By William C. Winslow

What’s hot, and not so hot, in boat names? The same monikers seem to appear over and over because they represent a short-handed description of the owner’s personality. Here’s my take on some vessel names:

Grace. The sailor is at peace with the world and the sea.

Freedom. Being on the water, away from shore side cares, does bring a sense of freedom. In addition, some might wish to proclaim patriotism.

Seize the Day. This might be a take-charge captain, while Seas the Day is a punny captain.

Theropy. A day’s cruise cures a lot.

Second Wind. Spending time on this boat rejuvenates the skipper’s spirits.

Serenity. Boating brings a sense of contentment and comfort and a chance to get away from a chaotic world. The catboat I bought last year was named Serenity, because these craft are user friendly (no lee rail under water here).  I changed the name only because I have a tradition of naming my boats after my spouse.

Perseverance. The owner never stops exploring and overcoming challenges. Or maybe he or she is describing the mindset needed to fix up an old craft year after year?

Rum Runner. A captain who leaves his cares on the dock even if he never leaves the dock (a distant cousin to On the Rocks).

Knot on Call. A skipper who skips away from worrying.

Some brave souls at Moss Marina in Fort Myers Beach, Florida have made a valiant stab at compiling a list of not-so-great names (the comments are mine):

Titanic 2. Geez, that’s a no brainer.

A Little Nauti. Not a family friendly vessel or wishful thinking by the owner.

Sea-Duction. This owner is a little more open than some about what’s on his/her tax return.

[Name of child]’s Tuition.  With the cost of a college education these days, this could be quite a palatial yacht.

Irritable Bow. Ow.

Passing Wind. There’s no accounting for bad taste.

Piece of Ship. Is that what you think of your boat?

Storm Magnet. Talk about attracting the evil eye! Who would you get to crew on that boat?

Sinking Feeling. Great name if you never intend to file an insurance claim.

Unsinkable II. Makes you wonder what they called their previous boat.

Artifishal Reef.  Too clever beyond words.

Both power and sail boaters who live to race assign their vessels with intimidating names. America’s Cup defenders over the years bare their teeth with the likes of Defender, Courageous, Reliance, Resolute, Enterprise, Ranger, Intrepid, Freedom and Liberty. Don’t mess with me, they warn (no Serenity on the race course).

Anglers don’t play around with the yachty set. They pretty much proclaim their catch or honor their spouses. One young captain in Gloucester, Mass. rattled the local sign painter with three name changes in two years. Yeah, he admitted, maybe it was a mistake to name a fishing boat after the latest girlfriend.

One parting thought. If you’re buying a used boat, and you don’t love the name it bears, it’s perfectly OK to change the name.

The author is the Division 5 – Staff Officer Public Affairs, First District Southern Region, for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the all-volunteer, non-military arm of the Coast Guard, teaching boating safety education and conducting search and rescue operations. Visit http://cgaux.org/ to join the Auxiliary or for class information.

Bonus!

BoatUS Releases Annual List of the Top 10 Boat Names for 2019

Each year, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) tallies the most popular boat names. The tradition dates back a quarter century, with the list derived from adding up requests for boat name designs from BoatUS Boat Graphics. Each reveals something about the personality of the vessel’s owner.

1. Aquaholic. After a four-year absence from the Top 10 list, this popular boat name returns. Its appeal is in its intoxicating wordplay about overdoing too much time on the water.
2. Pearl. Sometimes a shortening of the name of the fictional ship in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series, folks who put Pearl on the transom likely know that their luxurious vessel has an understated luster.
3. Forever Young. While boating isn’t exactly like the Fountain of Youth, many boaters say the feeling of boating, sailing, or fishing keeps them feeling young.
4. Second Chance. This boat owner has likely had an opportunity for a do-over, be it with boating or a life challenge related to health, career, or matrimony.
5. Squid Pro Quo. It’s clear this fishing vessel owner appreciates Latin, or at least perhaps understands that life is a game of give-and-take.
6. More Cowbell. A 2000 Saturday Night Live comedy skit featuring Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken pokes fun at taking things too far. Perhaps this boat is a little over the top as well?
7. Pegasus. Named for a winged horse from Greek mythology that was capable of creating water springs just by striking his hoof into the earth, this boat name connects earth and sky.
8. Feelin’ Nauti. Who says you can’t be amorous while boating?
9. Why Knot? These owners appreciate nautical wordplay and realize sometimes you just have to jump into things without over-analyzing it.
10. High Maintenance. This term, sometimes used to reference a boat owner’s spouse, can also indicate that this vessel also requires much time, money or effort. A good choice for a high-performance boat.

For a look at all the BoatUS Top 10 Boat Names lists over the years go to BoatUS.com/Boatgraphics/Top-10-boat-names.