Naming your boat

Once you’ve found the boat of your dreams, you face your next challenge – naming her! There are a number of things you should consider outside simply selecting a name you like. Your boat name will stay with you as long as you own your boat and perhaps with the boat even longer. In the grand scheme of things, the name you select for your boat may not seem like a massively significant thing you need to decide on. But bearing in mind the attachments many of us have for our boats and the fact that we put so much work, money and love into them, most of us feel that selecting the right name for our boat is important. There’s no denying they are a big part of our lives, holding happy memories with family and friends. Deciding on the right boat name is an important process. Hopefully, this blog will help you with choosing the perfect name for your boat. The laws about naming your boat There are no laws in the UK restrict you from choosing a boat name that is already in use, and it can be as long or as short as you’d like. You should register your boat, which is more about the taxes and registration numbers than the boat name itself. Whilst a boat remains in UK territorial waters there is currently no compulsory requirement for her to be registered. However, once a British boat leaves UK territorial waters and wishes to exercise the freedom of the high seas, it will need to be registered and to carry on board the appropriate certificate. Find out more here. Inspirations Good inspirations can come from all over the place. We enjoy names inspired by books or poems, as they are usually original and interesting. A lot of people use foreign translations of words- we find Hawaiian and French words tend to have a pleasant nautical sound to them. ‘Punny’ boat names are very popular, so if you can think of an original pun go for it! Popular ones include- ‘Feelin’ Nauti’ ‘Knot On Call’ ‘Reel Crazy’ – you get the idea. Your boat name should reflect something about you or what is important to you. Maybe a special memory, place or simply something that makes you smile! Name length In our humble opinion, the shorter the name, the better. More often than not this is the sensible option for emergencies, as when you are calling for assistance, every second can count. Of course it is entirely up to you, but a lot of folk in the sailing community are of the opinion boat names should be kept to one word. Naming after a loved one Yes, your boat is a “she” and commonly people name them after their wives, children and mothers. Before you name her after your loves one, we recommend discussing it with them first. It is a lovely grand gesture, but not everyone will necessarily appreciate your boat like you do. Some people may feel uncomfortable with the idea of sharing their name with a boat, so it’s always best to check first! Suitability and Safety You need to make sure you boat name is reasonably PG 13. Is it appropriate for children? Will your boss or clients who may see the boat approve of the name? Will friends and family be uncomfortable with or offended by it? These are all things you should consider. It may seem funny at the time but jokes can get old quickly – you don’t want to be embarrassed by your boat name in the future. For safety reasons, you should try repeating your chosen name over a VHF radio, as if in a call to the Coast Guard for example, and assess how it sounds? It needs to be easy to pronounce and hear (especially in emergencies). Copy-catting It’s not essential that you are completely original in choosing your boat name, but it’s courteous to avoid names already used in your harbour or marina. There are no rules or laws about re-using boat names, but having the same name as the boat next or near to you is just impractical and awkward. Advertising If you own a business or work for one that you’re proud of, naming your boat something related to the company name can create your own water advertisement! It can be a great marketing tool, or at the very least work as a conversation starter about what you do for a living. Tempting fate We don’t recommend names like or “Bottoms Up”, “Titanic” or “On the Rocks” for obvious reasons. Being at sea already has its risks – you don’t need to tempt the sea Gods further! Your boat name will be YOUR name It’s true; your boat name will quickly become your name. People you meet on the water may not remember your actual name they will instead remember you by your boat name. Of example, the owners of the “Liberty” quickly become known as “Liberties”, the owners of the “Katherine” become “the Katherines” etc. You need to make sure you’ll be happy to be known by the name you choose! We hope you we’ve given you some food for thought when considering your boat name with this blog. You can use this Boat Name Machine if you’re really struggling.

For more information on Naming your boat talk to Lumenautica Yacht Signs