Renaming!

[Eucablue]

Okay. I'll admit up front, I'm superstitious. So having just purchased a new boat which needs to be renamed, I am seeking advice. I know the correct procedure and ceremony to follow so no problem there, but I can't get my head around the documentation issue. According to ceremony, I'm supposed to remove all references to the old name, white-out it of documents etc. But how do you then successfully move through different countries with documentation that has been 'modified'? I would have thought the original documents must be left alone and then of course.......the name exists. Am I overthinking it???

 

[GrahamM376]

It seems every previous owner of our boat re-named it/her, including us. All foreign authorities and marinas are interested in are current documents - SSR or Part 1, insurance and your passports. Highly unlikely you will ever have to produce a paperwork trail from new unless selling or suspected that VAT hasn't been paid, in which case, the hull number should suffice. Don't white name out on any old documents.

 

[Tranona]

Agree not to modify any existing documents. It depends on how your boat is registered. If on the Part 1 then you have to do a formal name change which will require you to choose a name that is acceptable to the registrar and you will get a new certificate. If on the SSR just reregister, or if you have not done so in your name just register under the new name. The other changes will be to the MMSI and your insurance certificate so all your documents are in the new name. As graham says if you have a modern boat it will have an HIN which will be the link to the boat and its continuing provenance. Even if it is older without a unique identification, your current document trail will be enough to ensure continuity.

People change boat's names frequently, usually at a change of ownership and it is rarely a problem.

 

[Eucablue]

Thanks folks!!

 

[RAI]

Hearsay perhaps, but one unfortunate fellow bought a boat in Portugal and painted a new name on it. Before he got the paperwork sorted the maritime police paid him a visit. He was in trouble. Moral: Change the paperwork first, keep copies of the old ones.

 

[neil1967]

I'm afraid superstition has little place when you need to produce provenance. You'll definitely need to keep items such as the original bill of sale (if you have it), the bill of sale between the previous owner and you etc, all which will have the previous name on. Nothing wrong with having a glass of bubbly when you rename her though and pouring a glass over her bow - for me that's tradition rather than superstition!