Don't like difficult-to-read boat name fonts

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caltexflanc said:
See my post. The key is for the boat being passed to slow down or take way off so that the passer can get by at minimum wake.
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Yes, but this is the post I was questioning:
FF said:
If the passing marine motorist knows how to give a wakeles pass there is no reason for the boat being passed to slow at all.
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On an unrelated note:

BandB said:
I know brokers push for Hailing Ports in low tax states, but by law, the hailing port has absolutely nothing to do with where or how the boat is taxed.
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This is absolutely true, as far as the USCG cares, the hailing port can be any legitimate US place name.

However, be aware that many STATES will scour the list of newly documented vessels and send nasty letters demanding taxes to any with a hailing port in their state. You're then forced to prove either the boat is in another state, or you have already paid your taxes.
 
markpierce said:
So, why do many boaters use difficult-to-read fonts for their boats' names? That irks me, and wonder why USCG documentation rules don't help. :confused:
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I agree Mark. The only thing worse than difficult to read fonts are boat names that are difficult to pronounce without prior knowledge.
 
dhays said:
I agree Mark. The only thing worse than difficult to read fonts are boat names that are difficult to pronounce without prior knowledge.
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Sometimes best to have others, perhaps even strangers, read the names and tell you what they think, completely cold. They may know slang that you don't and turns the name into something you don't want it to be. They may also not know how to pronounce something you don't realize is a problem. Really, just ask the man on the street, much like an informal focus group. Over the years, I've been shocked by reactions in focus groups to names.

I recall a friend who relocated to Sydney, Australia for a few years. He was shocked his first day there as his secretary was making sure he had all the supplies he needed for his desk. He was a bit taken back when he thought she asked if he found the condoms in his drawer. Actually she was talking about erasers, when she used the word "rubbers."
 
I continue to be amazed at how many people don't know Cygnus (my boat's name) is a constellation (the Northern Cross.) They seem to think it's some deep, mystical thing they'll never understand.

The point is, B made a very good suggestion. Ask around before you finalize the name!

Our last boat name, Xanadu, was a good one because everyone had heard it; they'd either heard the Rush song, the Olivia Newton-John song, or they were a scholar of Coleridge.

There's a marina in Onset, MA where I'd stop for fuel sometimes before or after passing through the Canal. The dock hand would see me coming in Xanadu and start reciting Coleridge as I tied up. He always got a tip!
 
CaptTom said:
There's a marina in Onset, MA where I'd stop for fuel sometimes before or after passing through the Canal. The dock hand would see me coming in Xanadu and start reciting Coleridge as I tied up. He always got a tip!
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Wifey B: Olivia is much better than Coleridge. :lol:

 
CaptTom said:
...Our last boat name, Xanadu, was a good one because everyone had heard it; they'd either heard the Rush song, the Olivia Newton-John song, or they were a scholar of Coleridge.

There's a marina in Onset, MA where I'd stop for fuel sometimes before or after passing through the Canal. The dock hand would see me coming in Xanadu and start reciting Coleridge as I tied up. He always got a tip!
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That previous boat wasn't a 1996 Mainship 370 was it? We bought ours in Somerset, MA which I know is a good hike from Onset but the same general area. We kept the name Xanadu. Lots of them around I know, but (1) I'm an English lit major; (2) you have to have some respect for the past and your boat and don't go changing its name willy-nilly unless the previous name is intolerable; and (3) the 80's were my college glory days and I was a huge ELO fan. There, fine, I admitted it.
 
CaptTom said:
Yes, but this is the post I was questioning:

Originally Posted by FF View Post
If the passing marine motorist knows how to give a wakeless pass there is no reason for the boat being passed to slow at all.
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You are right to question it because it completely defies the laws of physics, ot put another way, is just dead wrong.
 
Any time a smartass says some snarky remark about my hailing port being inland (our home city), my response is always, “It’s where the money comes from.” They seem to get that.
 
While there may be no such thing as a totally wakeless pass, there are ways that a much better pass than many understand is certainly possible.
 
psneeld said:
While there may be no such thing as a totally wakeless pass, there are ways that a much better pass than many understand is certainly possible.
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As frequent AICW flyers, we've had passes that run the gamut. I'd say the SF delivery jocks are up there with the worst with the 50+ ft SeaRays, they either don't care or may just be lousy handlers. OTOH, I did experience a few passes from top-notch pros in big SF's who hailed me, explained that they were going to come quickly up on my quarter, drop down and slide by pretty close, wanted me to slow just a bit. They knew precisely what they were doing, and the pass was smooth and minimally disruptive. You could tell they were pros and took great pride in their capabilities. Gave them kudos for their courtesy and professionalism.
 
MHYZHEN

C-C-C-C-C-C-C

these are both on my short list, love em or leave em ?
 
Maerin said:
As frequent AICW flyers, we've had passes that run the gamut. I'd say the SF delivery jocks are up there with the worst with the 50+ ft SeaRays, they either don't care or may just be lousy handlers. OTOH, I did experience a few passes from top-notch pros in big SF's who hailed me, explained that they were going to come quickly up on my quarter, drop down and slide by pretty close, wanted me to slow just a bit. They knew precisely what they were doing, and the pass was smooth and minimally disruptive. You could tell they were pros and took great pride in their capabilities. Gave them kudos for their courtesy and professionalism.
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Exactly,....

Often they call me and ask me to slow down...I say I am slow enough as it is...explain to them when and where plus how to pass...they do it...see how little muss and fuss it really can be...and then give me 2 thumbs up.

But there are boat size and speed combos that are hard to make work, but others are a beautiful thing where both parties pass happily.
 
I've only had a couple of come-from-behind friendly passes addressing my boat. Everyone else goes by regardless ... needing me to "keep on my toes" and turn sharply into strong wakes.
 
