Superstitions
For me, the process of picking a name for a yacht is a fascinating thing. That's because, like most things nautical, it is fraught with superstitions and traditions. The only thing worse than naming a ship is the idea of changing the name of a ship (how many virgins need to be sacrificed alone is a hotly debated topic - don't even ask how much booze is required, or how much Neptune, Poseidon, or Davy Jones gets!).
Many people scoff at the traditions and just pick some whimsical name - which can be fun - but if you've been at sea for any length of time, you start to think that they do so at their own peril! Those superstitions started as rules to make sure you didn't do something stupid that might put the ship and crew in harm's way, and have evolved in modern times to consider newer technologies.
If you own a "dock queen" then I suppose it doesn't matter - but that was never my intention!
My Names
Time Will Tell is my second boat, so luckily I had a "system" in place. I started out that I was going to name my boats after my grandkids - figured it would be a while before I ran out of names that way, and it'd be a no brainer! But that idea got nixed when I told people my plan, because the kids would argue who'd get the first name, the biggest boat, etc. so there had to be a new plan. But they are cute kids - even if they don't want to smile for a picture (okay, they're happy to smile - just not all at the same time!).
I'm a big fan of Jimmy Buffett - his music evokes exactly what most people take charter boats out to feel! Wind in your hair, relaxed times contemplating the world over a Sundowner at a slower pace - it was a natural way to name the boat!
How do you pick the perfect Buffett song? First, you ask your buddy Google for an anthology of every Buffett song ever put on an album - I know, it leaves a few out he only did live in concert that you can hear on Radio Margaritaville, but can't buy, but its close enough for our purposes. Then you delete every title that won't work - wrong theme, too long (you might have to spell out the name phonetically one day - we are living in a modern era), not easy to understand over a radio, too offensive to someone (especially when traveling overseas - this boat will have a long life after all!)... You get the idea.
I think my edited list was 30 or so names long. Then it got hard! Tough to walk away from a name like Cultural Infidel or Semi-True Story. And some titles were better as songs than they were as a name - like Public Relations. In the end, Time Will Tell (shortened from Only Time Will Tell) was the winner. I knew it was a good pick when I was getting the boat in France and there were all sorts of jokes made whose punchline was Time Will Tell - Ship's preparedness for the Atlantic Crossing, Was I going to get seasick on the crossing, Would a minor repair that was done hold for the trip, all with the response Time Will Tell!
I still have the edited (and unedited, in fact) list for the next boat! Yes, I am an optimist, and do believe I would have had to gone to this method of naming the yachts because I would have gone thru all the grandkid's names!
For those of you eagle eyed readers who are wondering - and yes, I know there are 2 of you out there - what the first boat I mentioned earlier is about. After all, there are all sorts of references on the website about how Time Will Tell is my first catamaran, first charter yacht, etc. My first sailboat is a MacGregor 25 - a monohull with a swing keel making her the perfect trailer sailer for Florida waters. Her name is Fool's Paradise. I love the song, how its kind of a coming of age thing with people telling you you're crazy and better get your act together.
Besides, it was my first boat! For all I knew it was a disaster in the making. While she has a good sized Honey Do List of projects (yes, of my own making), she is a great boat, and I have a good time sailing her on the waters of Central Florida. I'm even still in contact with her previous owner - and he can't have her back!
Want to get your vote in for the name of the next sailing yacht I get? Message me and let me know - and let me know why! Might be a really good discount in it for you if I use it!
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