Plastic Classic Forum

Yes, I am one of those who believes in naming a boat PROPERLY. I'm a rather superstitious soul, and when it comes to dealing with the sea, there's no point in taking chances!

My question is rather technical (I'm also obsessive) and involves a boat that may or may not have been named improperly in the past. Triton #268 is currently "named" Alize. However, I know factually that she was never given this name with the proper ceremony and it was chosen because the PO needed to put something on the CG documentation and didn't want to use her old name. She was on the hard when she was given this name and has not seen the water since. The question is, when I go to rename her, should I purge this name? Or the one before it? Both? What if her previous name (Barjosa) wasn't given to her properly either? Should I purge all the names she's had that I'm aware of, just to be safe? And how crazy am I? Inquiring minds want to know...

I would purge all the names that are evident on the boat. If there is nothing on the boat from her previous name than it has been/does not need to be purged. This includes old life rings, glasses with the name etched, tags on sail bags, key chains, tee shirts in the bilge, anything. If it ain't there, it ain't there.

Best of luck and don't use cheap champagne.

Advance warning: I have, on several occasions in the past, explained to my wife that I am working towards my "curmudgeon" merit badge.

She has told me I'm well on my way to earning it.

Having said the foregoing, I would scrape/sand the old name off, stick the new name on, put the boat in the water and go sailing.

But of course, I also have broken mirrors at least twice in my life with no discernable subseuqent change in my "luck", and I have owned in the past and currently own several black cats. Just the other day I spilled some salt and simply wiped it up and tossed it in the trash.

My boat, to my knowledge, has had the same name since it was new, 43 years ago, with I think four owners before I acquired her. I didn't care for the name, so when I re-instated the USCG documentation, I changed it. She came out of the water with the old name and has been on the hard for the past 8 months. I'm hoping to put her back in the water within the next couple of weeks. She'll have the new name on the hull when that happens.

I'll let you all know if tragedy ensues.

ILikeRust wrote:
Having said the foregoing, I would scrape/sand the old name off, stick the new name on, put the boat in the water and go sailing.

I agree.

I personally would LOVE to get my hands on the dingledork that came up with the idea that renaming a boat was bad luck....it's certainly not a part a sailing history.

I say choose a name that suits the 'spirit' of the owner and boat...and go with it. Forget the 'memes' and live in the real world.

Am I eligible for my curmudgeon badge, now, at long last? ;)

JR