Boat renaming etiquette

[Ctskip]

As long as you follow the procedures for renaming vessel, you shouldn't have any problem, i.e. sailing backwards, pouring the proper beverage across the bow and giving some to the Gods of the sea, you'll be fine. Just be sure you don't bring on board anything with the new name before you do the proper renaming ceremony. Superstition plays a big part in renaming a vessel.
Now go and enjoy...

 

[George Da Porge]

indimi - my wife and I purchased a Catalina 30 last spring, and we renamed it in August. Had a ceremony with sailing club friends and family. It was a lot of fun. Did probably sacrifice 2 - 3 bottles of wine to the seas, and a couple bottles of champagne during the renaming part, but ya gotta do what you gotta do! I've attached a few articles about the process (the "Sailboat Renaming Ceremony" is the one we basically followed). You have to first "dename" the boat. Some notes:
1) For an ingot, I just used a piece of scrap aluminum and etched the previous boat name in it with an engraver.
2) One step is to place a silver dollar (as old as possible) under the keel. We didn't want to unstep the mast so I epoxied the silver dollar in the cabin, to the mast support post just below the deck. It looks nice there. Also - I used a 1990 silver dollar because that's the year the boat was made and the year we were married. Bought it at a coin store for about $25.
3) Since it was nearing the end of the season, kids were going off to college, etc., we forgot to sail the boat backwards a few boat lengths. It's on our list of first things to do this season.
4) I've also attached the note cards I made for my wife and I to use during the ceremony.
5) Make it an event and have a lot of fun with it. People at our sailing club commented that no one's done it before and more should - I think mainly for the fun of it, the gathering of members (social) and of course - the free libations we provided!!

Good luck to you and your wife!!

 

[BelladonnaII]

I'm of the belief that the only thing you need worry about in a boat name is to be sure you can say it quickly and easily over a VHF in a "oh sh*t" moment. I see way to many people these days with some long 3 or 4 syllable boat name that would just be a pain in repeating to coast guard in an emergency.

 

[shemandr]

The real question is how this renaming will affect your wife's relationships with others at the club/marina. Your wife may understand this implicitly. If your wife is expecting to participate in social activities surrounding the club/marina I would suggest that you listen to her and find another name. I know a gal who hates her sister in law because she has the same name. People react the way they do - it doesn't have to have a basis in reality.

 

[CloudDiver]

I just wanna know the previous name that you are changing from. If you find it offensive I just might like it and use it myself, lol!

 

[DAVID BLOCH]

Mayan renaming ceremony?

OK, let me toss in a wrench...
All the ceremonies I've seen pay homage to Poseidon or Neptune.
But we may buy a boat in Isla Mujeres, the Island of Women off of Cancun. We intend to rename her Ixchel, after the Maya goddess of the moon, midwifery and a few other things.
So seems to us our ceremony should give the offerings to the Maya sea goddess, who I believe is named Ndan.
Any thoughts? Sure makes sense to me, especially when we'd be sailing this boat out of the lagoon at Isla Mujeres, which resembles a womb as much as any body of water I've ever seen.
Seems like appeasing the local gods makes more sense than trying to get the attention of the Norse or Greek ones.
--Dave

 

[Rick Webb]

Mayans Were Rough

I think you might have to throw a virgin into a volcano.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Is any cannibalism involved?

Sounds like a bad idea..

 

[DAVID BLOCH]

No cannibalism here. And we don't have volcanoes (but we DO have cenotes).

 

[Gunni]

We intend to rename her Ixchel, after the Maya goddess of the moon, midwifery and a few other things.
So seems to us our ceremony should give the offerings to the Maya sea goddess, who I believe is named Ndan.
Any thoughts?
--Dave

Ickshell? Eeschill? Huh? Do you really want to be training some 19 y.o. SAR radio operator, or Jasper the marina dockhand on channel 16, in the pronunciation of an obscure meso-american language? That's "Loon-A-Sea"

 

[Kingjim91]

There's nothing supernatural about the name of a boat. My boat had the name Sturgeon Eddy when I bought it. Renamed it Rescuer 4, having previously owned Rescuer 1, 2, and 3.

 

[Joe]

OK, let me toss in a wrench...
All the ceremonies I've seen pay homage to Poseidon or Neptune.
But we may buy a boat in Isla Mujeres, the Island of Women off of Cancun. We intend to rename her Ixchel, after the Maya goddess of the moon, midwifery and a few other things.
So seems to us our ceremony should give the offerings to the Maya sea goddess, who I believe is named Ndan.
Any thoughts? Sure makes sense to me, especially when we'd be sailing this boat out of the lagoon at Isla Mujeres, which resembles a womb as much as any body of water I've ever seen.
Seems like appeasing the local gods makes more sense than trying to get the attention of the Norse or Greek ones.
--Dave

Hey Dave........ it's just a boat in Mexico. Not sure there's any pagan ritual that's gonna change that.... but then.. there's no harm in covering all your bases. Last I heard, everyone in that part of the world was Catholic... so maybe something Saint Christopherish would help you also.... heh heh. you can go anywhere with this.

 

[Joe]

There's nothing supernatural about the name of a boat. My boat had the name Sturgeon Eddy when I bought it. Renamed it Rescuer 4, having previously owned Rescuer 1, 2, and 3.

Got to go with what you know... I have a friend whose named all his dogs "sparky".... he says it's like a reincarnation. Does the same thing with the various boats he's owned (except it's sv Sparkle). Likes to keep things simple, I guess.

Of course, we all know George Foreman's trick to remembering his kids' names.