-homes


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

jephotog said:


> When life in the keys become too much work you can look at the Margaritaville Retirement homes.
> 
> https://www.billboard.com/articles/...ett-launching-margaritaville-retirement-homes


LOL, it took me too long to get here. I'm not leavin' !!!


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

All my boats for the last 35+. years have been called Hippocampus. When I sell a boat I keep the name reserved.
Hippocampus means sea horse in Greek. In transsection there’s a structure in your anterior temporal lobes which is the splitting image of a seahorse.
It’s the area of the brain which consolidates memories.
I’ve been a brain physician during my career. Even before earning that degree did brain research.
My boats have help me make some of my best memories. Although there’s something delicate in the appearance of a pretty sailboat they’ve all been strong as a horse. Just like the male seahorse cares for his young and is one of the best parents in the fish world my boats have cared for me throughout my stupidities. Seahorses are alien looking and their lives are quite outside the terrestrial experience as is life on a boat.
Finally given I’ve used this name through multiple boats and many years people see that name and if they know me they know it’s my boat. Feel I can’t name a boat anything else at this point. Would be like not pouring some blackberry wine as a serving to Neptune before leaving for passage. Just not done.


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

While cleaning up the boat, I saw a highlight on the side of "Mini Moo" in large letters. Boat when I bought it was "Geronimo" apparently the guy was a "Wind" fan.

Anyway I did research and the boat was owned by a guy who did a decent job racing under the name "Mini Moo." To me it is only slightly bad luck to rename a boat.

Boat was painted red, but then repainted white, and there were a few show-through locations where the boat was scratched through to red. so I thought about it, and decided that I could save myself time repainting, but slapping stickers over the scratches... and slap some black spots over them. Also we have Brittany's and my daughters dog, is "Moo," so it was a deal sealer to name the boat "Mini Moo" again.

Mini Moo, sails great, and NEVER fails to turn heads.


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## FSMike (Jan 15, 2010)

SanderO said:


> A name should also be easy to understand by others on the radio...


z

Occasionally people have asked my opinion about boat names. I have said to them "Can you imagine trying to make that name understood by a bridge tender in rural south Georgia?"
Simple is good.
I had some friends whose boat had an American Indian name. I remember hailing them once in the Bahamas saying "Boat with the unpronounceable name", boat with --- etc".
They were not amused. But they answered my hail lol.


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## Sal Paradise (Sep 14, 2012)

The Widge

When I bought my boat, the owner briefly mentioned a story about his granddfather was an artist and how he died in Hurricane on LIS in 1935, but inside his boat was his last painting, undamaged. So, being his grandson, he named his boat The Widge. I paid no attention, I was just thinking how could I fix up this hulk, would it cost a fortune.

Later I googled the mysterious name on the transom. Turns out it was a true story!! The original Widge was a very famous sailboat!! Owned by William Lathrop. Same last name as the previous owner of my boat..Old Lathrop didn't die on the Widge, the boat survived fine. They think he had a heart attack and fell off. And his last painting was found undamaged in the cabin of the Widge!

My boat is not his - mine is a Cat 22 but was once owned by his grandson and named the Widge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Langson_Lathrop









_In the late 1920s, Lathrop hand-built a wooden boat in his backyard and named it "The Widge". Measuring over twenty feet in length, Lathrop and his friends launched The Widge into the Delaware River in 1930. Lathrop, an able sailor, piloted the boat into the Atlantic coastal waters. He continued sailing for pleasure in his later years, painting scenes of the Atlantic shoreline and even once entertaining Albert Einstein on board as a guest.

On September 21, 1938, Lathrop was piloting his boat around eastern Long Island when word came of an approaching hurricane. Far from safe harbor, Lathrop chose to ride out the storm in a sheltered bay. While The Widge survived the storm, Lathrop's body was recovered along the shoreline a month later. Eyewitness accounts of Lathrop from occupants of nearby boats indicated he may have died of a heart attack during the storm, and been blown or washed from his boat. However, his last painting survived the hurricane. Although the famed 1938 hurricane proved to be a tragic as well as dramatic ending for Lathrop, it did seem an appropriate ending for an artist who had spent his life recording both the darker and lighter moods of nature!_


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

My first keelboat was a 28 Islander named Island Magic sailed out of Dillons Creek on Barnegat Bay primarily. No one really knew the boat there or on the Chessie as Islanders were a primarily a California boat. 

Haleakula our 35 C&C MKIII was name day after the 10,000 ft Shield volcano making up 75% of Maui. Donna and I were married on a black sand beach in Mekenna, Maui in the shadow of Haleakala and return there every five years. We have riddden horses down to the floor of the caldera ( no small feat) a number of times. We’ve also stared ghrough relescopes on its summit, been there for the dawn subside at 3 AM , and ridden special drum brake bikes down its winding roads 37 mikes downhill to the ocean. We always visit the flower plantations on its slopes and come away with orchids and wild flowers the size of our head. 

