Posted by Owen Roberts on May 09, 2005 at 15:55:54 from 194.201.78.129 user OwenRoberts.
In Reply to: Renaming a Boat posted by Bob Forbes on May 09, 2005 at 12:29:10:
It depends where you live in the world and if you boat is registered with anyone.
Generally boat registration authorities will allow changes of name but the new name must not be the same as that of an existing boat. This is why you see boats named Amazon 26 to avoid name clashes with the other 25 boats with an Amazon name. Generally you are only allowed one name at one time.
Some authorities register by number (which must be conspicuously displayed) and do not worry about names.
In the UK, there used to be a prohibition about using names that might associate the boat with the Royal Family; I think there was a restriction on names that were carried by current Royal Navy ships, I don't know if this still applies or would be considered "bad form".
Don't worry about bad luck changing names, about half the ocean shipping in the world has had at least one name change.