What’s in a Name?

Posted by Mike Collins on Feb 1, 2011 in Sailing | 0 comments

In a recent article on one of my favorite travel blogs, YTravelBlog, a question was raised about names we are known by when we travel. Often our hometown names are different when we slip into travel mode. Perhaps we are wearing a different hat than that of our daily persona which sheds us in a different light. Like an actor on stage, we need a name fitting our travel guise.

Nicknames are sometimes chosen for us by our less than glamorous attributes and more for our quirks. For cruising sailors, names are automatic. We write them on the back of our boats and are forever branded with our Nom de Bateaux. Other cruisers will refer to us by our stern signature not our given names.

My name is Mike. Sitting around a shared basket of conch fritters and Red Stripe I am called Mike. When I am not present I am referred to as No Boundaries. New cruisers all seem to make the humorous mistake finding a cutesy, play on words, cliché boat name. Over the years I have seen some interesting names that I am glad I never chose. Here is a list of names that crusty old salt wannabes are branded with by giggling wharf rats and the comments passed around the marina.

Master Baiter  “I hear he spends a lot of time alone.”

Passing Wind “He brought burritos to the pot luck last night.”

Buoy Crazy “I’m heading to the showers when Buoy Crazy is done.”

My Little Dinghy “Have you seen My Little Dinghy?”

Blew Too Much “How did he afford that boat?”

Nauti Girl “Is there a female on that boat.”

Knot Smart “All his charts are drawn in Crayon.”

Knot Pretty “And you should see his wife.”

The “Knot” list goes on and on. Moral of the story? When choosing a boat name it is a good idea to try it on for size in the first person before the paint job.