Help me name my new boat.
January 13, 2014 2:57 PM Subscribe
Continuing the long tradition of getting AskMe to help name things, I have a boat that needs naming.
The boat is a J/70, which is a small racing sailboat. This is the third boat of this general type (small, racy) that I'll have owned, but the first one I plan to actually try and race seriously.
Boats often get named all sorts of ridiculous things. Puns are popular, though I don't much care for them. In the class that I'll be racing in, my club has boats named: "Piñata", "Wildthing", "Magic", "Hanalei", "Dynaflow", "Sumo", "Don Quixote", "Duet", "Absolute 5", "Gotcha", "Variety Show", "Katzenjammer", "Summer Breeze", "Mistress Quickly", and "Enigma", just as a list of examples (obviously I'm not going to name it the same thing as any of the other boats in my club).
Uniqueness is a plus. If you feel like looking up a boat name, the USCG keeps a list of registered vessels, which doesn't include all boats in the US, just ones registered with the Coast Guard instead of individual states, but is good way to gauge relative popularity (i.e., it shows 202 "Zephyrs" and only 39 "Chardonnays").
Anything that hints at small and fast is good, but that's not required. It needs to be short enough that I can paint it on the side on a J/70.
The boat is a J/70, which is a small racing sailboat. This is the third boat of this general type (small, racy) that I'll have owned, but the first one I plan to actually try and race seriously.
Boats often get named all sorts of ridiculous things. Puns are popular, though I don't much care for them. In the class that I'll be racing in, my club has boats named: "Piñata", "Wildthing", "Magic", "Hanalei", "Dynaflow", "Sumo", "Don Quixote", "Duet", "Absolute 5", "Gotcha", "Variety Show", "Katzenjammer", "Summer Breeze", "Mistress Quickly", and "Enigma", just as a list of examples (obviously I'm not going to name it the same thing as any of the other boats in my club).
Uniqueness is a plus. If you feel like looking up a boat name, the USCG keeps a list of registered vessels, which doesn't include all boats in the US, just ones registered with the Coast Guard instead of individual states, but is good way to gauge relative popularity (i.e., it shows 202 "Zephyrs" and only 39 "Chardonnays").
Anything that hints at small and fast is good, but that's not required. It needs to be short enough that I can paint it on the side on a J/70.
Best answer: Small and fast made me think of asteroids and meteors. I guess asteroids are probably quite large, but they're smaller than planets and look small in the night sky. Lots of asteroids have names, and there are also some named meteor showers.
Some thoughts:
Perseid
Antihelion
Draconid
Geminid
Ceres
Vesta
Juno
Euphrosyne
Thisbe
Amphitrite
Hermione
Fortuna (great if you're racing to win, too!)
Nemesis (another fun one for competitiveness)
Diotima
Also, maybe small and not particularly fast, but what the hell: Khaleesi
posted by Sara C. at 3:09 PM on January 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
Some thoughts:
Perseid
Antihelion
Draconid
Geminid
Ceres
Vesta
Juno
Euphrosyne
Thisbe
Amphitrite
Hermione
Fortuna (great if you're racing to win, too!)
Nemesis (another fun one for competitiveness)
Diotima
Also, maybe small and not particularly fast, but what the hell: Khaleesi
posted by Sara C. at 3:09 PM on January 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Peregrine, after the fastest flying bird. They're also pretty ferocious, which makes a nice name for a competitive sport!
posted by chatongriffes at 3:10 PM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by chatongriffes at 3:10 PM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
I was hoping that the sailfish had a cool Latin name, but it doesn't (to my ear). They're not very small (well, less than 10 feet) but they are very fast. But this page contains a bunch of common names for it, in English and other languages.
posted by rtha at 3:20 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by rtha at 3:20 PM on January 13, 2014
You could mine Patrick O'Brian:
Surprise
Polychrest
Sophie
Lively
posted by jquinby at 3:25 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Surprise
Polychrest
Sophie
Lively
posted by jquinby at 3:25 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Æsahættr, the "Subtle Knife" from Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials
posted by xueexueg at 3:26 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by xueexueg at 3:26 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
The Hawkmoth!
