Give a boat a bad name...

We had an old battered sail training Mirror dinghy that had been nicknamed the 'Titanic'.

It was a rather strange specimen featuring wooden decks and internals but an outer turquoise fibre glass skin that was dimpled like cellulite. It was also on the heavy side.

When I was about 8 or 9 I took it out for a spin one day. Hadn't got very far when I decided to put down the self-bailer to drain away a bit of water.

It was pretty stiff, so I gave it a good push and the thing came off in my hands! It didn't take long for the water to start flooding in through the hole that had appeared in the bottom (it wasn't very windy).

Just goes to show that if you give a boat a bad name she'll live up to it!


The affectionately named 'Titanic'
(before she sank!)




James
www.iossc.org.uk

Mmm.. names. As I believe every boat should have a name, I
am in danger of being a hypocrite... I have yet to name my
RS200... any suggestions anyone, after all I don't want to make
get it wrong now do I?

How about: Tigger? or Gael Force? (geddit?)

Cant be worse than the name my 29er has: 'Albino Snowman', seemed like a good idea at the time, and you can't rename your own boat so the name is here to stay untill it finds a new home . 

You do have a point Haggis about the Xs, RSs and Mumms... can be
very contrived...

But I disagree - boats definitely have personalities, they're more than
lumps of plastic. I talk to mine, so it needs to have a name.

Plus, smiling is one of the most important things in life - and if you
can make people smile by having a great name for your boat, then
that's a good thing. Don't be so boring!

So your Europe doesn't have a name...? I think we should give it
one... how about 'Hippotomous' or 'Elephant'... (no reason, just silly
- you're talking to someone who called her last two boats 'Giraffe'
and 'Earwig') or, if you're still concerned about it being a 'girl's boat'
and that affecting your reputation, how about 'so macho' or 'Ivor
Biggun'!

Anybody spotted any really great names out there they can share
with us?

I'm reluctant to let people know what my Laser 4000 is called.
I didn't name it - the previous owner did. Isn't it bad luck to rename a boat?

I remember going to view it. It was a superb boat in nearly brand new condition for a good price, but the graphics on the side absolutely ruined it!

A split purple/white hull, emblazoned on the side in large yellow letters in an angular chinese-type font the height of the side was the name 'Second Wind' (ouch). At the back in a smaller lettering was the text 'Leaky & the Dodge'! (the owner ran a porous hose business).

Luckily, the seller delivered the boat to our club very early on a Saturday morning giving my brother and I time to remove the 'horrific' graphics before anyone else saw!

James

PS. Hope the previous owner doesn't read this forum!!

www.iossc.org.uk