Tom.B said:
Any time a smartass says some snarky remark about my hailing port being inland (our home city), my response is always, “It’s where the money comes from.” They seem to get that.
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I don’t “get” it Tom.
And what the hell has money got to do w it?
 
When I was a kid, my dad bought a boat with a funny name. We all thought maybe it meant something special to the previous owner. It was painted on and he planned to change it some day after he finished several other projects (sound familiar?). One day I saw my mom staring at the name for a long time, after which she told my dad ”that name comes off the boat or I don’t get on.” She had figured out what “Gnatnoop” spelled backwards meant. Dad professed his innocence for the rest of his days, but he sanded the name off that same night.:blush:
 
When Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble went into boat-owning partnership, they disagreed on a name. Fred wanted to christen her "Nautical Lady," while Barney wanted "Sea Queen."

As a compromise, they just took the first three letters of each name and put them together.

True story.
 
My boat name came with the boat. I considered changing the name but, that would mean, changing the documentation, changing the name on the really nice name boards and transom and getting it blessed by a member of the clergy, throwing a renaming party and finally like so many things in life, still it would not be mine. Somethings just always 'belong' to the previous owner.
It's not the greatest name in the world. The boat is named "Kinja." Turns out, the name has 3 meanings. I am told it really was really named after for an island in the USVI. Next, the name of an organizations meaning, 'understanding through discussion.' That's fine and makes the ladies smile. SURPRISE, I am a crusty old man. Finally, I have been told, by a man from the islands, it means 'drug lord'. That one, I can do without.
I elected not to change it because I would need a new throw rug and it came with 2 nice 'personalized' yellow foul weather jackets and they are the perfect size.

Try living on a farm. It always belongs to the previous owner. I wanted something delivered, it was always referred to as, "the old Peterson place". If I tried to claim it as my own, no one would know where I was located. Maybe if one lived there long enough, when one sell the farm or dies, it will finally be known your farm. I don't know but maybe, it's the same with a boat.

No matter the name of the boat, the bridge operators will still hate you. They have to log you through the bridge. Even if you name your boat "Fred", the bridge operator may still ask you to repeat the name 2 or 3 times or spell it phonetically, which is another problem for me. I try not to get too creative with my phonetic spelling. I do remember, "U" is not Uranus and "Z" is not zippity-do-da. Life is short, enjoy it but, try not to make it too difficult for others along the way.
 
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kthoennes said:
That previous boat wasn't a 1996 Mainship 370 was it? We bought ours in Somerset, MA which I know is a good hike from Onset but the same general area. We kept the name Xanadu. Lots of them around I know, but (1) I'm an English lit major; (2) you have to have some respect for the past and your boat and don't go changing its name willy-nilly unless the previous name is intolerable; and (3) the 80's were my college glory days and I was a huge ELO fan. There, fine, I admitted it.
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No a Bayliner. But I've seen very few boats with that name, and I usually remember them. I think I may have run across a Mainship 370 at one point.

My first overnight in a marina with my old Xanadu, in 2003. We tied up at DeMillo's in Portland across the fairway from a larger Carver with the same name. A few years later we were in port with a large (80-100') yacht with that name written in gold lettering on fancy back-lit name boards.

Never liked that movie myself, but my wife is a big Oliva Newton-John fan, so it worked for us.
 
CaptTom said:
Yes, but this is the post I was questioning:


On an unrelated note:
"Originally Posted by BandB View Post
I know brokers push for Hailing Ports in low tax states, but by law, the hailing port has absolutely nothing to do with where or how the boat is taxed."


This is absolutely true, as far as the USCG cares, the hailing port can be any legitimate US place name.

However, be aware that many STATES will scour the list of newly documented vessels and send nasty letters demanding taxes to any with a hailing port in their state. You're then forced to prove either the boat is in another state, or you have already paid your taxes.
Click to expand...

...perhaps this is a reason then if you're mobile and not yet settled on a permanent location, to choose a hailing port where the scouring and hassling will not occur such as RI or Delaware....:whistling:
 
"However, be aware that many STATES will scour the list of newly documented vessels and send nasty letters demanding taxes to any with a hailing port in their state. You're then forced to prove either the boat is in another state, or you have already paid your taxes."

To add insult to injury many states require marinas and boat yards to present lists , monthly, of boats not from their state.

Done of course free for the state , at the expense of the marina.
 
FF said:
"However, be aware that many STATES will scour the list of newly documented vessels and send nasty letters demanding taxes to any with a hailing port in their state...
Click to expand...

Helps to live in a state where 99.998% of state and local officials have never heard of federal boat documentation and have no idea what it is, or what a hailing port might be. ;)
 
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My first boat was a used 1985 Skipjack 25. It didn't come with a name on it and I never named it. When I called the coastguard I used the handle "Skipjack". Since then I have owned 2 more boats, both of which, I named and used a sort of fancy italic font. Maybe some have a hard time reading it. I don't know and I am not going to replace it just incase someone may have a hard time reading it.


Not that Mark doesn't have a valid point. But - the next step would be to control the font that people use. I don't want to go there.
 
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dirtdoc1 said:
My first boat was a used 1985 Skipjack 25. It didn't come with a name on it and I never named it. When I called the coastguard I used the handle "Skipjack". Since then I have owned 2 more boats, both of which, I named and used a sort of fancy italic font. Maybe some have a hard time reading it. I don't know and I am not going to replace it just incase someone may have a hard time reading it.


Not that Mark doesn't have a valid point. But - the next step would be to control the font that people use. I don't want to go there.
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The font and size are defined by USCG, for the stern. Not everyone follows the USCG rules.
Same way with the horn.
 
Old Dan,
The hull numbers are a problem? I didn’t know that.
 
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