6 minute read
What's in a Name?
Photo by Joseph Ferra, Morningstar Marina at Golden Isles Photo by Tim McAuley, Hogans' Marina
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Photo by Shelby Spooner, Sail Harbor Marina and Boatyard
By Amy Thurman
Choosing a name for your boat, while maybe not quite as significant as choosing a name for your child or a new pet, is still a momentous decision. The name you choose identifies not only your boat, but also you by extension, and should not be taken lightly.
For those who travel aboard frequently, the name of their boat is often how they’re referred to by others. By other boaters: “That couple on Out to Lunch are here. I hope they brought rum!” By marinas: “Put Aquaholic on the facedock, that guy can’t dock without hitting something.” By bridge operators and the Coast Guard: “Motor vessel Hot Pursuit, reduce your speed, this is a no wake zone!”
When choosing a name, there are several factors to consider. First and most important is that it’s easy to understand on the radio – not just to make things simple for others, but in case of emergency. If you’re caught in a sudden storm and taking on water, do you really want to waste time trying to make Entspannte Tage (German for Lazy Days) clear to your would-be rescuer?
Which is also the reason it’s important to have a name in the first place. Hailing the coast guard with, “We’re the white, 21-foot center console,” doesn’t provide much clarification.
Beyond safety and practical matters, there’s the fun aspect of choosing a name. Some people choose names that reflect their personality, such as Feelin’ Nauti, or my personal favorite, Irish Hurricane. Some names reflect their outlook on life, such as Freedom, some that speak to the intended purpose of the boat, such as Therapy, some choose names that have some deeper meaning and a host of other reasons. Shrimpers traditionally name their boats after a female family member. Fisherman seem fond of using the word “reel” in naming their boats. Word play is also a common tactic in selecting a name – Knot on Call, Seas the Day, Happy Ours, to name a few. My friends Danny and Liz North recently bought a boat named Fine n' Dandy. They're considering changing it to Fine n' Danny. Love it!
Whatever you choose to name your precious watercraft, be certain. Legend has it, changing the name of your boat is bad luck, especially if you fail to observe several strict steps: remove all traces of the previous name, conduct a de-naming ceremony, apply the new name, and offer a boozy sacrifice to the Gods in the form of a bottle of champagne or rum. Skimping on this last step is ill-advised. Failure to complete these steps, thoroughly and promptly, puts you and your vessel are risk of incurring the wrath of Poseidon and Neptune and dozens of other watery deities.
Give it some thought, try it out on friends, consider how it will sound over VHF radio, and what it says about you and your boat, and have fun choosing the perfect name!
What does it mean? We looked online and learned it's an area in Hawaii. But is there a deeper meaning? Photo by Dustin Hartley, Hinckley Yacht Services While the meaning of the words are clear, the story behind them makes us wonder! Photo by John S. Ramsey, St. Marys Boat Services
It's All Greek to Me!
Clearly Gaelic. We looked it up; it means "despite" in Irish, or "in spite of" in Scottish. Photo by John S. Ramsey, St. Marys Boat Services Kay? Ki? It could be a Basque word for "pier of a harbor" or a Chinese word, meaning victory, or maybe something else entirely! Photo by Shelby Spooner, Sail Harbor Marina & Boatyard
Our favorite outlaws ...
Everyone's a pirate at heart! Photo by Joseph Ferra, Morningstar Marina at Golden Isles
Rum and boaters have a long history togther, from rum runners during Prohibition to the British Navy's daily ration for each sailor. Photo by Tim McAuley, Hogans' Marina
Otago is listed as an area in New Zealand. Or is there some other meaning? Photo by John S. Ramsey, St. Marys Boat Services
Whistling Dixie ...
Well bless your heart! Photo by Dustin Hartley, Hinckley Yacht Services Inchmore is also the name of a village in Scotland and an Island in Ireland. Photo by Shelby Spooner, Sail Harbor Marina & Boatyard
No question, this man is not a Yankee! Photo by John S. Ramsey, St. Marys Boat Services
A boat name can reveal much about the personality of the boat owner - so choosing a boat name can be difficult. To help boaters with this task, BoatUS Boat Graphics and Letters has been compiling a list of over 8,500 boat names given by boaters across the country for over 20 years. Here are the top 10 boat names for the last five years: 2019
Aquaholic Pearl (in black letters) Forever Young Second Chance Squid Pro Quo More Cowbell Pegasus Feelin' Nauti Why Knot High Maintenance
2018
Grace Freedom Seas the Day Therapy Second Wind Serenity Perseverance Rum Runner Knot on Call Pura Vida
2017
Serenity Seas the Day Andiamo Irish Wake Freedom Adagio Ohana Oasis Happy Ours Firefly
2016
Happy Ours Freedom Grace Serendipity Island Time No Regrets Liberty At Last Blue Moon Aquaholic
2015
Serenity Seas the Day Andiamo Aquaholic Second Wind Island Time Happy Ours Journey Serendipity Relentless
Whether the owner is a pilot or lives at a much higher elevation, this works! Photo by John S. Ramsey, St. Marys Boat Services Pitch perfect for the sportfish! Photo by Joseph Ferra, Morningstar Marina at Golden Isles
Most interesting:
In Hawaiian mythology, Aumakua is a family God, often a deified ancestor. Photo by John S. Ramsey, St. Marys Boat Services Kairos is an ancient Greek word meaning a critical or opportune moment for a decision or action. Photo by Dustin Hartley, Hinckley Yacht Services
Lastly, the ironic ...
Fading, but still hanging on! Photo by John S. Ramsey, St. Marys Boat Services These are just a few examples of boat names we've found in the Coastal Empire. Have you come across any that made you look twice? Proud of your own boat's name? Send us photos and we'll compile them into another feature to share with readers in a future issue! Include your name and where the photo was taken, send to info@southerntidesmagazine.com, subject line "boat name." Happy Boating!
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