Boat names - what are yours, why?

[Kestrel]

"I have always thought that sailboats’ names should evoke the elemental
beauties of stately motion on the water rather than the Freudian
fantasies, puerile puns, asinine anagrams, or infantile inanities of
their name-givers. " A good friend of mine said during a boat naming discussion

We like to name our boats after birds:
Jackdaw Beneteau First 235
Kestrel Beneteau First 36.7
Blue J Beneteau First 260 (it is her original name and suits us just fine)

How about everybody else?

 

[DannyS]

Our boat's name is Olo 2. We asked our son who was 5 or 6 at the time what we should name our previous boat and without hesitation, he said "Olo o'course". We didn't think much about that name so we asked him what we should name the new home built dinghy, he again, without hesitation, says "Antsy o'course". We're not quite sure what Olo means but think about the name Antsy for a dinghy and it makes perfect sense. Just for that, we went with Olo as well, we didn't have anything better anyway.
My first boat was named Tiller I'll be late.

 

[BillyK]

I just recently named our boat after struggling with names for all of last season.. I toyed with everything from 'breaking wind' to 'simplicity' but wound up going with "Chase'n Liam"

We just had our second child this fall and we named him Chase, and our first child is Liam.. Since we find ourselves chasing Liam everywhere we go at some point the name seemed appropriate.. It's a sentimental name for the admiral and I despite it sounding like a powerboaters name.. So we named our boat after our two kids.

My father played a different twist on our boys names.. He named his trawler ILLIAM and the dink is Chaser.

 

[cb32863]

My boat's name is Papillon, French for butterfly. Was the name of her when I bought her in November. Figured I would keep it as this is my first boat. Later on when I have another new to me boat, hoping it is something bigger and not on an inland lake, I will name or renamed the boat "Pacis Mens". It is Latin for "Peace of Mind", or "Peaceful Mind", depending on the translator you use. It is what sailing does for me, brings me peace of mind and just makes everything better and OK. I am sure you all know what I mean.......

 

[arknoah]

Our boat is Ilya, the name of a manatee we "adopted" through the Save the Manatee Club. My daughter is really into manatees, and after kayaking among them in Florida, we are too.

It's kinda nice that the name is only 4 letters -- definitely less expensive for purchasing letters than longer, more complicated names, and the kind of name folks don't see everyday.

It does seem kind of strange though, to refer to the boat as "she" when Ilya is a male manatee. We usually just refer to "the boat," rather than "she."

 

[gpdno]

Family Time

My 6-yr-old son said we bought the boat was so we could have family time. Seemed like a good name, so "Family Time" she is

 

[woodster]

i named mine after my dearly departed mother "Evelyn Lee".....i must tell you that it is not because i was a mama's boy.... but rather because she was my best friend after i grew up and we then became buddys and didnt dwell on the mother son thing the last 20 years of her life and i feel blessed to have been able to do that as most only get to know there mother as there mother.......

regards

woody

 

[patrickfarley]

We named the Macgregor "Sailing with Porpoise" and the Snark "Porpoise"
We think it is fun on a couple of levels.

We really like dolphins but could not think of a good dolphin name.

We like manatees also but I sail slowly enough that I don't need to name my boat after a manatee and bring more attention to how slow I am.

 

[FourPoints]

On my website I have good explanation of how I came up with the name.

http://sailingit.com/blog/about-sv-four-points

 

[Cool Beans]

"COOL BEANS"

I dunno, it's my catch phrase I guess. . .been saying it for years and years. . .

. . .and well, it's just cool beans

 

[arknoah]

We named the Macgregor "Sailing with Porpoise" and the Snark "Porpoise"
We think it is fun on a couple of levels.

We really like dolphins but could not think of a good dolphin name.

We like manatees also but I sail slowly enough that I don't need to name my boat after a manatee and bring more attention to how slow I am.

Yeah, I'll tell you what -- I'm not passing any manatees the way I sail either!

 

[Vic H.]

"Elyse", from Elysian (of Bliss & Pleasure), Elesyum, Elysian fields, etc, next boat; "Elysian Dream"

 

[Squidd]

"Lazy Lady" was the name she came with and still fits on many levels...

Older displacement hull with a HS of 6.5 knots, she's no racer and her movement is gracefull and with purpose...

Coming off a hull flying Venture Cat I bought her to kick back and relax (and stay dry) with leisurly crusies rather than hectic adventures...

Told my wife I named it after her (joking)...but she's so laid back anyway, that she's cool with it...

So we're keeping the name.

 

[RAD]

Free Spirit
After letting go of my classic 1961 Chris Craft Constellation and giving up drinking I took up sailing and my first sail boat a Bristol 24 needed a name and at first I came up with Free of Spirits and then Free Spirit had a better meaning "One who is not restrained, as by convention or obligation; a nonconformist"
Then after the first season the name went on the boat and its previous owner my business neighbor handed me some paperwork he had found in a folder and low and behold there was a survey from a long time ago and the name of the boat was Free Spirit so that name was meant to be
Then when I bought my current Oday it had the name Vinifera which is the name of a grape used in making wine and I'm still not an alcohol drinker so that had to go and I renamed it Free Spirit

 

[Ross]

Bietzpadlin because my first sail boat was a 15 foot grumman canoe with outriggers and a homemade sprit sail.

 

[Vic H.]

Free Spirit
After letting go of my classic 1961 Chris Craft Constellation and giving up drinking I took up sailing and my first sail boat a Bristol 24 needed a name and at first I came up with Free of Spirits and then Free Spirit had a better meaning "One who is not restrained, as by convention or obligation; a nonconformist"
Then after the first season the name went on the boat and its previous owner my business neighbor handed me some paperwork he had found in a folder and low and behold there was a survey from a long time ago and the name of the boat was Free Spirit so that name was meant to be
Then when I bought my current Oday it had the name Vinifera which is the name of a grape used in making wine and I'm still not an alcohol drinker so that had to go and I renamed it Free Spirit

Very Nice!

 

[Stu Jackson]

One to NOT use:

Passing Wind

Some do, but I think it's rude.

 

[Time Out]

My Catalina 27 was named Time Out by the original owner. I like the name so I didn’t change it. To me the name Time Out represents what a boat is. Being on the boat is literally a time out from everyday life. It’s a chance to relax, forget about life’s problems for a while, have fun, focus on sailing and just enjoy yourself.

-Eric Altman

 

[Vic H.]

One to NOT use:

Passing Wind

Some do, but I think it's rude.

Yes, a friend named his Passing Wind, it was not always well rec'd even by those w/good sense of humor

 

[PERCHER]

My Way...Eh It took me a long time to get to this point in my life so I decided to call our Hunter 45CC My Way. My Way was taken so being the true Canadian that I am we added the Eh.