NAME CHANGE OF A CATBOAT...SOUNDS EASY HUH!

Karl, the owner of Katzenjammer, formerly Sirocco, performing the name change Ceremony

Attentive audience

Is  he really going to pour that champagne into the water?

Roland

Ibis and Lee Marie made the trip

Karl, still reading!

Name hidden until the unveil

Karl, still reading! Roland still listening!

The fourth Catboat Felix

Karl, Still reading! He runs on Energizer batteries

Appeazing the gods!

Yesterday afternoon Roland and I set out in our respective boats to observe a boat name changing ceremony in the Tarpon Bay area. As luck would have it we were headed by a brisk wind of 15 to 20 Kts out of the NE. making our trek NEast a little more challenging than we would have liked. All in all it took us about 2 hours and 4 minutes, we figured on 2 hours so we did well.

When we arrived, we were directed to dock our boats in designated areas, which we did in short time; that made three catboats including the boat to have it's name changed. A short time later a fourth Marshall showed up and docked, that made four. Although there were other catboat owners present they opted to drive, not sail to the event.

After some initial socializing with adult beverages and snacks, the Ceremony began with Karl, the boat's owner,  reading from a document procured from the Internet, the correct way to change the name of a boat. The whole process is meant to avoid all the negative forces that come to bear when a boat's name is changed. After reading several passages and pouring champagne in all directions, deep sixing a plaque with the old name, the new name was unveiled. Sirocco was now officially Katzenjammer.

It was now 7:00 PM and Roland and I had to leave, but not until we dined on roast smoked chicken, barbecued ribs and an assortment of salads.

7:30 and it was time to start our sail back home, the sun had just set so with twilight me navigated a section of the Intracoastal before darkness set in. We sailed through the cut without incident to open water, Buttonwood Sound, through Baker Cut and finally under a New Moon navigated an extremely narrow cut, Toilet Seats. Voila, just another mile and we would be home.

It was a great day and night sailing, one of those days that invigorates and makes you feel fortunate to be alive in this environment.

The above pictures are from the event, click on any picture to see a closeup.