Re-naming the boat

[Shemlock]

Superstitions are for those who still think the world is flat!!!If one cuts off the transom then replaces it anew without the name does it sink ???It could if the work is shoddy but the name would have nothing to do with it...I was told the same tripe when I bought my boat.It was named Jackal and it was the first thing to go. By the by "Who said anything about it being fun ???"

[SHNOOL]

brother was always gonna name his boat "Half Fast." Read quickly, of course, but um, not too quickly.

He never did it, he was too lazy... I guess that is the "half" part.

[hasher]

Looking for a boat name, I came across this topic. Then I found the reference to Waltzing Matilda and thought I found a name I could love.

Waltzing Matilda is a ballad about a man who drowns himself to avoid arrest and then haunts the place.

I love the song. I love the name. I even love the anti-authority moral and stick it to the high and mighty. But now that I read the meaning of the song I can't re-name the boat after a man who drowns!

[wolfenzee]

I have taken the first steps in renaming my boat, removal of "ROVER" and handing a couple of pieces of wood (Silver Bali) to a local wood carver.
One of the accepted meanings for Waltzing Matilda: "The words of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ embody the free spirit, resourcefulness and defiance of authority associated with the Australian national character" fit my mind set and lifestyle to a T.

[Grunthrie]

Someone told me once:
"Adhesive, paint and superstition are all soluble with alcohol".
So scrub, scrape and drink away the old ill fitting name and christen the vessel anew!
Also, I read that the superstition regarding ill favor for renaming a boat was originally credited to the British in an attempt to dissuade seriously superstitious pirates from renaming stolen ships to evade capture... so it seems to all be a gub-mint thing anyway!

[Staredge]

So, I have an 8' sailing dinghy that I bought. First boat. Have no idea if she ever had a name before, but she's getting one now. Question is, how do I do the de-naming ceremony if I don't know any previous names??

Remember, it's only weird if it doesn't work.

[SHNOOL]

Insert 'unknown name' into the ceremony... all's good.
Drink heavily...
poor some adult beverage (or spray it) over the foredeck...
Lose something highly valuable (that is part of the boat) into the water. Poseidon needs to be appeased.
Make sure to do both these things in front of others.

All mentions of 'unknown name' should be stated as such:
"We rechristen the 'unknown name'... to 'new name'"
Done.

It's an 8 ft Dinghy... make sure the ceremony is longer than for a 30 foot yacht. It helps bring perspective to the task at hand.

[Teamstone]

Interesting discussion as I am buying a boat named PeaceMaker and considering renaming her. I haven't decided whether or not to however.

She has been renamed before (multiple times LOL)

As this is my first salt water boat, I may leave it for now and if I decide she is the right boat for me long term, I may then rename her if she hasn't grown into her name.

Tom

[MarkofSeaLife]

Superstition and being wary of changing a boat name? In the 21st millennium? By otherwise intelligent people?

If you bought a boat named Dick Head you would change the name in 2 seconds without a thought.

[Fairladyaffair]

+1 on superstition being ridiculous