So some of you maybe asking why are we calling our blog Sweet Tango. Well that is the name we are going to rename our boat too when we get her back to Halifax this summer. Right now her name is Get-Met which is the name that Dawn and Pat Holcombe (past owners) gave her when they purchased the boat in Annapolis, Maryland 5 years ago.
RaeAnn and I were trying to come up with a new name for the boat and we thought of a few but none that really did it for us. So one night we were having a few drinks at SYC with friends and talking about boat names and Andy Hart put Sweet and Tango together from the fact that RaeAnn and I meet at a Tango class and RaeAnn's new baking business is called "Sweet Rae's"
So you may ask why we are not renaming our boat as soon as we get it. First of all and most importunately its very back luck to rename your boat unless you do it right. Since we don't need any bad luck on this trip we decide to wait until we get home.
Ceremony for Renaming Your Boat
Everyone knows that renaming your boat will bring nothing but bad luck
and make your boating experience something that you will want to forget.
But what happens when, after months of searching, you find your
dreamboat with a name that you just cannot live with. For example, my
first love was a 28-foot Alden with the most beautiful lines I’d ever
seen. She was named
Perfidious. How could anything this graceful be named
betrayer of trust? Well, I never bought her, but I often thought that if I had, I would have renamed her
Magic, after my wife.
Renaming a boat is, of course, not something to be
done lightly. Since the beginning of time, sailors have sworn that there
are unlucky ships and the unluckiest ships of all are those who have
defied the gods and changed their names. So, is there a way to change a
name and not incur the wrath of those deities that rule the elements?
Yes, Virginia, there is.
According to legend, each and every vessel is recorded by name in the Ledger of the Deep and is known personally to
Poseidon, or
Neptune, the
god of the sea. It is logical therefore, if we wish to change the name
of our boat, the first thing we must do is to purge its name from the
Ledger of the Deep and from
Poseidon’s memory.
This is an involved process beginning with the removal
or obliteration of every trace of the boat’s current identity. This is
essential and must be done thoroughly.
I once went through the ceremony after the owner had
assured me that every reference to his boat’s old name had been purged
from her. A couple of weeks later, he discovered he had missed a faded
name on her floating key chain. I advised him to start over, perhaps
with a little extra libation for the ruler of the sea. Unfortunately, he
declined.
Since then, his boat has been struck by lightning, had
its engine ruined by the ingress of the sea, been damaged by collision
and finally sunk! It pays to be thorough.
In purging your boat, it is acceptable to use White-Out
or some similar obliterating fluid to expunge the boat’s name from log
books, engine and maintenance records etc., but it is much easier to
simply remove the offending document from the boat and start afresh.
Don’t forget the life rings and especially the transom and forward name
boards.
Do not under any circumstances carry
aboard any item bearing your boat’s new name until the purging and
renaming ceremonies have been completed!
Once you are certain every reference to her old name
has been removed from her, all that is left to do is to prepare a metal
tag with the old name written on it in water-soluble ink. You will also
need a bottle of reasonably good Champagne. Plain old sparkling wine
won’t cut it. Since this is an auspicious occasion, it is a good time to
invite your friends to witness and to party. Begin by invoking the name
of the ruler of the deep as follows:
Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans,
to whom all ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required
to pay homage, implore you in your graciousness to expunge for all time
from your records and recollection the name (here insert the old name of
your vessel) which has ceased to be an entity in your kingdom. As proof
thereof, we submit this ingot bearing her name to be corrupted through
your powers and forever be purged from the sea. (At this point, the
prepared metal tag is dropped from the bow of the boat into the sea.)
In grateful acknowledgment of your munificence and
dispensation, we offer these libations to your majesty and your court.
(Pour at least half of the bottle of Champagne into the sea from East to
West. The remainder may be passed among your guests.
It is usual for the renaming ceremony to be conducted
immediately following the purging ceremony, although it may be done at
any time after the purging ceremony. For this portion of the
proceedings, you will need more Champagne, Much more because you have a
few more gods to appease.Begin the renaming by again calling Poseidon as
follows:
Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans,
to whom all ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required
to pay homage, implore you in your graciousness to take unto your
records and recollection this worthy vessel hereafter and for all time
known as (Here insert the new name you have chosen), guarding her with
your mighty arm and trident and ensuring her of safe and rapid passage
throughout her journeys within your realm.
In appreciation of your munificence, dispensation
and in honor of your greatness, we offer these libations to your majesty
and your court. (At this point, one bottle of Champagne, less one glass
for the master and one glass for the mate are poured into the sea from
West to East.)
The next step in the renaming ceremony is to appease
the gods of the winds. This will assure you of fair winds and smooth
seas. Because the four winds are brothers, it is permissible to invoke
them all at the same time, however, during the ceremony; you must
address each by name. Begin in this manner:
Oh mighty rulers of the winds, through whose power
our frail vessels traverse the wild and faceless deep, we implore you
to grant this worthy vessel (Insert your boat’s new name) the benefits
and pleasures of your bounty, ensuring us of your gentle ministration
according to our needs.(Facing north, pour a generous libation of
Champagne into a Champagne flute and fling to the North as you intone:)
Great Boreas, exalted ruler of the North Wind, grant us permission to
use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever
sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your frigid breath.(Facing west,
pour the same amount of Champagne and fling to the West while
intoning:) Great Zephyrus, exalted ruler of the West Wind, grant us
permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful
endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your wild
breath.(Facing east, repeat and fling to the East.) Great Eurus, exalted
ruler of the East Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers
in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming
scourge of your mighty breath.
(Facing south, repeat, flinging to the South.)
Great Notus, exalted ruler of the South Wind, grant us permission to use
your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing
us the overwhelming scourge of your scalding breath.
Of course, any champagne remaining will be the beginnings of a suitable celebration in honor of the occasion.
Once the ceremony has been completed, you may bring
aboard any and all items bearing the new name of your vessel. If you
must schedule the painting of the new name on the transom before the
ceremony, be sure the name is not revealed before the ceremony is
finished. It may be covered with bunting or some other suitable
material.