Haleakala means “house of the sun” in Hawaiian. People who we pass sailing often hear The Animals House of the Rising Sun wafting from our boat. The word hasn’t been garbled by many marinas , harbormasters,. The funniest interesting was the Harbormaster in Martha’s Vineyard who I need his best New England accent misspoke and stumbled over Haleakula 5 times on the VHF finally giving up asked me if it was “American “ Much laughter on the VHF😄😄😄😜😜😜

When my daughter she begged me to get an African parrot. The birds name “ Sunshine “ could say Haleakula perfectly and when someone would pronounce it incorrectly would correct them immediately.

Sunshiñe was banished to another family after 1 year afternoon we found her torturing our German Shorthaired Pointer named Thor. Thor was a true bird dog. When we bought Sunshine and brought her home in the cage , in the house , he promptly pointedly at her and was always confused as to why we had a bird in the house. One night Thor slunk into the den and laid at my feet with a loud sigh. 10 minutes passed and he got up and looked in the kitchen where Sunshine was and I heard in my voice, the damn bird shrieking at Thor. “SIT.....SIT .....SIT this bird commanded Thor in my voice. Course the ever obedient hound sat looking for me. Next the bird shrieked Lay Down...Lay Down. Thor obeyed.
Then came the final straw.." she yelled Haleakula....Haleakula....followed by .... BAD DOG......BAD DOG. It was either get rid of Sunshine or Thor would have neeeded a shrink. The bird of the 37 words was given away.


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## chicory83 (Dec 21, 2009)

The flowers of the chicory plant are nicknamed blue sailors. They are the same color as Chicory's hull.


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## jvlassak (Oct 1, 2009)

Our current boat is called Iphigenia, as was the one before that one. Iphigenia is the name of a princess who was sacrificed by her father to get the winds to blow so his fleet could set sail for the siege of Troy. 

I always liked the name and really wanted to call my daughter Iphigenia, but that was vetoed by my wife. I settled for second best. Not a great name over the vhf, though: Ifi what???


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## Saltwater Taffy (Aug 31, 2016)

SailingUphill said:


> While cleaning up the boat, I saw a highlight on the side of "Mini Moo" in large letters. Boat when I bought it was "Geronimo" apparently the guy was a "Wind" fan.
> 
> Anyway I did research and the boat was owned by a guy who did a decent job racing under the name "Mini Moo." To me it is only slightly bad luck to rename a boat.
> 
> Boat was painted red, but then repainted white, and there were a few show-through locations where the boat was scratched through to red. so I thought about it, and decided that I could save myself time repainting, but slapping stickers over the scratches... and slap some black spots over them. Also we have Brittany's and my daughters dog, is "Moo," so it was a deal sealer to name the boat "Mini Moo" again.


Is that what you call a 'cattle boat'?


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

One benefit of this name "Mini Moo" is that the cow puns never cease.
Sailing back to dock, is "putting the cow in the barn."
While passing its "MOOOOOVE over!"

Several club members got together, and bought ears and a tail for the boat...

I personally hung a genuine cowbell on the bow pulpit.

VHF? forgetaboutit... "MOOOOOO" and everyone knows who it is. I mean I'd never do that of course I'd call with " <name, name, name> this is the sailing vessel "MOOOOOOOOOO" blah blah blah" of course 

But you know, the fat cow won the fleet, and series last year in our tiny club, so she really IS a fast fat cow 

You know I even started a movement within the club... spots started to show up everywhere.


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

When I first came to this forum, I often saw discussions where old sailboats were referred to as an "old shoe." Strangely enough, I do not see this much anymore on this or any other forum.

The term wasn't really meant to be derogatory, it just to refer to all those Pearsons, Catalinas and similar plain, white, 30 foot sailboats as good old boats for family sailing and light cruising. When I bought my Pearson 30, the name seemed a perfect fit so I named it "Old Shoes." Many people agreed that it was a good name but I still encountered some difficulties on the VHF with it. I often found myself saying "Shoes, like on your feet!" to clarify the name for people. The boat was a good old shoe, and I lived aboard for about a year while grinding through my divorce. It was wonderful, actually.

The story of my current boat (Ex-Bright Leaf) is that I did not try to force a name. I knew as with Old Shoes, that if I sailed the boat, she would eventually speak a name to me. My Tartan 33 was actually not "love at first sight." I bought it because it was roomy, had features that Wife 2.0 really wanted, and was a Tartan designed by S&S so I figured it would at least be well built. I also suspected that the boat would be a ponderous, heavy cruising pig and initially, I looked her with a skeptical eye.

Our first sail in the river was sub-optimal. The wind was gusty and we were overpowered because I set full sails. This did not help my perceptions. The second time, I took the boat out alone and set proper sails for the condition. New to wheel steering, I took the time to find and feel the weather helm. The boat bounded along lightly, swiftly and cheerfully, with alacrity. That is how "Bright Leaf" became "Alacrity."

noun: alacrity

brisk and cheerful readiness.
_ "she accepted the invitation with alacrity"_
synonyms:	eagerness, willingness, readiness; enthusiasm, ardor, avidity, fervor, keenness;
promptness, haste, swiftness, dispatch, speed
_"we want to move with alacrity, and put a stop to improper conduct while it's still going on"
_

I am very much in love with Alacrity now, and I do thank Wife 2.0 for insisting on having it. She saw something that I didn't. My perceptions were completely wrong and the boat sails so beautifully, that I rarely bother with the autopilot.


