Changing a boats name ?

Seashoreman said:
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.
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Are you the tenor from the Go Compare adverts? :eek:
 
Seashoreman said:
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.
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Choirmistress and music teacher in the local school was named C Sharp. used to sign herself 'C#'
 
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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How luck do you feel?
 
Simple, take the old name off and then have a drink or two or more with your now nameless boat.

Wake up the following morning and have a 'hair of the dog' and one for the boat - which you greet with her new name at that point.
From then on you have forgotten the old name, woken up together and used the new name.

Then the first time you go for a decent sail you get out the spinny and as the wind fills it you realise that the old name is in foot high letters across the sail.

This is on a par with mentioning an old [ former] girlfriend's name in company of the present C in C. Pennance requires more alcohol, some TLC for the now offended boat and hours unpicking the letters from the sail.

How would I know this?
 
Before changing a boat's name, I'd want to know why she had her current name, My Dad's first boat was called "Pulang", and at first sight, he and Mum didn't like it. But they asked the owner (who had converted her from a ship's lifeboat) what the name was all about. It turned out to be something like "return safely" in Malay (I might have the language and exact meaning wrong - I was about 9 at the time!) Mum and Dad decided that was rather a good name, so they retained it. That started a family tradition that everything's name began with "P"!

Capricious doesn't have her original name; the original owner wished to retain the original name, which was well-known in Clyde racing circles, I am given to understand.

On the whole I'd be reluctant to rename a boat, but wouldn't hesitate if the previous name was something cringe-making!
 
I came across a classic bit of boat naming today at the club; a chap turned up with a rather lovely 25' 3/4 decked wooden classic, circa 1900.

She's called ' Astra '.

He mentioned the tender is called ' Nomical '...

Astra Nomical.
 
Haven't read all the responses, but there may be a lot of administrative things to do. EPIRB, VHF and AIS will probably need to be registered with the authorities under the new ownership details including the new name. They may also need to be re-programmed with the new details.

Some boat equipment might have the boat name on it. Life jackets, horseshoe rings and possibly the life raft. So you either need to change the name on that equipment or note somewhere that the name on the LR is different from the name on the boat.
 
Some years ago, I bought an old Vivacity 20 named "Saramar". Lovely, thought I, the owner is obviously a linguist, as "Sara" is Hebrew for "princess" and "mar" is Spanish for "sea": 'Sea Princess"! When I mentioned my approval to the seller, he looked at me quizzically for a moment then stated: "Oh no, she's called that because my daughter is called Sarah & my wife is called Margaret". Being a gentleman, I thought it wrong to go off sailing in someone else's womenfolk, so decided to rename the vessel. After considerable research, I discovered an old ritual for such an occasion, which involved offering various prayers and libations to Neptune (and the odd drink or two for the participants as well). Secure in the knowledge that I had appeased the relevant powers and deities, I spent 4 happy years sailing my re-named boat. Unlucky? Well I did get knocked down once by a breaking wave on a bar as I motored in to harbour. My crew & myself were thrown overboard, and the boat, divested of her human cargo, swung around and headed off towards France! Fortunately, there were no injuries except to my pride, and the boat was retrieved by a local fisherman. Now if anyone asks what happened, I can deny it was poor seamanship on my part & put the blame squarely on Neptune's displeasure at a renamed boat!
 
If you think that changing the name of a boat may have some influence on your luck, perhaps sailing isn't the thing for you.
 
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