What’s behind the naming of your boat? Did you spend a great deal of time determining just the right name for your boat? Or, if you bought a pre-owned boat have you ever thought about how it came about that the boat was tagged with her present name?
A lot of folks who buy used boats keep the former name out of superstition. This superstition dictates that disaster will follow if you dare to change the name.
There is a way to ward off disaster and still safely change the name of your boat. This involves satisfying certain rules set forth by the pagan gods of the sea, namely Poseidon (if you are Greek) or Neptune (if you are Roman and speak Latin). Both of these boys are one and the same. In short, the previous name of the vessel must be stricken from the official records of the deep kept by Poseidon or Neptune, and the new name must be duly recorded in the same manner. Doing such involves a generous supply of a certain bubbly beverage (you may substitute as you see fit) to ensure that the gods get their just due. Then, and only then, you may properly dispose of the remainder of the beverage (this is called imbibing) by sharing with the participants or just anyone standing nearby.
A proper de-naming or renaming ceremony is usually conducted by an official such as a member of the Clergy or a Licensed Captain. Of course, it is perfectly acceptable to conduct the ceremony yourselves, if you like.
As a Licensed Captain, I had the honor of conducting a renaming of John and Betty Doucette’s new (to them) boat easy rider. John and Betty are Old Point Comfort Yacht Club (OPCYC) members who reside on Fort Monroe and keep their boat at Old Point Comfort Marina.
While the renaming ceremony is fun, it is the actual name of the vessel that is so important to the owners. John and Betty chose the name easy rider after the movie by the same name. Note that the name is spelled using lower case as it was spelled on the actual movie poster. Though their boat’s former name was cherished by the former owners, the Doucette’s chose to pick a name that was meaningful to them and opted to do a name change.
Many members of OPCYC have boats with interesting names that beg the question about how the owners came up with such monikers.
My wife Eileen and I chose the name Cats’ Paws as we sail with our two felines, named Cap’n and Uncle Ted, who have a total of eight (8) paws. Hence, the proper name is plural possessive - note the placement of the apostrophe.
Paul and Taffy Mellen’s boat is named Saltwater Taffy for obvious reasons.
Jim and Melinda Beaudry’s boat is named Black Dog as they have a black Lab.
Mark and Jean Brzozowski’s boat is named Damn Yankee as Mark, himself, is a Yankee. You’ll have to ask Mark why he chose the adjective.
Jeff and Susie Roger’s boat is named Halaha. Their children (now grown) named the boat after a fictitious childhood character’s mantra.
Robert and Pat Williamson’s boat is named Sunlion, which was the name of the boat when Robert’s parents, Ben and MeMe, bought her so many decades ago. MeMe loved the name and decided to keep it. If you see a boat on the Bay with a large sunburst on each bow, it is likely to be Sunlion.
There are many, many other boats at OPCYC and most other locations that have equally unique and interesting names.
With all this being said, next time you see a boat with a name you find unique, ask the owners about it. Likely there is an interesting story.
About the author: Captain Michael Turner holds a 50 ton Masters License and is a member of the Chesapeake Area Professional Captains Association (CAPCA). He resides with his wife Eileen and their two felines in Williamsburg, VA. He has worked and sailed the Bay for the past 49 years.
