Your boat is your pride and joy and keeping it in top condition is on the top of your priority list. However, before you start sailing the seas, you should consider giving your offshore companion a title.
As a boater, it is a rite of passage to christen your watercraft with a fitting name and, while it can also be an enjoyable and creative task reflecting your personality, there are also a few guidelines you should follow to make sure your boat has the best name it can possibly have.
Here are Offshore Supply’s top tips when it comes to giving your vessel a name. After all, it’s going to be tattooed on its haunches, so it’s a best to leave a good impression on fellow boaters.
Safety First!
By staying somewhat practical when naming your boat, you can efficiently relay your boat’s name to a coast guard, or if you need to send an SOS in an. Any complicated name could cause miscommunication and whether you need assistance or not, this is never a good idea. While some names might get you a laugh or two around the marina, you may be adding some risk by opting for them.
Avoid Clichés
Whether you have set foot on a dock before or you are a first-time boater, you’ve probably seen the names of boats plastered where we can all see them. Classics such as ‘Seas the Day” and “Second Wind”. While these seem like an easy option and are reasonably entertaining, do they really apply to you?
The best boat names reveal something about yourself or have some connection to you, especially if you are new to the boating world. Try and think of a thoughtful and meaningful name for your vessel, as this is a fantastic way to integrate yourself into the nautical community.
A Feminine Touch
There is perhaps nothing quite as classic as using a female’s name for a boat. According to some experts, giving human traits to an inanimate object can aspire you to attach more responsibility and ownership to it, which could essentially mean you subconsciously take better care of ‘her’ and could mean less costly repairs.
Whether naming her after your partner, mother, daughter or pet, naming your boat after an important woman in your life will never go out of style.
Abide by the Law
Apart from the fact that naming your boat is a fun task, it is part of the boat registration law. You will have no choice but to name your boat and to decide how it will be known through the register and by others. The UK Boat Registration states that the proposed name should not already be taken or similar to an already taken name.
General restrictions are that the name should also not be similar to a distress signal, likely to cause offence or embarrassment, should not have a clear connection to the Royal Family and not have a port as a part of its name if it is not the boat’s port of choice.
Once you’ve got the perfect name for your boat, don’t forget to do the all-important stencilling of it onto your boat, which you can find by browsing our range of deck hardware.
Get the personality of your vessel across through its name and through its appearance. Make sure your boat reflects why you are taking to the waters and your personality. Decorate it appropriately and, again, make sure that its name is visible for everyone to see.
If you would like any more information on what products we supply for you to get your boat looking as great as its name, you can get in touch with OffShore Supply, who would be more than happy to help.