MacGregorSailors.com

Traditionally it is said to be bad luck to change a boats name, or to name it after you're wife, but luckily I have found this doesn't apply to those of us who are not superstitious

Believing I was somehow honouring my wonderful wife, I named my boat "Little Annie" but all she said was. "So who the hull is Big Annie then
Of course my choice of name was not half as sinister as my wife seems to think - the Mac looks huge on the trailer but on the water, she is often the baby of the anchorage you are in and thats where the little part comes in....

I just hope she doesnt buy a boat and name it after me, because it will probably be called "Ya big Goose!"

David Bs thread on his new motor brought up boat naming and that got me thinking it might be interesting to hear about peoples boat names and how they came up with them.

I'm about to rename my and have already stripped out everything bearing the old name and will erase the imprint of the name on the sides when I clean and resurface it in April... I got the boat with one name and changed it because my wife at the time didn't like its name- we did the whole superstitious denaming and renaming ceremonies, too.

I wonder how many times I can change it without angering the Gods I will be changing my avatar to reflect the new name as soon as the ceremonies are complete !!!

Any suggestions on how to change the name again and keep my good luck (though the divorce I've been going through for the last 2 years (divorce being filed by me the same year I renamed the boat the first time!) such as it is aside from the advice at http://boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/rename.htm

~K

For $10 I will send you a boat name that that is guaranteed to satisfy...someone.

Keel_Hauled wrote:I'm about to rename my and have already stripped out everything bearing the old name and will erase the imprint of the name on the sides when I clean and resurface it in April... I got the boat with one name and changed it because my wife at the time didn't like its name- we did the whole superstitious denaming and renaming ceremonies, too.

I wonder how many times I can change it without angering the Gods I will be changing my avatar to reflect the new name as soon as the ceremonies are complete !!!

Any suggestions on how to change the name again and keep my good luck (though the divorce I've been going through for the last 2 years (divorce being filed by me the same year I renamed the boat the first time!) such as it is aside from the advice at http://boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/rename.htm

~K

I appreciate the question asked in this thread about how we picked the name for our boat. I bought my 1998 26X in late 2003. I live in Florida and the boat was in Michigan near where my son lived. He checked it out for me and thought it was in good shape. At my wife's urging, I flew up and took a look at it on November 11 (Veteran's Day) and, with her blessing and encouragement, made an offer on it, which was accepted. I flew back up and took delivery with a U-Haul truck on December 7 (Pearl Harbor Day), stayed with my son and his fiance (now wife) for a couple of nights, then started the long drive home. I stopped in Louisville to visit a cousin, in Chattanooga to visit my Dad and step-mom and another cousin, then on home. Each family member was happy for me and were excited to see the new boat. As I drove I considered many names, mostly those associated with childhood cowboy heroes--Tonto (the Lone Ranger's sidekick), Topper (Hopalong Cassidy's white horse), Slainte (the Irish toast for "good health"), and Fleche Blanc (White Arrow in French). As I ponder all of these names and others through the holidays that year, I was around many of my family members, who represent a wide variety of world views and have many various opinions about religion and current affairs, but somehow manage to not let any of the differences keep them from being loving toward each other. As I observed my family during all of this I thought to myself one day that we had a great American family spirit. With all of the chaos in the world, we were able to be good Americans to each other, and I think, by and large, to folks outside the family, too. I thought, "Gee, I wish I could name my boat "American Family Spirit" to capture that good feeling, but I realized (1) that is way too long and (2) way too hokey for a boat name. At age 59, I pretty much knew this would be my last, best, most expensive and largest boat--my dream boat---so the name had to be really special. I thought, "Well, I could just shorten it to "American Spirit", and that sounded good. It fit with the Veteran's Day and Pearl Harbor Day connection, as well. We did the protocol for the name change and ordered the graphics and put it on. It sounds great on the VHF radio, and I get some "high fives" from folks from time to time. I did get mistaken by a bridge tender for a river cruise ship of the same name one time, but it worked out OK.

My wife things, that my 2010 is one of my children. Jokingly of course. It was only fitting to name her the name my son would have gotten, if he would have been a girl. So my boats name is Grace....

Mac26Mpaul,

Hopefully you named you boat FOR your wife rather than after her

My is named for my wife, and she appreciates it.

NICEAFT


Ray

Keel_Hauled wrote:I'm about to rename my and have already stripped out everything bearing the old name and will erase the imprint of the name on the sides when I clean and resurface it in April... I got the boat with one name and changed it because my wife at the time didn't like its name- we did the whole superstitious denaming and renaming ceremonies, too.

I wonder how many times I can change it without angering the Gods I will be changing my avatar to reflect the new name as soon as the ceremonies are complete !!!

Any suggestions on how to change the name again and keep my good luck (though the divorce I've been going through for the last 2 years (divorce being filed by me the same year I renamed the boat the first time!) such as it is aside from the advice at http://boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/rename.htm

~K

Easier than erasing a tattoo of the ex

Yes, I suppose that it is

Can't wait to get this complete and reveal the new name and vinyls...Not a very original name by any means, but really nice in the execution, methinks

Took us almost a year to come up with a name for our boat. The kids all wanted their names to be part of it. Finally came up with "Luna Sea" which is for Kira Lu, Nathan, and Seanna (or kids).

A month later another forum member showed up with a boat with the same name We really like it.

My new boat name is very shockingly overused but I think my application will differentiate it quite well; at least once the boat is seen and not just heard over VHF...

A sailor I met last summer who sailed a 20 footer across the Atlantic told me he likes to keep his boat names short and easy to say in a MAYDAY message...

My friends gave me the same advice... Then again, choosing a good POST 911 name is a good idea, too... Avoiding names like Hijacker, Pirate King or anything remotely Islamic sounding can reduce the hassle you might get while out on the water

Where....

is a good place to get lettering for a new boat name??

--jr

I just ordered my boat's name and registration numbers from BoatsUS. The price is right and they do a great job. You get 2 reg. numbers for price of 1 $18.xx. The name "Last Chance" was $22.xx. Go to their web page and click on Boat Lettering:

http://www.boatus.com/boatgraphics/

Watch their video on applying them dry.

Chuck Scott

dlandersson wrote:For $10 I will send you a boat name that that is guaranteed to satisfy...someone.

I'll send it to you for $5

Rick