0 hits on USCG.
posted by prize bull octorok at 3:26 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
0 hits on USCG.
posted by prize bull octorok at 3:26 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Mercury
Thunder Child (After the torpedo ram from HG Wells' War of the Worlds)
Brisk
Comet
Whippet
Pursuer
Dasher
posted by Comrade_robot at 3:30 PM on January 13, 2014
Thunder Child (After the torpedo ram from HG Wells' War of the Worlds)
Brisk
Comet
Whippet
Pursuer
Dasher
posted by Comrade_robot at 3:30 PM on January 13, 2014
On a Jet
Contessa
L'Autre Dame (the other woman)
This Side Up
posted by JujuB at 3:41 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Contessa
L'Autre Dame (the other woman)
This Side Up
posted by JujuB at 3:41 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Nuisance Value
Killing Time
Caconym
Nervous Energy
(all from here which is a rich source of Ship names)
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:42 PM on January 13, 2014
Killing Time
Caconym
Nervous Energy
(all from here which is a rich source of Ship names)
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:42 PM on January 13, 2014
Sea Biscuit!
posted by Bohemian Sailor at 3:46 PM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by Bohemian Sailor at 3:46 PM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
Just for the appearance of the bowsprit on the J/70, I'd suggest Narwhal, Cyrano, or Dart (or even Lawn Dart, if she's ever been aground).
Remember that the committee boat is going to have to see your name and record it when you come out to the mark, and if the name is easy to see and spell you're going to be subconsciously favored when they're watching two boats cross the line.
posted by Kakkerlak at 3:48 PM on January 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
Remember that the committee boat is going to have to see your name and record it when you come out to the mark, and if the name is easy to see and spell you're going to be subconsciously favored when they're watching two boats cross the line.
posted by Kakkerlak at 3:48 PM on January 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
Like Kakkerlak, I was going to suggest "Dart". How about "Flechette" or "Shuriken" (both with zero hits on the USCG registry)?
posted by mhum at 3:51 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by mhum at 3:51 PM on January 13, 2014
"This side up" is excellent.
I like ships with short names if they're fast. "Dart", "Skip", "Scud", or "Nimble"?
"Tobiuo" is the anglicisation of the Japanese for flying fish.
posted by cromagnon at 3:52 PM on January 13, 2014
I like ships with short names if they're fast. "Dart", "Skip", "Scud", or "Nimble"?
"Tobiuo" is the anglicisation of the Japanese for flying fish.
posted by cromagnon at 3:52 PM on January 13, 2014
Oh, and "spindrift" is the best marine word out there, but I don't know if it's British English only.
posted by cromagnon at 3:53 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by cromagnon at 3:53 PM on January 13, 2014
Dart
Fleet of One
Windsom
Race the Wind
Rush
Yar and Far
Far and Away
Fast Times
posted by thinkpiece at 3:53 PM on January 13, 2014
Fleet of One
Windsom
Race the Wind
Rush
Yar and Far
Far and Away
Fast Times
posted by thinkpiece at 3:53 PM on January 13, 2014
rule #1 in naming a boat, if you ever get in trouble on the water and have to call the coast guard, you want to be able to tell the coast guard the name of your boat without embarrassment.
several years back i saw on latimes.com an article about a boat "qui es tu papa" that had to call the coast guard. names that could be construed as boastful or hubristic are out.
posted by bruce at 3:57 PM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
several years back i saw on latimes.com an article about a boat "qui es tu papa" that had to call the coast guard. names that could be construed as boastful or hubristic are out.
posted by bruce at 3:57 PM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
And if you're in CA, then local marine fish could give you:
"Surfperch" which has a nice dual meaning for a little boat
"Alalunga" which is the Latin species name of the albacore tuna but also sounds like "in the long run" in Italian
"Chilipepper" which is obvious but nice
"Grunion" which probably won't do but is a great word.
posted by cromagnon at 4:02 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
"Surfperch" which has a nice dual meaning for a little boat
"Alalunga" which is the Latin species name of the albacore tuna but also sounds like "in the long run" in Italian
"Chilipepper" which is obvious but nice
"Grunion" which probably won't do but is a great word.
posted by cromagnon at 4:02 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Shearwater.
It's a seabird and the word sounds like something a fast sailboat would do.
posted by islander at 4:17 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
It's a seabird and the word sounds like something a fast sailboat would do.
posted by islander at 4:17 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Heh, as someone that used to crew on a J/30 (named Preparation J) I would name it Bladder Control.
More seriously...
Ok, reading the specs I see your boat has an asymmetrical kite and can point pretty high and plane. I would name it Chaos and use this http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/43/Asymmetrical_symbol_of_Chaos.svg as a symbol. Hell, I would be tempted to use only the symbol.
Lack of a head aside (I like a beer on the downwind legs even though I'm trimming the kite) your new boat looks like a blast to sail. I'm jealous.
posted by vapidave at 4:21 PM on January 13, 2014
More seriously...
Ok, reading the specs I see your boat has an asymmetrical kite and can point pretty high and plane. I would name it Chaos and use this http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/43/Asymmetrical_symbol_of_Chaos.svg as a symbol. Hell, I would be tempted to use only the symbol.
