Help! Boat name conundrum!

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Ravi

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Help!
I am NOT superstitious. In fact, I pride myself in being a scientist; a rational being above such mumbo jumbo. True, I touch wood, cross my fingers and don't walk under ladders but, I am NOT superstitious.

One thing that I am NOT superstitious about (but have always avoided) is renaming boats - even when I, once, bought a boat with the horrendous name of "The Beast".

So, I was quite pleased to find that the boat I am buying has the rather lovely name of Eris. A very pleasing and enchanting sounding name. The name of a Greek Goddess, no less.

Until I was told that that Eris happens to be the Greek "goddess of chaos, strife and discord". Of course, these Greek Gods are complex deities open to various interpretations, ..... so I Googled. Nope. Nothing else. Just Chaos, strife and discord. No redeeming features whatsoever.

I am about to register her on the SSR which would allow me to change her name to anything I like. So, my dilemma is ... change the name and risk the wrath of Eris ( who I don't believe in) and also break the sailors law of renaming a vessel (which I don't believe in) or change the name to something which won't seem so appropriate when the crew are arguing about who's fault it is that we are drifting onto a lee shore.

The non sailing people in my life do not seem to understand the enormity of changing a boat's name - especially as I am NOT superstitious!

So, all you boaty people.. please ... ????
(a) Keep the name
(b) Change the name
(c) Suggestions for a name (that is slightly more cheery)
 
To avoid the wrath of the godess, you could keep the name Eris and just add a few letters, That way you can argue to her that the original name is still present, you have just added to it eg:

Erist, Kerise: Both Names
Erised: Harry Potter The Mirror of Erised is a mirror, which, according to Albus Dumbledore, shows the "deepest and most desperate desire of one's heart." (which for all of us would be a nice boat of course!)
Eros: God of Love (and dont we all love our boats!)
Rerise
Cerise: Gives you a theme for the colour of the cushions and washing up brush!
 
PurpleKate said:
To avoid the wrath of the godess, you could keep the name Eris and just add a few letters, That way you can argue to her that the original name is still present, you have just added to it eg:

Erist, Kerise: Both Names
Erised: Harry Potter The Mirror of Erised is a mirror, which, according to Albus Dumbledore, shows the "deepest and most desperate desire of one's heart." (which for all of us would be a nice boat of course!)
Eros: God of Love (and dont we all love our boats!)
Rerise
Cerise: Gives you a theme for the colour of the cushions and washing up brush!
Click to expand...

Names - pah

boat names change all the time

Katie L was called george Gunn before I had her

the slug was still called Moments on her stern

this one is called Harmony - which I shall leave as I rather like the idea of bringing harmony to Cape Wrath

you can always do the mobo thing and call the boat after some bizarre combination of your family names

KENUNSUE was one of the worst I came across

D
 
'Eric' sounds like a competent sort.
Is it a pretty, old wooden sort of thing? Erissa
Turn the last letter Scandiwegian , Erisø , be a Viking !

( Or add a second leg to the 'r', prefix with a P and upset everyone)
 
I think it depends on how old the boat is and how long she has had the name.

My boat is called Paean. Another Greek name, this time something to do with healing or songs of healing. Not one I would have chosen BUT it was the name given to her by her original owner (a DR on the IOW).

Paean is carved into the transom. It could be filled and the boat renamed, but I take the view that her original name is part of her history. Who am I to change it just because I happen to be her current owner.
 
very dangerous

Blueboatman said:
'Eric' sounds like a competent sort.
Is it a pretty, old wooden sort of thing? Erissa
Turn the last letter Scandiwegian , Erisø , be a Viking !

( Or add a second leg to the 'r', prefix with a P and upset everyone)
Click to expand...

very dangerous to change the name by adding - or even worse - removing letters

she will be angry at you and earn her name

D
 
I don't see anything wrong with a boat named after discord & strife, it's just being realistic, anyway it may apply to bringing it on her enemies not her crew !

I know someone who called his boat ' Amnes ' after the goddess of amnesia, because he always forgot the keys...
 
PhillM said:
I think it depends on how old the boat is and how long she has had the name.

