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Tips on choosing a sailboat name |
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Choosing a sailboat name can be a highly engaging activity. That is, if you want to find that perfect boat name that not only suits the attributes of your boat but your personality and image as well. Although, there is really no law that requires boat owners to give a name to their boats, a name puts personality and ownership on the boat that the vessel's registration numbers can never achieve.
You can draw inspiration from a myriad of sources ranging from nature to animals to mythology to literature to movies and music to even your childhood pet. You could even coin your own unique name through a combination of other significant names or through play on words.
Once you have decided on the general theme as the basis for finding the perfect boat name, you may want to think of other factors that are also important to consider before you finally hold a party for your boat's christening. Remember, you may be in love with your boat name but it will not be of much good to you when it can't even be pronounced correctly when you are calling for mayday.
Although you are the only one who can really decide on the final name for your boat, the following are some tips or considerations that can help you in choosing the right name:
- The boat name represents you and your crew so you should choose a name that you are proud and comfortable to be associated with.
- Pick a name that is short enough to read easily and fit in your boat. Keep in mind that the more letters you have for your boat name, the more you will spend for painting or vinyl lettering.
- Get a name that is easy to pronounce and spell. You would not want to waste your time repeating yourself or spelling your boat's name to the Coast Guard, and most especially when you are in trouble.
- Pick a name that sounds good and clear on the radio.
- Avoid names that are too complicated that you have to belabor explaining to everyone what it means.
- Sure, you can use a name that other boats have used but try to be creative. Don't just pick the name Titanic because you can sure pick a more unique name for your boat if you only give it just a little more thought.
- The name you choose must not be identical in sound and spelling to any word or words used to get assistance at sea.
- Drop names that are in any way obscene, indecent, and profane or have racial slur.
On renaming your boat
As most boats are usually sold from one owner to another, it is not uncommon for new boat owners who wish to give new names to their boats. There may be a fortunate few who would choose to retain the existing name of their boats but there are more who would want a name change. It is either that they simply do not like the old name or feel that they want the boat's new name to reflect who they are as the new boat owner. It seals their ownership of the boat, so to speak. The problem, there is a strong superstition against renaming boats. The sea god Neptune is believed to know all sea vessels by name and changing their names is said to cause bad luck or tragedy on the boat. Thus, elaborate ceremonies and incantations have been passed on from generations of sailors to ward off the bad omen. Boat owners go through a complete obliteration process to erase all signs of the boat's name and reciting incantations and offering expensive wine to please the sea deity. Many boat owners adhere to the practice "to be safe" but one thing that they should never neglect is to take all the necessary precautions to make sure that their boats are in shipshape condition.
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