Lack of a head aside (I like a beer on the downwind legs even though I'm trimming the kite) your new boat looks like a blast to sail. I'm jealous.
posted by vapidave at 4:21 PM on January 13, 2014
Please name it after me.
My grandfather was a boat builder/fisherman/fish wholesaler. He built a boat and named it after his mother. He also built a boat and named it after his daughter (my mother.) My father has built two boats, one named after my grandmother (my mom's mom) and one named after my daughter (who is named after my dad's mom.)
I am the only woman in my family who does not have a boat named after me.
So, why not name it after me?
posted by vespabelle at 4:23 PM on January 13, 2014 [10 favorites]
My grandfather was a boat builder/fisherman/fish wholesaler. He built a boat and named it after his mother. He also built a boat and named it after his daughter (my mother.) My father has built two boats, one named after my grandmother (my mom's mom) and one named after my daughter (who is named after my dad's mom.)
I am the only woman in my family who does not have a boat named after me.
So, why not name it after me?
posted by vespabelle at 4:23 PM on January 13, 2014 [10 favorites]
In homage to Iain M Banks - "Ultimate Ship the Second"
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:37 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:37 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Vorpal
posted by rhizome at 4:44 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by rhizome at 4:44 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
In Miami a popular name for boats is C.O.Jones.
Get it? Cojones.
/drops mike
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:50 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Get it? Cojones.
/drops mike
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:50 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
That's a great boat, you're gonna have a ball with that asymetric chute.
My advice would be- don't think too hard, keep it simple- it's only a name. Name it after your ma, but a little floozier (e.g. Margaret Dare > Maggie D).
One time down in Charleston I saw a guy who'd named his boat Liquor Box and had the Rolling Stones tongue logo beside it on the transom. Classy.
On preview: come on, name it after vespabelle!
posted by stinkfoot at 5:00 PM on January 13, 2014
My advice would be- don't think too hard, keep it simple- it's only a name. Name it after your ma, but a little floozier (e.g. Margaret Dare > Maggie D).
One time down in Charleston I saw a guy who'd named his boat Liquor Box and had the Rolling Stones tongue logo beside it on the transom. Classy.
On preview: come on, name it after vespabelle!
posted by stinkfoot at 5:00 PM on January 13, 2014
Ever since I read Foundation about a million years ago, I always told myself that if I got a boat, I'd name it Far Star.
posted by Sphinx at 5:01 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by Sphinx at 5:01 PM on January 13, 2014
Business Cat
posted by Kafkaesque at 5:07 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by Kafkaesque at 5:07 PM on January 13, 2014
In homage to Iain M Banks - "Ultimate Ship the Second"
A list of Iain M. Banks spacecraft names. Have fun.
posted by ovvl at 5:14 PM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
A list of Iain M. Banks spacecraft names. Have fun.
posted by ovvl at 5:14 PM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
I too Second Ian Banks Space Craft names from The Culture. There are loads of great ones.
posted by QueerAngel28 at 5:20 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by QueerAngel28 at 5:20 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
I've thought "Somnambulist" would be a cool name for a boat. It might be more appropriate for a cruiser, though.
posted by indyz at 5:24 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by indyz at 5:24 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Before I owned it, my boat used to be named Fuchsia Schock, which was a sort of elaborate pun on the color of the bottom paint (fuchsia), boat manufacturer's name (the W.D. Schock Co.), and the title of Toffler's book (Future Shock). I briefly was going to keep the name, but it was really a drag to have to explain all that to everyone who asked - and they did. So I renamed it Guillemot, which might sound equally obtuse, but it's just the name of a common seabird - and all good boats should be named after sea birds. It was either that or Phalarope.
Anyway, name it after a seabird, since all sailboats have one wing in the air and one wing in the water.
And let me know if you need crew, I'd love a ride on one of those.
posted by gyusan at 5:35 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Anyway, name it after a seabird, since all sailboats have one wing in the air and one wing in the water.
And let me know if you need crew, I'd love a ride on one of those.
posted by gyusan at 5:35 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Are you open to ironic names? That is,
Slowpoke
Molasses
Thixotropic
Snail
Pitch Drop
Sloth
Nuisance Value
Killing Time
Caconym
Nervous Energy
You forgot Superlifter Kiss My Ass!
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:45 PM on January 13, 2014
Slowpoke
Molasses
Thixotropic
Snail
Pitch Drop
Sloth
Nuisance Value
Killing Time
Caconym
Nervous Energy
You forgot Superlifter Kiss My Ass!