My boat is called Paean. Another Greek name, this time something to do with healing or songs of healing. Not one I would have chosen BUT it was the name given to her by her original owner (a DR on the IOW).

Paean is carved into the transom. It could be filled and the boat renamed, but I take the view that her original name is part of her history. Who am I to change it just because I happen to be her current owner.
Click to expand...

That sums up my views exactly. I have changed boats names in the past ,but they would be boats that didn't really have "history". The current boat, recently purchased has had one name since build in 1970, she is timber and like Phils, its carved in . However that's not the reason for keeping the name, a change would be like erasing her history and memories which I feel would be hugely disrespectful to the two previous owners who have got her this far in life in such great condition.
However Dylan,no disrespect intended, but in the case of Eris, do what makes you happy as its hardly erasing any important maritime heritage.
 
As the owner of a green FV which is turned widdershins every day I wouldn't let it worry you. I saw a man eat a pasty on the quay at 0530 because the skipper told him to, or leave it behind.
 
dylanwinter said:
very dangerous to change the name by adding - or even worse - removing letters

she will be angry at you and earn her name

D
Click to expand...

Is this medically proven or is someone calling out A N Other name at a bad ( very good ) moment?

I did once rename a boat by adding 'II' to my carefully marked dinghy, spare sails and jerry jugs etc

But I would imagine that a hell-bent pissed off Greek Goddess would be an eye opener ( or an educashun)
 
There is an "Eric the Boat" on Windermere belonging to Steve Goacher.

The myth about not changing names is the result of uneducated sailors not understanding the concept of self-determination.
If you want to lump yourselves in with that crowd, fill your boots.

If you regard yourself as a reasonably modern-thinking person with a decent education, just change the name of your boat.
 
Ravi said:
Help!
I am NOT superstitious. In fact, I pride myself in being a scientist; a rational being above such mumbo jumbo. True, I touch wood, cross my fingers and don't walk under ladders but, I am NOT superstitious.

One thing that I am NOT superstitious about (but have always avoided) is renaming boats - even when I, once, bought a boat with the horrendous name of "The Beast".

So, I was quite pleased to find that the boat I am buying has the rather lovely name of Eris. A very pleasing and enchanting sounding name. The name of a Greek Goddess, no less.

Until I was told that that Eris happens to be the Greek "goddess of chaos, strife and discord". Of course, these Greek Gods are complex deities open to various interpretations, ..... so I Googled. Nope. Nothing else. Just Chaos, strife and discord. No redeeming features whatsoever.

I am about to register her on the SSR which would allow me to change her name to anything I like. So, my dilemma is ... change the name and risk the wrath of Eris ( who I don't believe in) and also break the sailors law of renaming a vessel (which I don't believe in) or change the name to something which won't seem so appropriate when the crew are arguing about who's fault it is that we are drifting onto a lee shore.

The non sailing people in my life do not seem to understand the enormity of changing a boat's name - especially as I am NOT superstitious!

So, all you boaty people.. please ... ????
(a) Keep the name
(b) Change the name
(c) Suggestions for a name (that is slightly more cheery)
Click to expand...

I know it's not a boat but our youngest son has a six year old Siberian Husky called Loki.

Loki is the Norse God of mischief and strife.

It was true when he was a pup, but now he is a lovely and obedient dog.

Eris sounds a good name for First Mate.......................
 
Lakesailor said:
There is an "Eric the Boat" on Windermere belonging to Steve Goacher.

The myth about not changing names is the result of uneducated sailors not understanding the concept of self-determination.
If you want to lump yourselves in with that crowd, fill your boots.

If you regard yourself as a reasonably modern-thinking person with a decent education, just change the name of your boat.
Click to expand...

OK. To " Er '' is good
 
dylanwinter said:
you can always do the mobo thing and call the boat after some bizarre combination of your family names

KENUNSUE was one of the worst I came across

D
Click to expand...

I can beat that. There's a huge mobo on a pontoon across from us called 'Kevanemma'.

each to their own I guess!

Our boat was formerly called 'Migra'- because the first owners were a father and son called Michael and Graham. The name sounded like a headache tablet. So I guess bad taste is not always the exclusive preserve of the moboers.....

Cheers
 
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