Changing a boats name ?

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Oldfellah

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I am in the process of buying my first boat from Holland (Moody 31 Mk11) and hate the existing name. Having chatted about changing the name with several boat owning friends I have been left with the impression that to rename a boat will lead to a life of bad luck, lightning strikes and the wrath of the gods ! What is the view of forum members ?
 
Oldfellah said:
I have been left with the impression that to rename a boat will lead to a life of bad luck, lightning strikes and the wrath of the gods ! What is the view of forum members ?
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That's total bollox. Touch wood.

Someone will be along in a mo' with an appropriate re-naming ritual. If it involves a few toots of something pleasant, what's the harm?

Edit: I see Twister Ken seems of like mind :encouragement:
 
I have changed the name of my last two boats, mainly because I didn't like the original names which were obviously named after spouses/daughters and didn't relate to me at all. Named them Perfect Pitch and Sea Sharp which relate to my work and a dash of humour. Haven't noticed any change of luck, unless I am personally responsible for the terrible weather recently experienced. I did splash a small glass of fizzy over the bows when I found the time, but then again I have spilt beer/wine all over the boat.
If I took notice of the local fishermen's eccentric and complex superstitions I wouldn't hardly get to use the boat. So, carry on regardless.
 
Ships get renamed all the time. We've been happy with the existing names on both our boats, but if there's a next one and it has a silly name, I'd happily change it.

Pete
 
In a lifetime of sailing, i have renamed every boat I had, bar one. Had a rotten time with her, diesel bug nearly put her on the rocks, the only boat that ever turned me up in a rough sea, unexplained leaks, flat batteries, you name she did it. in the end she sank on her mooring in hurricane force winds, after being hit by another boat adrift. The insurance company wouldnt pay out.

Nowadays I ALWAYS change the name on principle. It makes it feel more 'my' boat. My boats seem to like it and have given me many largely trouble free trips over the years. Except that one.
 
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AFAIK the idea that renaming them was unlucky related to the old name being sanded off the transom and the new one carved in, which of course weakened the transom and made disaster more probable.

Unless your renaming plans involve chipping into the transom I'd get cracking and not worry.
 
Oldfellah said:
I am in the process of buying my first boat from Holland (Moody 31 Mk11) and hate the existing name. Having chatted about changing the name with several boat owning friends I have been left with the impression that to rename a boat will lead to a life of bad luck, lightning strikes and the wrath of the gods ! What is the view of forum members ?
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Go for it.
Only question might be timing if buying abroad. We decided to complete the purchase using the existing French boat name, as seemed simplest to ensure all the paperwork aligned. Registered initially on UK SSR in that name. Then a month later when all formalities cleared through we renamed and updated the SSR (cost an extra £25 or so, but immaterial in the wider scheme).

Interestingly in France seemed quite particular about what was on the stern. So on day 1 we removed the LR port registry letters and replaced by the SSR number - and swapped ensigns.
Next trip out we then spent a while carefully peeling off the old name on the stern - having checked we could do this before committing to the change. We polished the stern planning to do the new lettering (and naming ceremony :-) on the next visit
We went out for a brief sail thereafter and had the port police on our stern as soon as we left the marina - I popped on the red ensign as they came up behind (need to remove in the tight berth). They asked some questions as no name on the stern, apparently a no-no in France, but I pointed to the ensign and the SSR number and they departed satisfied.
 
Thank goodness the previous owner renamed my boat; it was 'Another Bold Venture' Imagine trying to spell it out over the radio;

alpha-november-oscar-tango-hotel-echo-remeo-new word-bravo-oscar-lima-delta-new word-victor-echo-november-tango oh bugger it.....
 
I think the changing-name-is-bad-luck idea is just a bit of sentimental Victorian whimsy. I can't imagine Sir Francis making his place in history aboard the Pelican. The only problem nowadays is that the boat will be haunted by its old name when the vinyl letters are peeled off.
 
johnalison said:
The only problem nowadays is that the boat will be haunted by its old name when the vinyl letters are peeled off.
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+1

Like the other posters I changed the name of mine when I bought her simply because I couldn't pronounce it, never mind having to spell it out to each and every party I try to contact on the VHF... splashed the alcohol about.. looked for a virgin to sacrifice but boat is near Havant, so none to be had.. :D
 
johnalison said:
I think the changing-name-is-bad-luck idea is just a bit of sentimental Victorian whimsy.
Click to expand...

+1

The idea that re-carving the name on the transom would weaken it and precipitate disaster seems obviously implausible to me, a myth made up after the fact.

Pete
 
My ex father-in-law changed the name of his boat, and not long afterwards someone cut it loose from it's mooring and set fire to it!
The only remains found downstream were the engine/gearbox and propshaft.

Nothing supernatural ( I don't think so anyway ), just malice aforeshore.................see what I did there? Yeah, cr*p wasn't it :p
 
I changed the name on one of my boats. I followed an elaborate renaming ceremony officiated by my young niece. I owned the boat for about two years and blew up two engines during that period.

for_everybody_else.JPG
 
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