Boat Names

[PilotJesse]

We were just leaving the Olive Garden and a discussion came up about boat names. It seems there are a lot of names that seem a bit "odd" to someone who doesn't know how a name originated. So we were throwing a few ideas back and forth for future boat names, and I came up with what I think is the perfect name:

"Hope It Dont Sink"

Haha.... :-) gave us a good laugh at least! Thought I'd share.

Jesse

[Pblais]

Boat names need to pass the VHF test. If you can say it easily say the name three time and make it such that it is not hard to spell then it works. Cute names get old quickly.

[twowheel]

Definitely have to test the phonetic test. Consider having to repeat the name you mentioned above to a foreign coast guard multiple times:

Hotel-Oscar-Pappa-Echo India-Tango Delta-Oscar-November-Tango Sierra-India-November-Kilo

Would get kind of old REAL FAST.

[Randyonr3]

The name also needs not be confused, or manipulated..
We had run across some people that had chartered a boat out of Florida..The name on the boat was "Night Wind"...but after a few days, people were calling it the
"Fart In The Dark"

[David M]

Paul is so right. One of my ways of killing time out on the water is to listen in to distress calls to the Coast Guard. I can't tell you how many times I have heard a bizarre or complex name trip them up. Keeping a name simple, English and a common word is really the best way.

[senormechanico]

The other day I passed a fishing boat called "Ayuda".

That ought to cause some confusion for the Coast Guard.

Imagine someone calling that boat via the VHF.

"Ayuda, Ayuda, Ayuda, this is xxx".

In Spanish, Ayuda means "Help".

Steve B.

[svstrider]

Agree with easily understood, easy to say names. In OZ Volunteer Marine Rescue radio ops are often the wrong side of 70 and their hearing aint usually the best. So you often hear some real ballsed up names being acknowledged over the VHF.

ALSO IMHO boat name should be seven letters long, for luck. as in TITANIC (OOPS)and should not attract the wrath of Neptune by mentioning bad weather or sea conditions.

Some I have seen include Cyclone, Tornado, LIghtning, Storm, Tsunami (7 letters but still asking for trouble) and Reefer (sure to attract the attention of the authorities). I once met an american yacht called "Daq (as in daquari) Attack". Unfortunately in New Zealand apparently Daq is slang for a joint. NOT GOOD - see Reefer.

[Chattcatdaddy]

I`m just going to name my boat "BOB".

[Pacific Jewel]

I am absolutely with Paul on this one. Having said this, there are still so many great - easy, short - names out there.

[boatless 4 now]

The old boat name on our ( new to us boat) is Witch of November.
We were discussing new boat names with the kids and after a really bad docking attempt, read -high wind+ high stress. my son said " We should name this boat 'Student Driver".
Good thing he's cute

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Pblais

Boat names need to pass the VHF test. If you can say it easily say the name three time and make it such that it is not hard to spell then it works. Cute names get old quickly.

This is of course an oldy and a furphy (Furphy = Aus slang for unreliable info)

The VHF test is only useful if you sail only in a place that only speaks your leanguage. If you sail anywhere else even standard english /spanish/russian/aremnian words are problematic. And in any event your rego number is always a useful way to communicate. as in "Qld Rego Sierra Tango 394 Quebec".

For what its worth short is probably better cause its easier to phonetically spell.

[iiii]

I also like brevity!

[stevensc]

Difficult names can put bridge and lock tenders off if they need to be spelled out several times.
I named my boat GUMBO thinking it would be easy to get across, but I have been asked on several occasions, even on the Gulf Coast where Gumbo, the soup, is a staple, how it is spelled. One guy even thought I was saying DUMBO! Sometimes I agree with him.
I can only imagine the problems of the sailboat I saw a few years ago in Mobile, Alabama her name was ZUBINELGENUBI after the star.
Good Cruisin'
Steve

[Waterborn]

Boatless, you do realize that "Witch of November" is in reference to lyrics in Gordon Lightfoot's Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

-Cheers

[sarafina]

What the s/v stands for in front of so many boat names.

I confess to having been reading the boat name threads a bit compulsively because our little hole in the water is a Cal 28 and has been called the Cal 'o Mine.

Which, while somewhat cute and somewhat clever, makes me ITCH... I can't get past Calamine lotion... and Himself wants to put his own personal stamp on her so we will be rechristening her... She came to us in such neglected shape as the Cal 'o Mine we think she deserves to have a fresh name to go with her fresh circumstances.

Initially Himself wanted '4 play', then we considered 'Papa's Pet'. A lot of others shifted briefly into mind and passed thru so fast I can't remember them.. although we did have a few discussion about how many wenches/winches any one man could handle... Our youngest was proposing Sea Wench ; -)

4 play was deemed too suggestive. Papa's Pet was too long and obscure when spoken. Sea Wench was too common.

Finally we seem to have landed on tsunami, which has some back story for us and seems to fit our little hole in the water... she has been raced hard and sailed a lot and somehow seems like a force of nature in and of herself when under sail... when we finally got her out and going she just leapt under hand as the wind came to her. Himself was astounded at how alive she felt. While there are some who might be wary of the rough weather connection, that doesn't bother us. I think we may have landed on it... but the whole s/v tsunami puzzles me and googling it didn't turn up an explanation. I haven't noticed it on transoms so I am guessing it may only go on paperwork?