# Whats the name of your boat?



## Hat80 (Sep 22, 2002)

You can tell a lot about a person at the helm just by looking at the name on the boat's transom. Each year, BoatU.S. compiles a list of the most popular boat names. This year's Top 10 are:

1. Happy Hours
2. Carpe Diem
3. Reel Time
4. Sea Biscuit
5. Freedom
6. Summer Wind 
7. Aquaholic
8. Serenity
9. No Worries
10. Mental Floss


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

My boat still has the name of the previous owner and since I bought her in mid season I didn't want to change her name. When she goes back in the water in March to start a new season I'll have a little denameing ceremony and then let her start the new season with a new name and a proper renameing ceremony. Her new name will be "ROCK & TROLL". 

Catman.


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## SALTSHAKER (Dec 5, 2002)

*boat names*

Don't have her anymore, but it used to be called "The PMS Escape", wife never liked it though,,,,


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## Kajun (Jul 13, 2003)

just bought my boat not long ago... the name on it is "trixie"...i need to change this quick lol... what are the rules/superstitions on this?


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## Hat80 (Sep 22, 2002)

*Be afraid, be very afraid,*

I once knew a man in Florida who told me he'd owned 24 different yachts and renamed every single one of them.

"Did it bring you bad luck?" I asked.

"Not that I'm aware of," he said. "You don't believe in those old superstitions, do you?"

Well, yes. Matter of fact, I do. And I'm not alone. Actually, it's not so much being superstitious as being v-e-r-y careful. It's an essential part of good seamanship.

Some years ago, when I wanted to change the name of my newly purchased 31-foot sloop from Our Way to Freelance, I searched for a formal "de-naming ceremony" to wipe the slate clean in preparation for the renaming. I read all the books, but I couldn't find one. What I did learn, though, was that such a ceremony should consist of five parts: an invocation, an expression of gratitude, a supplication, a re-dedication and a libation. So I wrote my own short ceremony. Vigor's inter-denominational de-naming ceremony. It worked perfectly. Freelance carried me and my family many thousands of deep-sea miles both north and south of the equator, and we enjoyed good luck all the way. I used the same ceremony recently to change the name of my newly acquired Santana 22 from Zephyr to Tagati, a Zulu word that means "magic," or "bewitched." We're hoping she'll sail like a witch when I finally get her in the water this summer after an extensive refit.

I'll give you the exact wording of Vigor's de-naming ceremony, but first you must remove all physical traces of the boat's old name. Take the old log book ashore, along with any other papers that bear the old name. Check for offending books and charts with the name inscribed. Be ruthless. Sand away the old name from the lifebuoys, transom, top-side, dinghy, and oars. Yes, sand it away. Painting over is not good enough. You're dealing with gods here, you understand, not mere dumb mortals. If the old name is carved or etched, try to remove it or, at the very minimum, fill it with putty and then paint over. And don't place the new name anywhere on the boat before the de-naming ceremony is carried out. That's just tempting fate.

How you conduct the ceremony depends entirely on you. If you're the theatrical type, and enjoy appearing in public in your yacht club blazer and skipper's cap, you can read it with flair on the foredeck before a gathering of distinguished guests. But if you find this whole business faintly silly and embarrassing, and only go along with it because you're scared to death of what might happen if you don't, you can skulk down below and mumble it on your own. That's perfectly okay. The main thing is that you carry it out. The words must be spoken.

I compromised by sitting in Tagati's cockpit with the written-out ceremony folded into a newspaper, so that any passerby would think I was just reading the news to my wife, sitting opposite. Enough people think I'm nuts already. Even my wife has doubts. The last part of the ceremony, the libation, must be performed at the bow, just as it is in a naming ceremony. There are two things to watch out for here. Don't use cheap-cheap champagne, and don't try to keep any for yourself. Buy a second bottle if you want some. Use a brew that's reasonably expensive, based on your ability to pay, and pour the whole lot on the boat. One of the things the gods of the sea despise most is meanness, so don't try to do this bit on the cheap.

What sort of time period should elapse between this de-naming ceremony and a new naming ceremony? There's no fixed time. You can do the renaming right after the denaming, if you want, but I personally would prefer to wait at least 24 hours to give any lingering demons a chance to clear out. 



Afterwards 

Now you can pop the cork, shake the bottle and spray the whole of the contents on the bow. When that's done, you can quietly go below and enjoy the other bottle yourself. Incidentally, I had word from a friend last month that the Florida yachtsman I mentioned earlier had lost his latest boat, a 22-foot trailer-sailer. Sailed her into an overhead power line. Fried her. She burned to the waterline. Bad luck? Not exactly. He and his crew escaped unhurt. He was just very careless. He renamed her, as usual, without bothering to perform Vigor's famous interdenominational de-naming ceremony. And this time, at long last, he got what he deserved. 


Vigor's De-naming Ceremony

"In the name of all who have sailed aboard this ship in the past, and in the name of all who may sail aboard her in the future, we invoke the ancient gods of the wind and the sea to favor us with their blessing today.

"Mighty Neptune, king of all that moves in or on the waves; and mighty Aeolus (pronounced EE-oh-lus), guardian of the winds and all that blows before them:

"We offer you our thanks for the protection you have afforded this vessel in the past. We voice our gratitude that she has always found shelter from tempest and storm and enjoyed safe passage to port.

"Now, wherefore, we submit this supplication, that the name whereby this vessel has hitherto been known (_____), be struck and removed from your records.

