Photo by Muffy Aldrich
The Modern Guide to The Thing Before Preppy

Saturday, April 13, 2019

Naming Your Boat

Photos by Salt Water New England
I am a long time reader, but first time emailer.  We are in the process of choosing a name for our new boat and I was curious if you've ever thought of compiling a list of TDP/preppy boat names.  Some are certainly better than others and I was interested in your thoughts.    
Thank you and keep up the great work. 
Best wishes.

32 comments:

  1. Back in the days, when my Dad and I were young boys, one was supposed to have seven letters in a boat name; one for each of the seven seas... And one was always to put a silver dollar, or such, under the mast step, for good luck...

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  2. There were two boats in Manchester Harbor that belonged to the same owner. Both were painted light gray. One was a Concordia and the other was a lobster hull power boat. The first was named Crocodile and the other, Crocodile Tears. I still think that’s clever.

    There was also a beautiful motor sailor moored nearby named Cousin Elizabeth. The origin of the name: the owner’s elderly cousin left him money in her will to pay for the boat.

    But my favorite, moored next to us, was a dark blue Concordia, Serene, which was aptly named given how gracious the entire family was. Even when gathered together in the stern after a sail, the family spoke softly so as not to disturb the quiet of the evening.

    MGC

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  3. I wanted to name my Bermuda sloop the Atocha, but since it was best known for being a shipwreck, I was overruled by my in-laws and we named her after their only grandaughter, so now I'm sailing the Sea Cricket.

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  4. My father named his sailboat "Greensleeves" after the 16th-century English ballad. He liked the song and as she was white with green trim the name was appropriate.

    "Courage" to me seems appropriate as sailors/boaters need that attribute when navigating the unpredictable waters off the NE coast.

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  5. MGC, I know Crocodile! Gorgeous!

    Our boat is called Patron - PATsy & RONnie.

    My favorite belonged to my Dad's boat mechanic - Ruthless - named after his divorce from.......Ruth!

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  6. Our old boat is "Suum cuique", which is not only a rather appealing statement in its own right but also my great-grandfather's regimental motto, which, I believe, is why my grandfather gave this name to the boat.
    dE

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  7. We had several successive boats called "Cordelia" after the good daughter in Lear. We never suffixed a numeral to the name. I used to race on a boat called "Passport"- always rather liked that one, too.

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  8. My Grandfather named his first boat "Pagoo" after the Holling C. Holling childrens book about a hermit crab trying to find a larger shell. I think it's quite clever when you consider how most boat owners secretly (or not so secretly) dream of owning a larger boat.

    The Pagoo II has been moored on the John's Bay in South Bristol for 20 years now. :)

    -MH

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    1. I called my first sloop, a Tartan 30, Seabird--a seemingly mundane moniker but named for one of my favorite childhood books by Holling C. Holling entitled Seabird. A great book to stoke the wanderlust of many a young sailor and also illustrated handsomely.

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  9. I was in a vineyard vines store yesterday at the mall looking for a classic T-shirt for my niece. I didn't find anything. But I did have a laugh at the boat shaped checkout counter.

    The name on the back side of the boat?

    "Vineyard Vines,
    Plano, TX"

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  10. Edith Hamilton is a good source of inspiration, e.g. Atlantis, Poseidon, Athena, Thalia, Aphrodite, Zeus etc.

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  11. Always name your boat after your wife. That way she won't mind when you spend money on it.

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  12. Ours was named 'Icy Eye' by her first owner, in the 1960s. I've always wanted to know the story behind the name, but we haven't been able to track him down to ask. We got her from the second owner, who didn't know how the name came about. Perhaps the way the original owner's wife looked at him when he announced the purchase?

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  13. Our boat growing up was Reverie. If I ever own a sailboat it will be called Vandal Wind.

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  14. I can't believe I'm coming out of lurk-dom (barely) to post this, but this is my favorite question to ask at dinner parties! Such amazing stories come from the answers and I always feel I learn so much about the person. I don't actually have an answer for it, either!

    I always ask one of two questions, what would you name your boat or what would you name your racehorse?

    For the record, I would name my racehorse Gladdy McBean. For no good reason.

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  15. The voice of practicality here:

    How clearly and easily the name transmits across the VHF is a very important consideration in naming a boat.

    Two syllables is best, like a dog's name.

    We made sure our kids could pronounce ours too.

    happy sailing

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  16. With apologies to Maine Maritime Academy, I went with Dirigo for my sloops (”I Lead” in Latin and my home state’s motto)

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  17. "Flying Wasp" is my entry.

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  18. I remember two boats next to each other:
    CLEANLINESS was next to GODLINESS.

    Grey Flannels

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    1. Sometimes CLEANLINESS is next to IMPOSSIBLE.

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  19. SALTY - I suits my Herreshoff America Catobat - plain and simple.

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  20. I have always thought that "Viceroy of India" would be a good name for my boat. High seas, Royal Navy, and all that . . .

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  21. Grace.....tis Grace hath brought me safe thus far, and Grace will lead me home.

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  22. Whatever you name your boat, make it short and easy to understand over your VHF. You don't want to have to spell it out for the Coast Guard watchstander if you need to radio for assistance in an emergency.

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  23. My Sea Cricket (earlier post) went to a new owner and I'm on my next boat now. A 22' Marshall Catboat named Pyewackett (see "Bell, Book & Candle" with Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak for further explanation).

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  24. Pyewackett is an excellent name. I liked the movie too.

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  25. On the lake on which I grew up was a Chris Craft cabin cruiser named "Mama's Mink."

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  26. There's a Pilot 35 in New Castle named "Hopestill", and still for sale- I believe. One man in NJ named his boat "ATLAST" and another "FINALY"
    I guess I'm going to have to settle for a CD Typhoon - "MUSE", Ican't afford the P-35. I appreciate the comments from the other readers.

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  27. Roy Disney named all his race boats Pyewacket. My father-in-law's 110 was Whiz By (Byron Wiswell) and his brother George's was By George.

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  28. My wife's family has had vessels since the 1880s all named DIANA, starting with a coasting schooner. Along the way they also had a chubby little launch called SPUD. But the preppiest boat name I've ever seen is PINKLETINK, a catboat named after a tiny frog common to Martha's Vineyard: https://patch.com/massachusetts/marthasvineyard/what-is-a-pinkletink

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  29. My classy old (restored) Huckins Atlantic 44 ..... Very much of the Gatsby era..... named: OLD SPORT ..... A'hem...

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  30. My Boston Whaler was...BRANCH OFFICE

    Arthur Lloyd

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