Name Change
- Thread starter Guystapo
- Start date
Google it. There's a recommended ritual. It used to require sacrifice of a virgin, but those being in very short supply anymore, generous supplies of alcohol are usually substituted. Bottom line- it is a great excuse for a party and to possibly keep Neptune as a friend.
And appease the gods of the winds. They can really mess you up always blowing from the direction you desire to go 
SMACK on the BOW.
Then your sail boat becomes a drifter or a power boat.
Definitely conduct the ceremony .
And used the good stuff
Poseidon or Neptune, if your Roman, will know.
SMACK on the BOW.Then your sail boat becomes a drifter or a power boat.
Definitely conduct the ceremony .
And used the good stuff
Poseidon or Neptune, if your Roman, will know.
I found it:
48° Vigor's Interdenominational Boat Denaming Ceremony Vigor's
Interdenominational
Boat Denaming Ceremony
by John Vigor
Due to an overwhelming number of requests for copies of John Vigor's
Interdenominational Boat Denaming Ceremony, we are rerunning it again.
Now, take care to save this one!
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 "denaming
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 denaming 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 denaming 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 denaming 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 denaming 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.
(Scroll down for the wording of the ceremony.)
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 denaming
ceremony. And this time, at long last, he got what he deserved.
Vigor's Denaming 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."
CLICK HERE for Printable Page of Vigor's Denaming Ceremony
Christening Ceremony
After a boat is denamed, 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."
John Vigor, an Oak Harbor resident, is a boating writer and editor. He is
the author of the following books:
Danger, Dolphins & Ginger Beer (Simon & Schuster) a sailing adventure
novel for 8 to 12 year-olds.
The Practical mariner's Book of Knowledge (International Marine)
The Sailor's Assistant (International marine) For publication in 1999:
The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat (International Marine)
20 Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere (Paradise Cay)
...return to 48° North title page.
48° Vigor's Interdenominational Boat Denaming Ceremony Vigor's
Interdenominational
Boat Denaming Ceremony
by John Vigor
Due to an overwhelming number of requests for copies of John Vigor's
Interdenominational Boat Denaming Ceremony, we are rerunning it again.
Now, take care to save this one!
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 "denaming
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 denaming 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 denaming 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 denaming 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 denaming 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.
(Scroll down for the wording of the ceremony.)
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 denaming
ceremony. And this time, at long last, he got what he deserved.
Vigor's Denaming 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."
CLICK HERE for Printable Page of Vigor's Denaming Ceremony
Christening Ceremony
After a boat is denamed, 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."
John Vigor, an Oak Harbor resident, is a boating writer and editor. He is
the author of the following books:
Danger, Dolphins & Ginger Beer (Simon & Schuster) a sailing adventure
novel for 8 to 12 year-olds.
The Practical mariner's Book of Knowledge (International Marine)
The Sailor's Assistant (International marine) For publication in 1999:
The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat (International Marine)
20 Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere (Paradise Cay)
...return to 48° North title page.
I recently attended a boat renaming ceremony and found it equally fun, silly, and amusing.
Our MC came dressed in a toga and carried a large plastic trident (channelling Neptune, I suppose?). He had a small wooden chest that he opened to remove a slightly smaller wooden chest, which in turn held a smaller wooden chest, which in turn held a smaller wooden chest, which held the script for the proceedings.
The ceremony included a prayer to each of the four gods of the four winds, with champagne being cast in their direction.
Ultimately, it's a good opportunity to enjoy a few glasses of champagne, have fellowship with fellow sailors, and satisfy one's superstitions.
Our MC came dressed in a toga and carried a large plastic trident (channelling Neptune, I suppose?). He had a small wooden chest that he opened to remove a slightly smaller wooden chest, which in turn held a smaller wooden chest, which in turn held a smaller wooden chest, which held the script for the proceedings.
The ceremony included a prayer to each of the four gods of the four winds, with champagne being cast in their direction.
Ultimately, it's a good opportunity to enjoy a few glasses of champagne, have fellowship with fellow sailors, and satisfy one's superstitions.
Part of our ceremony was pouring the toasting champagne to all four winds and also included taking a metal plate (think dog tag) with the boat name to be removed from the "record" and tossing it into the sea to return it to Neptune.
We also made sure all documents with the old name were removed from the boat before we did the ceremony and did not take anything with the new name on board until the ceremony was over.
We also made sure all documents with the old name were removed from the boat before we did the ceremony and did not take anything with the new name on board until the ceremony was over.
LOVE IT ..Thanks for the response everyone ...now where can I find a virgin? I wonder if Ghislaine knows any? HAHAHAHAHA
.
That is exactly what one of our local sailboats did, though not deliberately. After the boat sank (not sure how that happened), once it was raised and rehabbed and they renamed it...
Wait for it...
Wait for it...
RED OCTOBER