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## SeaStar58 (Feb 14, 2018)

Since my first boat was an 18 foot 1950's HiLiner SeaStar picked up for 4 cups of coffee and a dozen donuts at the town dump (yes a real landfill boat) and folks made fun of the Idiots who were Delighted at getting such a boat and then were dumb enough to take it out from Gloucester Harbor powered by one even older Evenrude 35 BigTwin, "The Idiots Delight" stuck. She held up to some pretty tough conditions in New England coastal waters and the lakes of the White Mountains and we even had opportunity to rescue some folks in some much more modern fiberglass boats with her including the episode I have mentioned previously with the Coast Guards Whaler that was used to tend small buoey's and channel markers.

I am currently fixing up a 15 foot sail boat named "Lunatia" at the Sailing Center and may end up owning her. Instructors who come by where I am doing the work tell me how badly they feel that the Lunatia was trashed so badly by a member and then vandalized as she was too good to be used as a rental boat. They tell me she sails better than the Capri 14.2 sitting next to her and is deceptively fast despite her wide hips if you don't try to hike her over too far on one cheek. Lunatia is a tongue in cheek name (the cheeks on your own face in case any are drifting lower) since its a fat Moon Snail that eats other snails and shell fish and being a predatory snail faster than its relatives. If I decide to take ownership I will probably keep the name since I appreciate the joke and may carve up a figurehead of a Lunatia of some sorts for the boat or paint a cartoon caricature of one on the hull or possibly the mainsail.


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## TomMaine (Dec 21, 2010)

The name 'CHRISTMAS' clicked on our present boat. Here our son placed the stars on the new boats transom, years ago.










The boats name has a purely secular meaning for us. 'CHRISTMAS' encompasses our family energy. Holiday, seasons, love, sailing, life.

And the boat sails like Christmas. On a sm_ooo_th reach, the vast running rigging can sound like distant sleigh bells.

He still comes home, to put the stars on.


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## doctorcam (Aug 19, 2007)

According to the previous owner of my Albin 7.9, the owner previous to him was a realtor in the Seattle area. She apparently did a lot of work on the boat, and renamed it in the process: Catharsis. I guess being a realtor in Seattle is or was stressful, and she needed a break on a regular basis. As a (now retired) psychologist, far be it from me to rename the boat.


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## SecondWindNC (Dec 29, 2008)

I write news stories and press releases for a university; whenever I head out the front door to talk to someone on campus, my coworker says, "Jules is on assignment!"

Now it will take on a different meaning.


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## dwedeking (Jan 28, 2007)

Pomaika'i - Hawaiian girls name meaning good luck, fortunate or blessed.

In January 2017 a 50′ trawler hit my first boat (a Cabot 36) and did a bunch of damage. On the Monday after the insurance check cleared 4 months later, I went on to Yachtworld.com to "just see." I found a Morgan Out Island 415 (the sailboat I originally wanted) for about the same price as the settlement check from the insurance company. I was able to look, and it's in about equal condition (minus the crash) as my 36′ sailboat. So I came out with a little extra cash and a boat I wanted more. Couple that with placing 5th (out of 72) in a poker tournament that Sunday (profiting $500).

I bought the boat just before Hurricane Irma and it was located in the water at a boatyard in Fort Myers, FL when Irma passed within a few miles. No damage other than some rainwater inside and a few broken tree branches in the cockpit. The dock shown in the picture (where she was the month before) was completely destroyed.

"Lucky" seemed a good name for the sailboat.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Ajax_MD said:


> When I first came to this forum, I often saw discussions where old sailboats were referred to as an "old shoe." Strangelry enough, I do not see this much anymore on this or any other forum.
> 
> The term wasn't really meant to be derogatory, it just to refer to all those Pearsons, Catalinas and similar plain, white, 30 foot sailboats as good old boats for family sailing and light cruising. When I bought my Pearson 30, the name seemed a perfect fit so I named it "Old Shoes." Many people agreed that it was a good name but I still encountered some difficulties on the VHF with it. I often found myself saying "Shoes, like on your feet!" to clarify the name for people. The boat was a good old shoe, and I lived aboard for about a year while grinding through my divorce. It was wonderful, actually.
> 
> ...


Weve seen her out a couple times. She's a pretty boat too


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

chef2sail said:


> Weve seen her out a couple times. She's a pretty boat too


You obviously didn't get close enough to see the condition of the paint.


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

When I chose Thane as the name for my boat I considered having to sign paperwork and painting the sides and stern of the boat .Whoda thunk that when everyone got VHF's over CB's I quickly found Thane,Thane Thane to be an attention grabber ,,Too much like Pan Pan. Modified any callers to 'SV Thane' etc.


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## amwbox (Aug 22, 2015)

_Solus_ : Unaccompanied, Alone, Solo

Bought the boat right after a significant other of nearly 20 years was killed in a car accident. Looking back it's a bit morose, but I'm sticking with it. I mostly single hand, so it works.


