transom etiquette

We just put our new name on the transom. the boat is named M/V Windward. my question is where does the M/V go?

IMO most people do not put the M/V on their transom. I may be speaking out of turn here, but I think it seems a bit pretentious.


Anyone can see it's not a sailboat so the M/V isn't really necessary.

GFC said:

IMO most people do not put the M/V on their transom. I may be speaking out of turn here, but I think it seems a bit pretentious.


Anyone can see it's not a sailboat so the M/V isn't really necessary.

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What he said.

Yeah. Agreed. Most don’t put MV or SV on the transom.

It being a documented vessel with the name M/V Windward i was under the impression the full name was required. M/V (motor vessel) S/V (sailing vessel) and no its not a sailing vessel.

If you documented it with M/V as a part of the name, then you do need to put it on the transom. Although I have never seen it on a boat. I also think it is a bit pretentious. When I hear Motor Vessel I think of a mega yacht.

I agree with the others on the thread. M/V isn't normally part of the name of the vessel and isn't, for example, found on the COD. But, if it is in this case -- then the same rules apply to it as any other portion of the name.

GFC said:

IMO most people do not put the M/V on their transom. I may be speaking out of turn here, but I think it seems a bit pretentious.


Anyone can see it's not a sailboat so the M/V isn't really necessary.

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And all this time I thought it stood for Mighty Valuable! LOL

Crusty Chief said:

And all this time I thought it stood for Mighty Valuable! LOL

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Mega Voluptuous?

Is there a size of vessel that is required for? Because every time a large yacht comes to my marina as a transient or just to get fuel they'll always say "this is motor vesssel" whatever.

Im talking like 70 and 80 footers and above. Just curious

I don't believe the "/" can be used as part of a documented vessels name. As I read the regulations, the name can only include letters, not punctuation marks or numbers.
"The application for documentation must include a name for the vessel composed of letters of the Latin alphabet or Arabic or Roman numerals and may not exceed 33 characters."

So the M/V would not be a legal marking anyway. Beyond that, I agree with the other that it is unnecessary on the boat itself.

South of Heaven said:

Is there a size of vessel that is required for? Because every time a large yacht comes to my marina as a transient or just to get fuel they'll always say "this is motor vesssel" whatever.

Im talking like 70 and 80 footers and above. Just curious

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The MV in that case is a description instead of part of the name.

It is just a form of address, nothing to do with vessel size. Like putting Mr. or Ms. before a person's name.

I keep waiting to hear a Steam Ship (S.S.) addressed over the radio.

It will depend on what comes on the Certificate of Documentation from the CG. Whatever is listed as the name is supposed to be on the boat along with the hailing port. If the application was filled out as M/V they may put that as part of the name. They may understand that it is a motor vessel and omit the M/V. Time will tell. Hopefully the OP will let us know how it turns out.

i think my pretentious ass is going to put it on. Thanks for all the imput. M/V Windward out.

I don’t think of M/V as pretentious just descriptive while calling it M/Y might be both!

South of Heaven said:

Is there a size of vessel that is required for? Because every time a large yacht comes to my marina as a transient or just to get fuel they'll always say "this is motor vesssel" whatever.

Im talking like 70 and 80 footers and above. Just curious

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I don't know about the fuel dock, but when calling in on VHF for transient moorage we always add motorvessel to the name of the boat. The initial questions from the marina personnel on VHF are always length of boat and power or sail? so might as well give it to them at the onset.

If we are hailing another boat, we use motor or sail vessel before their vessel name for crossing or passing arrangements so they know we are calling them. We will use the motorvessel before our vessel name in the same crossing arrangement transmissions in order for the other boat to be able to identify us easier.

For hailing another boat by name, we omit motorvessel.

There are other situations where motorvessel can be used such as securite and mayday calls.

Putting M/V on your transom is superfluous and will identify you as a novice

Windward is the name and M/V is the description when the boat can’t be seen, such as on the radio. Put Windward on there; I guarantee no one, including the CG, will complain that MV isn’t on the transom, even if you made it part of the name on the doc.
Make sure the MV is removable if you do put it on; you will want it gone after you spend more time in the boat world.

