# boat names



## captishmael (Feb 8, 2008)

I actually went thru the re-christening ceremony once. I used to have several boats, one of which was a gray 14 footer named "Box of Rain" which I always liked. Box of Rain was usually driven by a friend who spent many hours in a dreamlike state as he rowed. He named her, unofficially, Happy Flower. I have no idea why. That name stuck, so after a few years, I thought what the heck, and did the whole ceremony. At that time, I was trying to extract a pound of flesh from then Sec'y of the Interior James Watt. Being slippery, I couldn't catch him, so I settled for a Feral Pig. That worked well, and as far as I know, Happy Flower is still plying the Rivers of the West under a new master. Here's to Flowing Waters and Sandy beaches, Happy Flower, I Miss Ye Still............... Clink!


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## rising.sun (Sep 27, 2009)

We've got 3 AIRE IK's... the *Sunny Baudelaire*, the *Beatrice II* (both in reference to the Tale of Unfortunate Events literary series, a favorite of my wife and daughters), and the *Caliban* (reference to one of the antagonists from the Shakespeare play The Tempest). I have painted each name on the boat with some special inflatable paint from Inland Marine, using an overhead projector to get the font and letter sizing just right.

Naming a boat is almost as much fun as paddling it the first time. It was a real family event for us - and I have a long list of others to choose from when we buy more boats in the future.


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## mulex (May 13, 2008)

Our 16' cat used to have old Argonaut double pontoons. That's how she got her name: Courtney Cox.


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## BarryDingle (Mar 13, 2008)

My 18' Avon=Fat Jesus


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## pinemnky13 (Jun 4, 2007)

My 16' battleship grey viking cat = "The Good ship Lollipop" please don't tell anyone


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## bobblehead (Jun 26, 2007)

I was rowing along with my 4 & 6 y/o daughters talking about a good name for our 13' yellow AIRE. without hesitation, my older daughter blurted out "S.S. Pumpernickel". Hate it, but it somehow stuck.


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## nmalozzi (Jun 19, 2007)

My raft that is on its way to me will be "Harold of The Rocks." Huge Primus/Les Claypool fan, and I'm sure my raft will be very familiar with rocks as it will be my first time at the oars. When I decide to upgrade to a cat it will be names "Tommy The Cat," yet another Primus reference. 

Maybe i think about it too much since i've named two vessels that aren't even in my possession yet.


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## stribtw (Mar 19, 2009)

nmalozzi said:


> Maybe i think about it too much since i've named two vessels that aren't even in my possession yet.


 
absolutely not, both great names. i think names for boats that come from music fit on many levels. its not just a name, it carries alot of feelings and ideas with it as well. 

i do also think that you dont need to name it before the maiden voyage, sometimes the boat may name itself.


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## coloradopaddler (Jun 16, 2005)

My red 14' aire is named the "red rocket", and my yellow tandem ducky is called the banana boat. my four year old daughter named that one. none of my canoes have any names except for one. an old town 169 that i don't remember the name of, we christened her with jager and barely remember the event!


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## Airaddict (Mar 18, 2008)

I have an old 14' american camper bucket boat. She's old ugly and may not last a couple more seasons. However, I just got her and haven't named it. I was thinking of calling it the "Bucket List". She has a-lot of rivers I want to take her on, but may not live to see them all before her time.


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## jmcdannel (Apr 22, 2009)

My black & blue cat: Bruiser, aka The bataraft (we found a dead bat stuffed between the frame and tube). When I bring natural light on the trip, it becomes the Nataraft.
My wife's 16' black and purple cat: Lila
My wife's Black & White & Red cat: TBD. suggestions?
I'm borrowing "ghostrider" right now - a black and white cat.


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## xena13 (Mar 21, 2007)

I have a duckie. Her name is Daisy.


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## captishmael (Feb 8, 2008)

jmcdannel said:


> My wife's Black & White & Red cat: TBD. suggestions?
> Allover. As in "What's Black and White and................"


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## MustacheTheGauley (Feb 16, 2010)

My 14' Hyside is named Monkey Island. I have a framed painting of many monkeys making various cocktails. The name fits well.
My mini-me is newly named The Mustache (The Stache) as when it rolls up in front of a larger boat it looks like the stache of the larger boat.
Good Times!


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## g.soutiere (Jul 7, 2009)

I have a 13 ft saturn yellow I named the short bus, cause I am a little special. Lol


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## kree (May 23, 2009)

I got my boat around the same time that a good (canine) friend of mine passed away. I named it The Blue Grotto after him. RIP.

My buddy has a super old Avon with more patches than original rubber. It's called "The Cirrhosis of the River."


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## rising.sun (Sep 27, 2009)

kree said:


> My buddy has a super old Avon with more patches than original rubber. It's called "The Cirrhosis of the River."


Love this one...


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## Snowhere (Feb 21, 2008)

I was going to buy another car to add to my fleet. We have 2 cars, one truck and 2 motorcycles. So the wife made a big stink; 'WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE 4 CARS!' So I gave up and bought a 14' Hyside instead. Her name is Consolidation Prize.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

jmcdannel said:


> My black & blue cat: Bruiser, aka The bataraft (we found a dead bat stuffed between the frame and tube). When I bring natural light on the trip, it becomes the Nataraft.
> My wife's 16' black and purple cat: Lila
> My wife's Black & White & Red cat: TBD. suggestions?
> I'm borrowing "ghostrider" right now - a black and white cat.


It looks like it's "Allover", named on the Buzz!

Nothing wrong with naming a boat before you get it. I named my cat before I actually even was going to get it. It was when I thought of the name that I knew I was going to get it. Mothra, he was a very special cat to me (RIP) and when I thought of naming my cat after my greatest cat, I knew it was meant to be!


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## bejonesxyz (Feb 10, 2010)

The previous owner named my boat "Flipper" due to a bad flip, and I had no problems for the last 3 years. Recently though, she is living up to her name. Maybe its time for a new name!


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

The first 14' Avon my brother and I bought was named by his young daughter......she called it..... Old Grey Mare......cuss she ain't what she use to be.


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## Wadeinthewater (Mar 22, 2009)

20 ft gray cat - the Manatee - which quickly morphed into the Sea Cow.


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## caught_the_bug (Jan 7, 2009)

14' nrs raft named the mountain wookie


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

My first Cat was a Jacks Plastic Flyer Cat named "The Dust Bunny."
My next Cat was red and was named Ruby, which was short for "The Ruby Slipper." She did take me to Oz a few times. Now she's up in Boise, maybe surfing the Lochsa surf wave????
My new teal Cat is named Jewel..... as in Jewel Of The Nile. Does that make me Cleopatra? Hmmmmm. Perhaps I should be treated like a queen.
KJ


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## captishmael (Feb 8, 2008)

lhowemt said:


> It looks like it's "Allover", named on the Buzz!
> 
> Nothing wrong with naming a boat before you get it. I named my cat before I actually even was going to get it. It was when I thought of the name that I knew I was going to get it. Mothra, he was a very special cat to me (RIP) and when I thought of naming my cat after my greatest cat, I knew it was meant to be!


Cool. I didn't say it earlier, but I'd probably pronounce it like "Oliver", which is more of a Namey Name than "All- Over" which is more of a Wordy Word and besides, there is something about the constantly changing river (you can never wade in the same river twice) and the transmogrification of the name that pays homage to that thought.....................
Oh never mind, I'll be going now.
Peace.


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## Don (Oct 16, 2003)

Ken.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

caprishmael said:


> Cool. I didn't say it earlier, but I'd probably pronounce it like "Oliver", which is more of a Namey Name than "All- Over" which is more of a Wordy Word and besides, there is something about the constantly changing river (you can never wade in the same river twice) and the transmogrification of the name that pays homage to that thought.....................
> Oh never mind, I'll be going now.
> Peace.


I like that too. The name could also apply for double run days, let's do it 'oliver again!


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## the_dude (May 31, 2006)

i'm a huge phish fan, so something from a phish tune seemed appropriate. our boat was named "prince caspian" because it floats upon the waves.


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## pbowman (Feb 24, 2004)

i thought i had a great theme for my fleet given our western locale. i was going to call the 12' "lil' joe" for his spirited hot-head nature, the 15' "hoss" because he is the big brother work horse, and the culebra "benj" as the son of lil' joe. my wife quickly poo-poo'd the idea, and all remain nameless for the time being.

i like the idea of having the boat name itself through its personality on the river, but the only thing the 12' ever said to me was "take a flying leap" after gutting the meat line on SITM. other than that, he seems to be the quiet type.

along those lines, what about the sex of your boats? i tend to think of mine as male buddies who i boat with, but what are other guys thinking when they see their boats as female - some kind of lifelong mate/spouse relationship? and what about girls who see their boats as female - a bff relationship, or perhaps a kinky "college experiment" type thing? i'm just wondering.


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## catwoman (Jun 22, 2009)

Tulip, cuz she is tulip yellow, I bought her this spring, and she is kinda shaped like 2-lips.

My Aire Wild Cat was also yellow, and named Banana Split.


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## acetomato (May 6, 2006)

Seems like no kayakers are joining in on this? I'll throw down. 
All of mine have been color related. 

Orange Mega Rocker named the Orange Whip. 
"Orange whip? Orange whip? Three orange whips."
- (in case you didn't know) John Candy, The Blues Brothers

Pink SuperStar named the Pink Torpedo. 
"... My baby fits me like a flesh tuxedo/ I'd to sink her with my pink torpedo..." 
- Spinal Tap, Big Bottom (with everyone on bass, oh yeah!)

My green SuperFun hasn't really found her name yet. Hmmm...


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## Chip (Apr 7, 2007)

The Jack's stretch flyer cat (red, 15 ft.) is _Kura_, which is Mäori for Red Feather. 

The custom-frame Jack's Cutthroat playboat (red, 12 ft.) is _Porco Rosso_, for a film I like. 

The two-seater Pack Cat is _Stonefly_. 

The solo Pack cat is _Mayfly_.


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## NolsGuy (Jul 20, 2009)

My 14'er is named The Water Slut.


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## davecosnowboarder (Apr 25, 2007)

Aire cat:Red Zeppelin


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## earnyourturn (Aug 31, 2004)

My boats past and present,

16 foot campways - Big bertha
14 foot campways - little bertha
Marvia Willow 1, blue - Stella

Friends boats are called
14 foot NRS, grey - Touch of Grey
14 foot Saturn, yellow - The Golden Shower


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## motor_btn_sob (Jan 18, 2009)

18' RHIB = Aleson
her bimini = tom cruises clit ring


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## M-Train (Mar 28, 2008)

I call my duckie the Nappy Dugout


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## damax101 (Jul 25, 2006)

I learned to kayak in a red perception super sport, affectionately dubbed ‘The Big Red Love Stick”

A buddy just broke his black jackson rocker, aka ‘Samuel L.’


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## Big Da (Mar 8, 2006)

My 14' raft is named Beef Cake.


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## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

my 14' purple aire is Mp3 "my purple people pleaser"


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## ilanarama (Jun 25, 2010)

My yellow Jack's Fat Cat is Yello Kitty (like Hello Kitty) because it's not a cataraft, it's a kittyraft. We used to have an old NRS 16' that we bought from outfitters that went broke before finishing painting their company name on it. They were Cache Le Poudre; the boat just said "Cache" on it so that's what we called it. Of course it sounds like "Cash" which, you know, appropriate for a boat. I have several friends with boats named "Patches". I wonder why...


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## ecarlson972 (Apr 24, 2007)

Rubber Pumpkin


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## NolsGuy (Jul 20, 2009)

Well...so far I think The Water Slut is where it's at. 

Have fun.


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## weremichael (Apr 9, 2009)

My wife named our raft "Mr. Boat Jangles" this past week on our first overnighter trip.


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## rippnskier (Jun 4, 2006)

As a guide, I let my crew name the boat every day. The 7 girls from Texas yesterday came up with... The Dump Truck Slut...


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## MSW9 (May 1, 2008)

My 14' DRE Cat is named Bertha.


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## deerfieldswimteam (Apr 17, 2006)

My canary-colored Dagger Juice is Lola because she's not sure if she's a playboat or a river runner. My Nomad is Big Blue.


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## Oslo (Feb 15, 2009)

My 14' NRS was just named on our North Platte trip this weekend...Rio Toro


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