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A Charleston, SC sign company asks, "What's in a boat name?"
When I set out to write an article for our audience, I research the subject. For this article I was, obviously, researching information about a boat name. Being in Charleston, SC does not necessarily make you an expert on all subjects relating to a boat name. Once I did this research I thought I would share the information with you. Distinguishing your boat name is all part of a process.
Changing a boat name
Most people realize that those who take to the water tend to have a lot of superstitions that they follow. What I never realized is that there are "rules" to be followed when you want to change a boat name. While not everyone may believe in them, why tempt fate? These are the steps you may want to take when you change your boat name.
- Remove the old name from the boat. This can be done by applying a heat gun or a hair dryer to the or letters that are already there. You then want to carefully scrape off the old name. For many this would be enough, but according to boating tradition there are further steps to take…
- Remove anything from the boat that has the old name. This includes journals, log books, charts and papers.
- Remove the name completely from life buoys, transom, top-side, dinghy, and oars. Do not just paint over it, you must remove it. For any parts that are done with vinyl you can again remove with a hair dryer or heat gun. The heat allows the adhesive to become pliable and can be scraped from the surface.
- If the boat name is etched into the boat and you cannot remove it, it is recommended that you fill it in with putty and sand it smooth to remove all traces.
- Do not bring anything onto the boat that has the new boat name until you have de-named it. This will be a ceremony that should be carried out before anything has the new boat name applied to it.
- Buy a bottle of champagne (my information says not to be stingy, don't buy the stuff that costs $1 a gallon. Find something reasonably priced, as this is viewed as an offering to the sea.)
- Recite a de-naming ceremony of your choice. A number can be found on the internet. Once you have spoken the ceremony pour the entire bottle of champagne over the boat.
- It is a personal choice when to do the renaming ceremony. You can give your boat its new name right away, but my research tends to point to waiting at least 24 hours.
A new boat name
This may be your first boat and you purchased it from someone else. Now you want to make it your own, and you need to choose a new boat name. While a boat name is a personal choice, there are a few legal regulations that must be followed. You can have the same name as another boat if you choose, but you cannot use a name that is either spelled like, or sounds like words that would be used to get assistance at sea. You also cannot use a boat name that has profanity, indecent language, racial slurs or ethnic epithets.
Making the boat name "yours"
You now have a boat name in mind, and you have found the perfect de-naming ceremony. Your boat will be located in a Charleston, SC marina and you want people to remember it. So, how do you do this? You give the name a little pizzazz!!! The boat name can be made in a high performance vinyl and applied for everyone to see. At TheSignChef.com in Charleston, SC 29418 we have over 3000 fonts that you can choose from to make your boat name one of a kind. One thing to remember, however is that if you have a boat that is registered the law requires that the registration number is done in a block style font. Personalizing the is all up to you. Give it some personality and make it memorable. Have fun and use your imagination. A boat is a work of art all by itself, and the owner brings their own taste to it. Letting people know what you stand for, or what you are like...well, that's what's in a boat name.
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