"Further, we ask that when she is again presented for blessing with another name, she shall be recognized and shall be accorded once again the selfsame privileges she previously enjoyed.

"In return for which, we rededicate this vessel to your domain in full knowledge that she shall be subject as always to the immutable laws of the gods of the wind and the sea.

"In consequence whereof, and in good faith, we seal this pact with a libation offered according to the hallowed ritual of the sea."

After a boat is de-named, you simply need to rename it using the traditional christening ceremony, preferably with Queen Elizabeth breaking a bottle of champagne on the bow, and saying the words:

"I name this ship ___________ and may she bring fair winds and good fortune to all who sail on her."


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## oldsalt (May 6, 2003)

And they say I'm a couple of bricks shy a full load!:jawdrop:


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## Hat80 (Sep 22, 2002)

*The all Mighty Neptune*

is not to be messed with! The way I see it a sailor has two choices here, have the de-naming ceremony or learn to sing.....Tightlines


*Farewell and adieu to You fair Spanish Ladies
Farewell and adieu to You Ladies of Spain
For We've received orders to sail home to Boston
And nevermore will We see You again*










*This crew didn't have the de-naming ceremony*


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## oldsalt (May 6, 2003)

Hat 
One of these days I'm going to let you teach me how to do that!!


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## SALTSHAKER (Dec 5, 2002)

*Changing the name*

Hey HAT just what order of the ceremony did that libation come in,,,,lol


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings All!

Just as important -- the names you want to AVOID, unless you like sitting dead in the water while the Coast Guard or State Police Marine Unit tears your boat apart with a pry bar:


1) Rolling Stoned
2) Mary Jane
3) The Orient Express
4) Piper's Dream
5) Pride of the Hemptons
6) Grassoline Pump
7) Tupac Lives
8) Ghengas Ghanga
9) Fire One Up
10) Rock and Troll
[/list=1] 

Don't know what it is about that last one, but it seems to be on every DEA hit list!


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Hey Jake, when they see this old white haired fart they'll know they've mad a mistake. 

Catman.


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings catman!

Hell, half the drug runners on the East Coast are grizzled old farts like us! And they ALL think they look like innocent lambs....

What the hell happened to your old username? Did you hit 99999 posts and retire it? I thought Jason would be the only one to accomplish that....

All that talk about catfishing on the James had me so wound up that I was going to buy a freshwater license and hit my pier on the Delaware on Monday (Presidents Day). Then this new cold blast came through and chopped temperatures in half. Just can't win (for that matter, I can't break even, either!)

I still think we should hit Pintail Point together... you'd have a blast! Carol and I caught dozens of cats up to nine pounds, and I'm sure there's bigger ones in there (we never moved from the one spot!) Hell, even (ughh!) trout fishing is starting to sound good... I hope Spring gets here fast!!


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Yo Jake...Long story about my old user name but in a nut shell Hat traced it down to my AOL 8.0 being corrupt. I may live with it until the end of March when I go broadband then see if Flea can give it back to me. I'd like to fish Pin Tail Pt. but you said it was strickly C&R. I have a hard time releasing cats since I love to eat them so much. I'd release a rock before a cat. I'm with you on this cold weather, it sucks big time. Later dude.


Catman.


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings catman!

They do have a strict C&R policy for largemouths and hybrids (hybrids are sterile and can't reproduce, and the bass are their bread and butter fish) But they might part with a couple of cats, since the guests are usually flyfishermen that aren't interested in Ol' Whiskerpuss (although I have heard of channel cats being caught on the long rod!) Actually, the cats are the breeders from when the farm was a fish raising operation. I bet they'd be tastey!

If you know any good cat spots and you want to try for some this Spring, let me know. I'm still looking for a 10 pound channel cat.... I have my best luck with livers, but big shiners have worked well too. And we might just hook a striper in the process!


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Jake...I've got a couple of spots up on the Sussy I'd like to take you to. I've taken them up to 8# live lining bluegills and cut herring. Best time is from June through August. The very best place is at the base of Conowingo Dam at night but since 9/11 they've closed it after dark. Let's plan on doing it. Later dude.

Catman.


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## inawe (May 24, 2003)

*Howz about*

ALWAYS PAYING


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## hic-lock (Jun 27, 2001)

That’s a good one inawe, just about right!

Up for a laugh?

Well….. My Dad is from Elizabeth City, NC. My Moms side is from Warsaw, Poland. My uncles dubbed me hic-lock (half hic, half Pollock).

Always liked them Polish jokes and told quite a few too.

Just got a used boat and the name is a toss-up between POLE LOCK or FISHING POLE. Whatcha think? All comments welcome


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## TRIGGERFISH (May 21, 2001)

I like POLE LOCK. both my parents are polish


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## Hat80 (Sep 22, 2002)

*He!!, I would use*

*hic-lock* in bold letters and under it in smaller letters put. (half hic, half Pollock) ....Tightlines


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## inawe (May 24, 2003)

POLE--- LOCK Cmon guys yuse guyz crack me up fur reel  Howz bout another name BLAME ME or the one that was in that movie SUCK MY WAKE


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## coralhorizon (May 13, 2002)

I once saw a boat named Master Baiter.


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings All!

Do they still have a charter boat named the "Muff Diver" in Ocean City MD? Its pink with a distinct purplish Vee in the front....


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings (again) All!

Answered my own question:

http://www.muffdiver.net/


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