It has long been foretold that renaming a boat will bring you misfortune as doing so means Poseidon – the God of the sea, can no longer ensure safe passage and protection of your vessel.
According to legend, Poseidon is the protector of all waters and personally knows the name of every vessel that is in the ocean as each name is recorded in the Ledger of the Deep.
When you change the name of a vessel without performing a boat renaming ceremony your boat will no longer be in the ledger which means Poseidon can’t watch over it.
Well, this is at least what superstition tells us anyway and when it comes to sailors they are one of the most superstitious groups of people you’ll encounter.
Psychologists believe that a lack of control is what results in superstition and when it comes to the sea there is very little that we can control.
There are big factors in play such as the weather, the state of the sea, the condition of the vessel which can lead to the unknown. It comes as no surprise then that sailors would generally be superstitious.
So in this circumstance of the superstitions involved around renaming a boat, knowing that Poseidon has the name on his ledger gives sailors more confidence in facing the elements.
Renaming A Boat Summary
In answer to the initial question regarding renaming the boat. Go for it. If you’re superstitious you can perform the boat renaming ceremony. If you’re not, you’ve got nothing to lose.
They say that buying a boat is the worst part about luck as one must prepare themselves for a lifetime of repairs and upkeep. On the flip side, one must also prepare themselves for a lifetime of memories and adventure.