I would never address a vessel as an M/V or S/V. If need to differentiate, I'd say "motor vessel" or "sailing vessel."

South of Heaven said:

Is there a size of vessel that is required for? Because every time a large yacht comes to my marina as a transient or just to get fuel they'll always say "this is motor vesssel" whatever.

Im talking like 70 and 80 footers and above. Just curious

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I don't think so. I think any power driven vessel that uses an internal combustion engine, or I guess an electric motor for propulsion could be called a motor vessel.

I actually always thought of it as one of the less pretentious identifiers. Motor Yacht sounds more stuffy to me. Pleasure Craft is another one I don't like saying. Power Boat maybe?

To the OP: I'd leave the M/V off myself, but whatever makes you happy!

markpierce said:

I would never address a vessel as an M/V or S/V. If need to differentiate, I'd say "motor vessel" or "sailing vessel."

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Thanks for pointing that out. I was just being lazy by typing M/V instead of motorvessel.

I just corrected my post

emptydel1 said:

i think my pretentious ass is going to put it on. Thanks for all the imput. M/V Windward out.

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empty, don't leave in a huff. You posed a question to a large group of long time, very knowledgeable boaters. If the answers you received didn't square with the answers you wanted to receive, perhaps you should look in a mirror to see where the problem lies.

That being said, don't stay away.

emptydel1 said:

i think my pretentious ass is going to put it on. Thanks for all the input. M/V Windward out.

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I`ve not seen it here. Just name and hailing port. Which is not to say you can`t do it if you want,it does no harm.
Sometimes TFers get "playful", but most don`t intend to be nasty.

If anything ours would be XFV for no other reason but to confuse people.

As it stands, we have nothing on the transom. Ran the first couple of years without a name on her at all. If it wasn't for us finding vinyl cut signage in a cupboard she still wouldn't have a name on.

I figure M-V is for the folks that measure their boat in meters , not feet.

I had to laugh at this as it reminds me of the quote "Watch out for people who brag about who they are. A lion doesn't have to tell people he is a lion."

Having said that, put me in the no M/V on the transom group. I do use "motor vessel" as part of my call on a radio to a marina, lock or a bridge. It might help the operator on the other end of the call visualize what they need.

k9medic said:

I do use "motor vessel" as part of my call on a radio to a marina, lock or a bridge. It might help the operator on the other end of the call visualize what they need.

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Yep. Bridges and locks, especially. You're approaching them; they can't see your transom to be able to pick you out of the crowd by name. So, "Cortez Bridge, this is motor vessel Wanderlust, approaching from the North" tells the bridge tender what type of vessel they're looking for and which direction to look. Once they pick out the likely candidate, they'll be able to log the name. It isn't pretentious; it's practical and helpful. The same format works for locks, marinas, and for communicating with other boats. Sometimes, we substitute "inbound" or "outbound" for a compass direction.

John

guy with a boat said:

Windward is the name and M/V is the description when the boat can’t be seen...

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I agree with this. I frequently ID myself as "Motor Vessel" on the radio, especially if it is applicable to the issue (seeking a slip, when rendering assistance, when someone needs to identify you by sight, etc) and I've even put it in writing for the same reason. But it doesn't go on the transom.

Having said that, R/V VIRGINIA apparently did include "R/V" as part of the official name.

guy with a boat said:

Make sure the MV is removable if you do put it on; you will want it gone after you spend more time in the boat world.

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On the right track - the entire name needs to be removable because it will need re-centering after the OP comes around. Don’t have to worry about sun fade though - it will probably be just the one season, if that.

refugio said:

On the right track - the entire name needs to be removable because it will need re-centering after the OP comes around. Don’t have to worry about sun fade though - it will probably be just the one season, if that.

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Or replace with a nice, small graphic ...etc.


Always more than one way to skin a cat...or redo a boat project.



well not according to some here...it's just getting away with something.