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## titustiger27 (Jan 17, 2013)

SecondWindNC said:


> I write news stories and press releases for a university; whenever I head out the front door to talk to someone on campus, my coworker says, "Jules is on assignment!"
> 
> Now it will take on a different meaning.


and of course
when someone asks you to do something

"I'd like to help you, but I have an assignment to take care of!"

irateraft:


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## titustiger27 (Jan 17, 2013)

chef2sail said:


> SanderO posted a great story on the name of his boat and I got to thinking that many on here have special significances or stories concerning your boats name. Care to share?
> 
> ( Hopefully this thread will not bring any controversy and get us back on track )????


Great thread, hope it keeps growing

it's one of those (innocent) questions, that the answer reveals so much
*thanks*


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

Jumpstart. J/92. Got boat after sudden cardiac arrest and was jumped back to life with an AED


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## twoshoes (Aug 19, 2010)

Not much of a story, just did a play on our boat, a Cal 25 MkII and my wife's favorite flower.


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## Don L (Aug 8, 2008)

My boat is named Rubber Ducky because my boat is my floating toy in the big bathtub!


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## JimF54 (Mar 9, 2016)

First Boat was a 19' Rhodes Mariner- Little Wing after the Hendrix song (dinghy was Tail Feather)
Second boat Ranger 23 - kept PO 's name of Blue Parrot. 
Current Boat - Ranger 29 - wanted to name it "Jackie S." in the common Lobster boat tradition, Commodore Jackie did not want that, so... 
with help of my sons came up with Banshee, which works on several levels, we're of Irish descent, I played on a rugby and a soccer team named the Banshees, and its still named after Jackie.


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## Towguy (May 8, 2016)

My S2 7.9 came with the name "ESCAPADE" the P/o used it mostly to race on Sylvan Lake(central Alberta)but as a trailersailer it's been to the okanagen and to the states,or originaly came from the Seattle area ,I believe...I like the name as I hope to have many adventures sailing the larger lakesof Alberta(lessor slave lake,cold lake,lac la Biche,sylvan lake) maybe someday taking it out to the coast,(probAly easier to just rent/bareboat off the island ther)...oh I think Ihave the mast figured out found a 31.5 ft mast n rigging just waiting for picsand a guy is working out the logistics of transport,I am trading a car for his help,,my mast is 33 ft so hope it matchs up close enough dimension wise( seems to be longer than most stepped masts)..........Ralph


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## mstern (May 26, 2002)

When I bought my Oday 23, it was October, and the boat was on the hard until the spring. I thought I had a lot of time to think of a new name, but it was soon April and I hadn't thought of one yet. In the meantime, my wife throws me a surprise 40th birthday party, and many of the gifts (hats, shirts, boat bag, etc.) are very nicely embroidered with the current boat name. So as to not waste such nice and generous gifts, I decide to keep the old name for awhile. Fast forward a few years the family goes on a vacation to the Big Island of Hawaii in December. While there, my then 8 year old daughter and I take a hula lesson (the things we dads do for our little girls...). We learn the hula dance that goes along with the song "Hukilau", a Hawaiian word that refers to a communal fishing event. We had a great time singing and dancing along, and I thought "what a great name for my boat..." So when we got back, I scraped the old name off the transom and put on new "Hukilau" vinyl letters. I really like the name; it reminds me of my family in paradise....


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## joebeach (Aug 16, 2011)

Other than a few (unnamed) dinghies in my youth, I've always sailed OPBs. 

Last fall I bought my first keelboat, a Beneteau First 265, now on the hard by Lake Champlain. To date I've had only a sea trial on it, and it bears the PO's name. Over the winter I've been pondering another name for her. 

I'm an amateur singer, and I've chosen "Rubato." It's a musical term for departing from strict/written tempo, to allow for more individualistic expression and freedom in performance. There's also deeper meaning, as the literal translation from the Italian is "stolen time" - and for me, the essence of sailing is freedom, time stolen from life's routines and stresses.

If eventually I get another boat here in Florida, it will be Rubato Too.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

mstern said:


> When I bought my Oday 23, it was October, and the boat was on the hard until the spring. I thought I had a lot of time to think of a new name, but it was soon April and I hadn't thought of one yet. In the meantime, my wife throws me a surprise 40th birthday party, and many of the gifts (hats, shirts, boat bag, etc.) are very nicely embroidered with the current boat name. So as to not waste such nice and generous gifts, I decide to keep the old name for awhile. Fast forward a few years the family goes on a vacation to the Big Island of Hawaii in December. While there, my then 8 year old daughter and I take a hula lesson (the things we dads do for our little girls...). We learn the hula dance that goes along with the song "Hukilau", a Hawaiian word that refers to a communal fishing event. We had a great time singing and dancing along, and I thought "what a great name for my boat..." So when we got back, I scraped the old name off the transom and put on new "Hukilau" vinyl letters. I really like the name; it reminds me of my family in paradise....


Yet another Hawaiian name like ours which gets butchered by others on VHF drawing laughter😄😄😄😄🤘🤘🤘🤘. Love the story behind it


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## Peter Janker (Nov 19, 2012)

My first Cape Dory the transfer occurred only because I agreed to keep the name the same...CHASSEUR....French for Hunter....since I do a bit of bird hunting and due to the link to the Baltimore Privateer I kept the name. My wife (who comes from a family of men who all made dubious “investments” in watercraft) however nicknamed the boat the Sea Witch....at least the last name rhymed with Witch! She would only call it by her chosen name and would use it especially often when the Boat pulled me away on weekends. (It was like there was another woman in our marriage!)

She had a similar nickname for my second Cape Dory that ended with Poop but to head her off I elected to name the Boat with my new granddaughter’s and my wife’s middle names, Dakota Lee. The name was only shown at the last minute during the naming ceremony and I have never heard another bad name against either of my two boats. The jury is out however when I pick up a fishing boat and Trawler when I retire!

Just got a slip at Boca Chica Marina off Key West so I will be joining Island Time in the near future...as soon as I splash her, get a crew together and figure out if I am taking the ditch or ??

V/r

Pete


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

Peter Janker said:


> She had a similar nickname for my second Cape Dory that ended with Poop but to head her off I elected to name the Boat with my new granddaughter's and my wife's middle names, Dakota Lee. The name was only shown at the last minute during the naming ceremony and I have never heard another bad name against either of my two boats. The jury is out however when I pick up a fishing boat and Trawler when I retire!
> 
> V/r
> 
> Pete


Your wife may be jealous of the boat(s) in your life but it seems as long as you name them after her or someone she cares about, at least she won't disrespect the vessel's names.


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## Peter Janker (Nov 19, 2012)

I think you hit the nail on its head.

V/r

Pete


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## KayakerChuck (May 4, 2017)

My powerboat is named POS.

My dad and I had a Bertram, then a Tiara powerboat. NICE. After selling the Tiara, I wanted another powerboat. I was standing on a 23' Tiara walk around, with cash in my pocket. The boat was perfect. I started asking myself if I was EVER going to take my friends SCUBA diving or muskie fishing on this beauty. No- too much $$$ to bang up with heavy use.

I called my friend who runs a "B" lot for boats and ended up with a 24' Thompson on a trailer for almost nothing. I rebuilt the stringers, deck, transom, and motor. All in, maybe $3500. Whenever my dad & I were working on it, someone would make the comment "This Piece of S..t!" It was the only thing we called it. The name stuck. POS. 16 years of use, lots of diving and fishing, no worries. She's for sale now.

Our current vessel is a 22' O'Day named "Elemental". The name was chosen by my other half, a chemistry professor by trade.


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## titustiger27 (Jan 17, 2013)

KayakerChuck said:


> / / / snip / /
> 
> Our current vessel is a 22' O'Day named "Elemental". The name was chosen by my other half, a chemistry professor by trade.


There is another thread started not long ago about getting wife interested in sailing

this makes me think... I bet the wife sees the boat as 'his' and nothing about it is hers.

I've been single in all of my boating life and naming has been great because --- well it's my choice... it seems in couplesland, the best-named boats (probably like children) is when both have say in the game.


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## willyd (Feb 22, 2008)

SanderO said:


> A name should also be easy to understand by others on the radio...


When we were coming into Newport the year before last, a sailboat named "Kayak" was trying to hail the Coast Guard.


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## rpludwig (Mar 13, 2017)

not our boat (thankfully)...double entendre for sure...imagine calling the coasties with that name...


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## ImGary01 (Feb 8, 2018)

Jagen is the name of our Daysailer that we use in one-design racing. 

Origin Circa 1557: It is the root word of Yacht and was generally meant a light, fast ship used in trade or war. from Dutch jacht ("hunt"), in older spelling jaght(e), short for jaghtschip, jageschip (“light sailing vessel, fast pirate ship"�), literally, "pursuit ship", compound of jagen (“to hunt, chase"�).


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## jvlassak (Oct 1, 2009)

ImGary01 said:


> Jagen is the name of our Daysailer that we use in one-design racing.
> 
> Origin Circa 1557: It is the root word of Yacht and was generally meant a light, fast ship used in trade or war. from Dutch jacht ("hunt"), in older spelling jaght(e), short for jaghtschip, jageschip ("light sailing vessel, fast pirate ship"�), literally, "pursuit ship", compound of jagen ("to hunt, chase"�).


Jagen still means "to hunt" in Dutch...


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## gamayun (Aug 20, 2009)

The process of naming a boat can be such torture, but these stories are great. Even if you have to cross Neptune by changing the name, I think something personal is much better than Seas the Day or Summer Wind. My boat is a Freedom 38. My mother had a difficult family upbringing -- she literally got away by joining the circus. She was an aerialist and did the Iron Jaw act for the first time to American audiences. However, she wasn't allowed to use her family name. Her stage name became Kynntana, which means "star" in the language of Madagascar (so I am told). My earliest memories are rummaging through an old box containing pictures of her in beautiful costumes during her acts. It's a fun story and one that suits the boat (and me) perfectly.


