Changing the name of a boat?

Okay, so I am sure this has been discussed here more than once, but thought I would post it anyway.

Our boat, through the unusual thought process of a good friend, has had an unofficial name change.

You can read about it here if you are interested.

The 'Prawn Cracker' - Marine Trader Trawler yacht: An unofficial name change

But my question is, what do people think about changing the name of a boat?

and more importantly -

Anyone ever changed the name of a boat and incurred the wrath of Neptune, thus proving that the superstitions are well found? Even after performing the well documented ceremony.

Cheers.

Sorry. I've no experience having only named boats with no previous names. Named my Dad's sailboat "Seeadler," my own sailboat "Windsong," as well as my present motorboat.

Totally safe if you do it right.......

Renaming Your Boat - BoatSafe.com

Safe as can be so long as you don't forget to have a virgin pee in the bilge.

I have also changed our name. There is a very prescriptive process and ceremony to adhere to. You need to make sure Neptune is happy. You can get the process off the Internet. The key is to make sure there is nothing remaining on the boat with the old name.
Good luck

Sent from my iPad using Trawler

Thanks for the comments so far.

Just to reestablish the question, I think we all know the recommended process so no need to mention it.
My question is - does anyone have any good stories about name changing where they did or did not follow the process, and have then had a run of bad luck or otherwise.

Just looking for some good yarns really....

There is no Boogeyman.

In the past I unceremoniously changed boat names and noticed my hair started falling out.

sailtones said:

Anyone ever changed the name of a boat and incurred the wrath of Neptune, thus proving that the superstitions are well found?

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US Navy did in WWII. Bad JuJu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Sailfish_(SS-192)

We will be changing the name of our new purchase ONLY after Neptune is consulted and appropriately appeased!

Just make sure you offer a tribute to King Neptune!

I have had 6 (name-able) boats and changed the name on all of them. I did NOT do the Ceremony. All 6 of them turned out to be wonderful boats and wonderful owner experiences. Okay, the boat I have only owned for 4 months right now does not have enough history but I am almost superstitious of doing a ceremony. I almost feel like i will be cursing it by doing it since it has worked so well the other way around!!!!...

The ceremony is an excuse to have a party....and I certainly have no problem with that!!!

Baker said:

I have had 6 (name-able) boats and changed the name on all of them. I did NOT do the Ceremony.

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Since 1995 I have purchased 8 boats...changed the name (unceremoniously) on 7 of them but kept the name on my existing boat. As I grow older and have noticed that my gonads are no where near the size they used to be, I don't allow bananas on my boat and although I hate the name, I've kept it!

It's not a bad name, Walt. At least it is not something like "Buttercup" or something like that....

Baker said:

The ceremony is an excuse to have a party....and I certainly have no problem with that!!!

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Okay... well... there IS that!

Baker said:

It's not a bad name, Walt. At least it is not something like "Buttercup" or something like that....

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I've had two sport fishers over the years which I named "Bank Shot." That name could mean I spent everything I had on the boat or I'm a hockey or basketball nut or I love fishing the 12 mile bank off of San Diego or I enjoy a good game of billiards. Any one of those meanings would be accurate.

SeaHorse II said:

As I grow older and have noticed that my gonads are no where near the size they used to be

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Haahahahah

Captain K said:

In the past I unceremoniously changed boat names and noticed my hair started falling out.

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Now I know why my hair started thinning prematurely.

I wanted to change the name on my boat from E.E.S. to "Swiftsure" in honor of my favorite Vickers Vanguard on which I spent many years tending her every need.

A couple of factors changed my mind:
1, As you can see in the pic, the last 2 letters of the registration were the same, so the call sign would be "Echo Echo Sierra" which brings back so many good memories and seems to roll off the tongue.
2, The very helpful man at Transport Canada informed me: "Oh I can change the name for you right know if you wish, just send a cheque for $250" !!!.
3, Lastly...Where in God's name would I find a virgin to pee in the bilge in this day and age???

Baker said:

The ceremony is an excuse to have a party....and I certainly have no problem with that!!!

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I agree!

Rumor has it that a rather funny guy once changed his boat's name to "NONE".

This was very bad luck indeed. He was sent multiple fines and outstanding warrants. Apparently the Coast Guard's computer matched this name with boats that had no name. (I said it was a rumor).

Well so far I am OK. We officially changed our new boat's name to Alaskan Sea-Duction this past weekend after of course de-naming her IAW the proper proceedures. I would not allow the chairs which had the old boat name on them back on the boat.

I changed the name of my boat after an abreviated ceremony: a splash of good rum on the bow, a splash in the water, a splash for the Captain, and best wishes for safe and happy travels.
I can tell you if I had a boat named Nostra Signora, I would never dare to change it!

Steve said:

I can tell you if I had a boat named Nostra Signora, I would never dare to change it!

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No? Why? A serious or tongue in cheek comment?

sailtones said:

No? Why? A serious or tongue in cheek comment?

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tounge in cheek.

I kept our boat's name out of respect for the previous owner. My wife and I loved the story concerning how he came up with the name. He had used my trawler to haul supplies, ferry people, and guide friends' boats from the mainland to an island he owned. His girlfrend jokingly said that he was using the boat like a "Sherpa"... the name stuck and I kept it.

I believe it is bad juju to change a boat's name but then again I've come across some horrible boat names that are begging to be changed!

I think one of the wonderful little indulgences that we allow ourselves as sailors is to pay homage to seafaring traditions, many of which have a history of thousands of years.

The one in particular that I learned about the hard way was changing the name of one of my earliest boats when I bought it. There was nothing really deficient in the original name, I was just a youngster and thought I knew better.

Although that boat took me thousands of miles and we survived 30ft seas together, honestly I had all sorts of bad juju over the several years that we were together.

I'm a non-superstitious person, except in this regard. Learned my lesson!

makobuilders said:

I'm a non-superstitious person, except in this regard. Learned my lesson!

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That's like being a little bit dead.

Our boat was named "Island Time" which we immediately changed to "Beach Bum". Removed anything.in the boat with that name except the galley clock.

Oops, forgot the image.

I have decided to change the name of the boat, as I was inspired by this one: