Boat Names

“Mayday, mayday, mayday, this is the Master Baitor.  We are taking on water.” 

As we sailed along, listening to this distress call and the interaction with the local Coasties, all I could think of is if this boat owner ever envisioned having to call in a mayday with that boat name.  Sure, he probably got a couple of laughs from his fishing buddies about the name.  He may even have giggled a little to himself when he calls a marina or a friend calls him on the VHF.  But did he ever consider how his boat name would sound in this situation?

Collecting bad boat names has become something of a hobby for my Bride and me.  We like to snap a quick photo of them.  Here are a couple of our favorites:
 

When we purchased our Catalina she was named “Norm’s Place”.  We knew that wouldn’t do for us plus the seller wanted to keep the name for his next boat.  When we started to come up with names we had several concerns in mind:

·         How would the name sound over the radio in a distress call.  We didn’t want the name to add to any confusion in an already stressful time.
·         We wanted a traditional name in that it was named after a woman.
·         We wanted the name to be fun and have meaning to us. 

Here is the story of our name: s/v Smitty.
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Topic coordinator: Jesse, s/v Smitty

Boatschooling 101

Some "schooling" on s/v Totem: Mairen journals on a passage

Although we’ve been away from our home on Bainbridge Island, Washington, for five years - the majority of elementary school years for our three children – one of the most common questions we get from families who are considering cruising is “Are you homeschooling?”

Perhaps it’s just a question of phrasing, or interpretation of what exactly homeschooling is. Perhaps this is because one parent’s view of an amazing learning experience is another parent’s view of feral kids running wild…and from the outside, I suppose we probably look more like the latter!

As parents, raising our children responsibly is pretty much the most important “work” we have, so their growth and learning is really important. But the ways of approaching learning on board can be as wildly different as they are for homeschooling families on land.

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Topic Coordinator: Behan, Sailing with Totem

Relationships on Board

Photo from here

Living on a small boat, being full time with a significant other or a young family, presents unique challenges to a relationship.  These bloggers have found ways to make it work and shared their insights.

Posted by: Jaye, The "Life Afloat" Archives

Passagemaking

Boys on the bow of s/v Lyr (On the Horizon Line)

"Cruisers'' actually spend most of their time staying put - whether at anchor or in a marina.  But when they are on the move... well, as Capt. Ron famously proclaimed, "If it's going to happen, it's going to happen out there." In the posts linked below, you can read about the pleasure and the pain of passagemaking. Some of these posts contain practical advice.  In all you will sense the joy and the despair, the boredom and  terror, and above all a sense of wonder that we small humans, in our tiny specks that we call boats, can be carried from one port to the next.

Sewing Sailors

Planning for the "blasted winch covers" (Sailing Journey)

Sailing is expensive!  We all know that a big way to cut costs in the boating world is to DIY!  Teak, boat systems, and bottom paint are things many of us have figured out how to do in order to save cash, but have you ever thought about sewing?  Canvas covers are expensive!  CUSTOM canvas covers are really expensive!  What about those cockpit cushions!?  Expensive!  Whether you're a stitching stranger or a skillful seamstress, here are some posts to inspire you and hopefully save you a few bucks!  Enjoy!