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## DonScribner (Jan 9, 2011)

First boat was Sparrow. Yeah, Jack Sparrow. OK, here' s the story. My sister bought a costume shop. She needed people to dress as characters for a parade. She dressed me as Cap'n Jack. I've done it a dozen or so times now. Its the most fun you can have while still being awake. Everybody LOVES Cap'n Jack Sparrow. No kidding. Yet, my imaginations run away from me.

Current love, Island Time, is a composite reference. One arm points to Tortola and all points BVI. My goodness, I love that group of islands! The other is a nod to the all the time we spend island hoping in Casco Bay and points north. Muscongous Bay, Penobscot Bay and others.. Casco Bay boasts the "Calendar Islands" as in one for every day of the year.


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## B-to (Oct 21, 2015)

The name of our Dufour 34P is Coreana, which is named after my wife. We wanted to name it after her but struggled for a long time to find a name that worked until we came up with Coreana. She is of Korean decent and I am of Italian decent. Coreana means "loosely" Korean Girl in Italian. In addition to the way it sounds, I like the fact that it contains a bit of both our ancestry for our children who are Korean/Italian.


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## arknoah (Oct 31, 2010)

Our boat is _Ilya_, named for a manatee. My daughter has always been interested in manatees, and we decided to sponsor one through the Save the Manatee Club. We chose Ilya because he had been sighted in Cape Cop where we used to live, the Chesapeake Bay where we live now and New Jersey where he was finally rescued and taken back to Florida. If you Google "Ilya Manatee," you can find a video of him. It just seemed like a good name.

FYI, _Ilya_ was named by a researcher in Florida who noticed that he was hanging out a lot with a manatee who had already been named "Napoleon." They seemed to be good friends, so the researcher -- who may have been a fan of the TV Show "The Man from Uncle," -- named the second manatee "Ilya" and the rest is history.

Our outboard is named Hercules because it performed so strongly during the 40 mile trip down the bay to our area when we first bought _Ilya_.


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## danvon (Dec 10, 2012)

Our X-342 is (sort of) named after our second dog. A few months after we bought the boat we adopted a rescue puppy. Leo came to us already housebroken, and basically never did any of the bad dog things like chew shoes, bark excessively, jump on the furniture, etc. He loved everyone. It was sort of too good to be true. A month later we adopted another puppy. Petra was more like a regular dog. Hard to housetrain. Chewed on us, shoes, slippers. A bit stubborn and willful. And not teaching Leo any good habits. It's a damned good thing that she is really cute. 

So at this point I was still thinking over boat names and nothing had really jumped out. I was sort of thinking to use something with an X in it in reference to the maker. Then one day I was thinking about the puppies and Bad X-ample just jumped out at me (there are probably some who would apply this to the way I sail also). So there we are. I do feel like I have to be extra careful not to do anything bad on the radio though.


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

In San Diego there is a boat owner currently on Fiasco III. Fiasco 1 lost it's keel when he sailed over Zuniga Jetty. Can't remember what happened to number 2 but it was name appropriate. My skipper asked him, "Joe, maybe you should come up with another name for your new boat?" Joe in his accented english, "It's a lucky name, I've gotten a nicer boat each time."


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## jcwhite (Apr 7, 2011)

Wilda - means "wild", or one is who is wild, in Swedish.

My other half has always had dogs, and they're very important parts of the family (not just a pet, if you want). We moved to a new town, and she had great plans for Wilda to come and stay with us for a while. Last fall Wilda was in for a surgery that went wrong, and she never got older than about 3; this was just about the same time I was closing the deal on the boat. It seemed appropriate that Wilda should be able to come and spend time with us up here. I bought the decals without telling my other half, just hoping she would agree with it. Guessed right, she did, and now Wilda will have lots of new adventures with us. Going to get a nice picture of the dog to mount in the salon.


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

MarkofSeaLife said:


> My boat is called Sea Life because that's what I do.
> 
> Becareful with names if your intend to go overseas. A nice name to you may be completely different in another country.
> One friends boat meant Hot Testicles....


Humm... We had a friend that named his boat "Cacafuego" in honor of his wife who had a "fiery temper". It had rather a different meaning to the port authorities in La Paz...


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

The first two letters of my daughter's name are Hy and she proved the highlight of our family so our boat, "HyLyte", was named in her honor.

Somewhat later we got a new dinghy pushed--or too often flashing--around by an unnecessarily large outboard--that soon came to be known as "FlashLyte.

It goes on. There's a lot of "Lyte's" around our house...


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## danvon (Dec 10, 2012)

jephotog said:


> In San Diego there is a boat owner currently on Fiasco III. Fiasco 1 lost it's keel when he sailed over Zuniga Jetty. Can't remember what happened to number 2 but it was name appropriate. My skipper asked him, "Joe, maybe you should come up with another name for your new boat?" Joe in his accented english, "It's a lucky name, I've gotten a nicer boat each time."


I remember Fiasco. I used to crew on a boat that raced against them. Good sailors. Heard about the grounding - glad to hear things are working out.