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:45 PM on January 13, 2014
Honeybadger?
posted by Snarl Furillo at 6:20 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by Snarl Furillo at 6:20 PM on January 13, 2014
Best answer: For a J/70, I like:
birds:
Swift
Shearwater
Kestrel
Swallow
fish:
Tunny
Thunnus
Skipjack
Bonito
marine mammals:
Tursiops
Orcinus
Stenella
or some names from Greek mythology:
Nesoi
Thalassa
Pontus
Aura
My favorite is Alecto, or "Unceasing"
posted by the man of twists and turns at 6:32 PM on January 13, 2014
birds:
Swift
Shearwater
Kestrel
Swallow
fish:
Tunny
Thunnus
Skipjack
Bonito
marine mammals:
Tursiops
Orcinus
Stenella
or some names from Greek mythology:
Nesoi
Thalassa
Pontus
Aura
My favorite is Alecto, or "Unceasing"
posted by the man of twists and turns at 6:32 PM on January 13, 2014
Best answer: Um, Speed Racer drove the powerful Mach Five. Racer X, ultimately revealed to be his brother, drove the Shooting Star. I do not know whether his girl friend, Trixie, named her helicopter.
Moriah (as in, they call the wind Moriah).
posted by carmicha at 7:59 PM on January 13, 2014
Moriah (as in, they call the wind Moriah).
posted by carmicha at 7:59 PM on January 13, 2014
If I had a sailboat, I'd call it 'Breaking Wind'. If I was worried about being embarrassed in a more professional racing setting, I'd probably call it the Wind Breaker and giggle to myself whenever I thought about it.
posted by SquidLips at 8:56 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by SquidLips at 8:56 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
I like Andale.
posted by tatiana131 at 9:05 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by tatiana131 at 9:05 PM on January 13, 2014
If I had a sailboat, I'd call it 'Breaking Wind'.
Unfortunately, 9 of the 17 boats in the registry that are named "Breaking..." are named "Breaking Wind."
posted by rhizome at 10:33 PM on January 13, 2014
Unfortunately, 9 of the 17 boats in the registry that are named "Breaking..." are named "Breaking Wind."
posted by rhizome at 10:33 PM on January 13, 2014
(1st, very jealous: I crew on a J/80 and it is a fantastic boat, I imagine/have heard that the J/70 is more of the same (same rating). The asymmetrical (hell the whole boat) is easy to sail - what does require a little more attention is the how exact trim needs to be to squeeze the last few bits of speed. Good Luck!)
The problem with naming your boat after something fast (Blitz, Blink, Whip, Meep Meep (personal favorite from this thread) Andale) is that if you are not fast, you look a bit like a dope.
Personally I think you should name your boat after a woman you have had some kind of long, deep, protracted personal involvement with. Not necessarily a woman who cost you a lot of money, but that's not unheard of. Using her nickname is a good, tried and true strategy.
Lastly, because it is a racing/day sailor and of course you are sailing to win, something you can say in one syllable sounds good at the awards ceremony.
posted by From Bklyn at 4:08 AM on January 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
The problem with naming your boat after something fast (Blitz, Blink, Whip, Meep Meep (personal favorite from this thread) Andale) is that if you are not fast, you look a bit like a dope.
Personally I think you should name your boat after a woman you have had some kind of long, deep, protracted personal involvement with. Not necessarily a woman who cost you a lot of money, but that's not unheard of. Using her nickname is a good, tried and true strategy.
Lastly, because it is a racing/day sailor and of course you are sailing to win, something you can say in one syllable sounds good at the awards ceremony.
posted by From Bklyn at 4:08 AM on January 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
I like Water Dancer, but if Arya Stark is not your favourite trainee assassin this may not be very relevant to you. And also, 'stick 'em with the pointy end' is probably not a good racing strategy....
posted by Lebannen at 4:54 AM on January 14, 2014
posted by Lebannen at 4:54 AM on January 14, 2014
Kevin
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 8:44 AM on January 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 8:44 AM on January 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I decided on a name!
It's not actually any of the names in this thread, though I marked some of my favorites as best answers, and reading through this thread and following the various trains of thought that some of these names inspired helped me think of the name. The boat will be called "Spitfire".
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 10:31 AM on January 14, 2014 [6 favorites]
It's not actually any of the names in this thread, though I marked some of my favorites as best answers, and reading through this thread and following the various trains of thought that some of these names inspired helped me think of the name. The boat will be called "Spitfire".
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 10:31 AM on January 14, 2014 [6 favorites]
are you naming or renaming the boat?
either way, I suggest a ceremony or ritual.
Ceremony for Renaming Your Boat
Boat Renaming
Renaming a Boat? Beware!
posted by the man of twists and turns at 10:43 AM on January 14, 2014
either way, I suggest a ceremony or ritual.
Ceremony for Renaming Your Boat
Boat Renaming
Renaming a Boat? Beware!
posted by the man of twists and turns at 10:43 AM on January 14, 2014
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