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## dadio917 (Apr 4, 2011)

Sugar Pine - We never thought we'd own a green trimmed boat. Home base is Tahoe where we walk in the woods every morning. One morning while walking and discussing boat names we noticed a beautiful, tall, strong, and unique sugar pine. These are the trees with the 16" pinecones. Just seemed right! Plus we can call the dink Pine Cone!

Our last boat was Another Snafu. We didn't name her but it sure made sense as a name for a boat!


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## jppp (Jul 13, 2008)

Ahh, the Boat's name is Hideaway because that's what it was named when we bought it. The dinghy's name is Lollipop of Gondor. We asked our daughters to pick a name. One yelled Lollipop and the other yelled something about something of Gondor(the Tolkien Mythical land). At the same time. So.....Yep.


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## ereiss (Nov 25, 2002)

Our Freedom 38 is named Being There because it isn't about the speed of getting there but just the state of mind of being on the boat. Also have a picture Chauncey Gardner down below.


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## Telesail (Dec 28, 2011)

Simplicity over the radio and avoiding bad puns are important. Our kids implemented the “Cuttyhunk Harbormaster” test - if the youngest working member of your crew can say that three times and repeat the boat name three times without getting tongue twisted and not needing to explain the name or spell it phonetically, then it makes the list.

Love someone of the stories on this thread. Confirms belief that the best names have a strong emotional resonance with the owner.


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## Hopie (Apr 17, 2018)

East Sutherland Rescue Assc - independent lifeboat located in Dornoch, Scotland. Primary boat is call Glen Cassley, after a rescue carried out inland (unusual) on the River Cassley a couple of year ago. Got onto a BBC documentary about the rescue and raised our profile.


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## oomfh (Mar 28, 2010)

oomfh - I’d have to be Out Of My F’ing Head to buy this boat.


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## tristan35 (Oct 30, 2016)

My wife and I purchased a new boat last year.. keeping the name for now but we are planning on changing it to 'Dual Citizen' sometime soon (need to get the USCG documentation in order). We are both US/Can dual citizens, our boat is a Canadian boat and we live in the US. Seems fitting.


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## VancleVector (Apr 27, 2018)

Suvia.....I wanted a neme cooler than this but my sister insisted using this one....


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## VancleVector (Apr 27, 2018)

One of my friend named his boat Catty? ....


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## slanter (Mar 12, 2018)

It was already named when I got it, but my boats name is "Yeraz," which in Romanian means "Dream" (kinda a cliche name for a sailboat) but I also, recently, learned that it's a pejorative in the neighboring country of Azerbaijan for a group of people that was displaced from Romania. It's apparently complicated, but one of those "A Yeraz can call another Yeraz a Yeraz but nobody else can call them a Yeraz."

So I'm not sure if my boat was owned by a unimaginative Romanian, or a proud Azerbaijani "Yeraz."

So depending on whether you're Romanian or Azerbaijani, it's either a total cliche, or the Azerbaijani equivalent of the N word.


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## johnny buddha (Jan 12, 2016)

We knew we wanted a Hawaiian name, as @punahougirl84 is from Hawaii. We batted around many names, including _Kealoha_ which means "the love"... until our older son started to sing the TV theme song from "The Love Boat" -- instantly, that one was off the table.

_Kaimana_ is Hawaiian for "Diamond" or "Ocean Power".

When we got engaged, I couldn't afford a diamond ring and then over the years we had other priorities. We bought our Beneteau First 38 in 2016 and signed the papers 1 day after my wife's birthday; we refer to the boat as her diamond.


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## L124C (Oct 4, 2007)

I always laugh when I see a boat with a grandiose name in a compromised position. For example "Invincible" being towed back to port. Didn't we learn anything from Titanic?
In this case, they may have blessed the boat, but probably forgot the drydock!


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## paulinnanaimo (Dec 3, 2016)

A few years ago we were docked in the lovely little port of Lopez on San Juan Island in Washington State. Wandering around the boat yard there, we came across an old beat up 25' power boat. Not much different than many discarded boats but the name on the stern claimed that it was 'Grandpa's Dream'...I was very touched.


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## boatpoker (Jul 21, 2008)

Our boat "DIRT FREE"...... we live free of the dirt.

Our T-shirts say Dirt People Scare Me"

Our dinghy .... "Luv Me Tender"


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## jnorten (Aug 18, 2009)

Just bought a Catalina 30. Current name, "At Last". Nice. But other boats in marina have similar names.

Contemplating "Esperanza". Spanish for Hope. Hope for what lay over the horizon, hope for the future, hope the name of the church we've attended for almost 30 years.

Also contemplating "Elizabeth Jane". Classic boat name, and my very dear late grandmother's name.

Thoughts???

Thanks.


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## rbrasi (Mar 21, 2011)

My buddy has a M/V named TCB because of his love for all things Elvis. When he got a dinghy, I asked him, well are you gonna name it T/TCB? He was like 'what's the T for? I explained and so he called it, naturally, Love Me Tender.
My boat was dubbed Sandpiper2 by her original owner in 1968. The meat head who sold her to me after owning her for only one year, had her documented as 'Almost Dangerous', which I thought to be heinous (it's a Monty Python reference FWIW). So I changed it back to the original name. Not such a good story, but when I had the lettering put on the hull, the guy spelled it 'Sandpipper'. It's now how we refer to her, or just 'Pipper'. My next boat will be officially,"Sandpipper" or "Pipper". Unless I come up with something better.


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## NJHippo (Jul 26, 2018)

Having a last name of Campbell and owning a small sloop, it had to be
*Campbell's Sloop*​


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## midwesterner (Dec 14, 2015)

I recently realized the issue of understandability over the radio. 
I told my kids that I would name any boat after the two of them, Nicaya, for Nick and Maya. But then I imagined having to spell it over the radio because it could sound like "Micaya"; "Nicaia" so you'd have to spell it out "November-India-Charlie-Alpha-Yankee-Alpha. I've decided that I would wait and see what the previous owner called any boat I might buy. 

Some people choose some really lame names like they do for race horses, like "Daddy's Money", "Divorce Settlement", or "My Kid's Inheritance". Those boats will get renamed.

But something like Wind Dancer, Sea Gypsy, Gulf Explorer could be tolerable to keep as a boat name, and would be understandable over the radio.


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## mstern (May 26, 2002)

jnorten said:


> Just bought a Catalina 30. Current name, "At Last". Nice. But other boats in marina have similar names.
> 
> Contemplating "Esperanza". Spanish for Hope. Hope for what lay over the horizon, hope for the future, hope the name of the church we've attended for almost 30 years.
> 
> ...


Both of those names work on a practical level: easy to say over the radio, and easy to understand. Boat names are a very personal thing, so the opinions of others really shouldn't be much of a consideration.


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## Bleemus (Oct 13, 2015)

Our new boat will be named Kayode. It means "one who brings joy or happiness" in the West African language known as Yoruba. Pronounced kai-O-day.


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## L124C (Oct 4, 2007)

jnorten said:


> Just bought a Catalina 30. Current name, "At Last". Nice. But other boats in marina have similar names.
> 
> Contemplating "Esperanza". Spanish for Hope. Hope for what lay over the horizon, hope for the future, hope the name of the church we've attended for almost 30 years.
> 
> ...


Good name for a square rigger, but seems formal for a small boat. How about Lizzy J or Lizzy Jane?
Good thing late grannies name wasn't Mary!


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## L124C (Oct 4, 2007)

midwesterner said:


> I recently realized the issue of understandability over the radio.
> But something like Wind Dancer, Sea Gypsy, Gulf Explorer could be tolerable to keep as a boat name, and would be understandable over the radio.


How about naming her Mayday. The CG and most skippers will understand it immediately!


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## JimF54 (Mar 9, 2016)

First Boat Rhodes 19 Mariner, wife Jackie named it Little Wing (after the song). 
Second Boat, Ranger 23 (Best in ever in it's size class) came with the name Blue Parrot, liked it, kept it. 
Current Boat, Ranger 29. wanted to name it Jackie S after my Wife in the Maine Lobster boat tradition, but was nixed by Jackie S, so named it Banshee, still named for Jackie S.


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## sailforlife (Sep 14, 2016)

Deez Nuts :ship-captain::2 boat::captain:


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## blew1000 (Aug 18, 2013)

Shortly after college, I bought an old Lightning. It was wooden (I'd had fiberglass dinghies before), it was lively, and I'm a Tolkien fan -- so I thought of Ents, the living tree-like creatures. The main Ent, known as "Treebeard," was too slow and ponderous. But there was a younger, more impetuous Ent, "Quickbeam." [Nerdy point that Tolkien fans will recognize: The real names of individual Ents are too long to put on transoms -- or even wrap around the entire hull.]

That was more than 35 years ago. Every boat since then has had a Tolkien-based name. The O'Day DaySailer was "Goldberry" (a perpetually-happy and singing spirit of the water) followed by the Laser "Pippin" (an energetic young hobbit). When I bought my first keel boat, a Ranger 26 (by then, I was in my 50s), it was purely for relaxation -- and "Tom Bombadil" is the most carefree person in the Tolkien world. Last year, I moved up to a Catalina 30, considered "Tom Bombadill II," but went with "Rivendell" -- one of the most restful places ever. (I decided against the Elvish version of the name, "Imladris" -- doesn't roll off the tongue as well; since this is my first boat with VHF, never even thought about needing to say the name on the radio!)

When I was looking for a name for the Ranger, someone suggested "Vingilote," the ship on which Earendil and Elwig sailed to Aman to seek pardon and assistance from the Valar. [Yeah, we Tolkien fans can get a little obsessed.] But Vingilote "was said to be the fairest ever fashioned." And though I was happy with the Ranger and now the Catalina, let's be real: both are plastic and neither is the fairest boat ever fashioned! But maybe someday...

[_Re-reading this, just realized that I started sailing the same year I first read The Hobbit. Maybe that's why I associated the two!_]


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