MERLIN ROCKET BOAT NAMES

Boat Names (395)

Do you have more information to add?
We would love to hear it so that the database keeps growing.
To add the thinking behind your boat name - amend an entry - add a photograph - suggest website links - correct a typo please email:- [email protected]

Latest additions to the list

20.04.23  -   3782 amended : 3809 & 3820 added
24.04.23  -   1572 added
10.07.23  -   3700 amended
26.09.23  -   3792 added
29.10.23  -   578 : 1313 added
01.11.23  -   3506 picture added  :  3816 & 3817 added
16.12.23  -   3641: 3694 : 3734 : 3770 : 3795 added
15.01.24  -   2933 & 3093 added

Hull #:
Boat Name:
12345678910
#Boat NameOriginal Owners(s) / CrewEtymology
[Person supplying information]
1
Kate
Charles Leafe
A play on words - Syndicate (syndi Kate)- the group (Jack Holt, Beecher Moore, Noel Jordan, Tony Howard, Bernard Lee and Veri Wagner) behind the building of the prototype Merlin.
[Mike Liggett (& The Merlin Rocket Book)]
2
Wizard
Reason not stated  -  but probably from the slang word meaning 'excellent' or 'first class'.
[The Merlin Rocket Book]
Re-named:-Merlin
Group Capt Haycock
The Group Capt had tired of the RAF slang word and so changed the name to Merlin who was King Arthur's wizard. He then added the insignia in the shape of Merlin's hat.
[The Merlin Rocket Book]
40
Enchanter

[Patricia Jones]
Re-named:-
San Fairy Ann
Re-named by:-
Miss. S. Caines
A play on words from French Ca ne fait rien meaning 'that’s nothing'
[Mike Liggett / Patricia Jones]
Returned to original name:-
Enchanter
Returned to original name by:-
Pat James
Pat felt it was unlucky to change the name of a boat and since the original mythical Merlin was a wizard or enchanter why change in the first place?
[Patricia Jones]
180
Killick
'Killick' is Royal Navy slang for a Leading Seaman (from the badge worn on the uniform : a single anchor). Everyone would rather their boat was leading.
[David Cooper]
187
Naiad
A river/lake dwelling nymph.
[Mike Liggett]
227
 Rockettoo
Built by Wyche & Coppock and so named as the first Rocket to(o) conform with the Merlin Class rules.
Sailed in the 1950 Champs. by Bruce Banks (6th) and 1951 Champs. by Howard Williams (3rd).

[Mike Liggett]
292
Chinook
Robin Judah
A warm moist wind affecting weather along coast of NW United States.
Came 5th. in 1951 Champs.

[Mike Liggett]
447
Nerine
A mythical Roman water nymph.
[Mike Liggett]
575
Arion
Chris Starr
Named after a successful race horse of the time
[John Cooper]
578
Chindit
Chindit - "Chindits" were a fighting force in World War 2. Word origin: from Burmese chinthe a fabulous lion a symbol of which was their badge; adoption of title perhaps influenced by Chindwin
[Peter Slack]
666
Hell Cat
Mike Astley
666 is the number of "the beast"/the Antichrist/ the Devil.
[Mike Liggett]
684
Crew Cut
Tony Fox
The boat was helmed by John Oakley but owned by his crew (Tony Fox).
[Patrick Blake]
844
Bumper
It has been suggested that 'Bumper' was linked to the drinking of champagne. Bumper is an obsolete expression to describe a glass filed to the brim.
 
The second owner, Roger Stapleton, planned to change the name but on his first outing managed to ram another boat. The plan to change the name was dropped.
 
At some later date the name was changed.

[Roger Stapleton]
999
Rozzer
Clive Curtiss
Slang name for policeman.
[Mike Liggett.]
1027
Team Spirit
John Laing & Son Ltd
This belonged to the John Laing & Son Ltd. sports club.
[Mike Liggett]
1066
Ten-sixty-six
 Leslie Brain
The date of the Battle of Hastings
[Mike Liggett]
1079
Passing Cloud
Harry Harris
A reference to the cigarettes smoked by Harry - a habit he got whilst serving in the army during WW2.   Passing Cloud cigarettes (manufactured by WD & HO Wills) - oval in cross section and in a pink pack.

[Robert Harris]
1198
Popocateptl
Alan Warren
Alan had a 'thing' about volcanoes - they were big and went off with a big bang. Popocatpetl is an active volcano, located in Central Mexico.
[Alan Warren]
1205
Binzee II
Peter Binns
A play on words with the owners name - I guess his second boat.
[Guy Gurney]
1275
Skish
Frank Warren (father of Alan)
Named her 'Skish' for the sound a boat makes when going through the water.
[Guy Gurney]
1313
Damnation
Patrick Cronin
Patrick built the boat in 1961 and thought that the combination of 1313 and Double Trouble would be really cool. Unfortunately, when he applied to register it he found that Double Trouble was already taken. Damnation was used instead as an expression of his frusrrtration. In retrospec, not a very appropriate name for such a boat. Patrick Cronin in retrospect
[Patrick Cronin]
1488
Dugout
Doug Pearson
A play on words with the owners name.
[Mike Liggett]
1493
Katy Lou
Gordon Payne
First owned by Gordon (at Upper Thames) and was named in honour of his daughter.
[Chris Rathbone / Ross Jackson]
1572
Esperanza
Esperanza is the spanish for 'hope' & 'expectation'
1584
Cotapaxi
Alan Warren
Continuation of a previous theme (1198). Cotopaxi is an active stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains.
[Alan Warren]
1620
Whiplash
Owned by Rod & Jo since 1975. They never liked the name, which was never written on the boat, but chose not to rename it. However, they were continually asked by fellow sailors (in France & Belgium) C’est quoi ça, comme bateau? It was therefore decided to display the information where they hoped everyone would read it.
[Rod & Jo Andrew-Becker]
1685
Too Scared
Phil Tyler
A continuation of a theme - Phil had previously owned 162 - 'Scare'
[Mike Liggett]
1693
Magic Dragon
Anthony Evans
Named after a popular tune of the time "Puff the Magic Dragon".
[Tony Lane]
1697
Beatle Cut
Patrick Blake
The boat was completed in 1963 and the Beatles were taking the world by storm. It was Pat Blake's second Merlin, the first being 'Crew Cut' previously owned by Tony Fox and John Oakley. Patrick had long floppy hair then so it had to be Beatle Cut.
[Patrick Blake]
1711
Fearless
Fearless was exported to Belgium in 2013 and rebuilt by Rod Andrews in 2017. Unfortunately nothing known about the reason for the name.
[Francois Podevyn]
1723
March Hare
Mike Jackson
Mike had already desgned (in 1962) a N12 and named the design 'March Hare'  This boat - a Sugar Plum - was also one of his deisgns.
[Mike Liggett]
1810
Seagoon
John Lawrence
John, a fan of The Goon Show. One of the main characters was Neddie Seagoon - played by Harry Secombe.
[Brian Hackett (the crew)]
Re-named:-
Natbites
Not known 
Boat renamed after it was sold by John in 1969
[Peter Male]
1850
Dunker
Frank Dunning
Frank was always capsizing so boat was named accordingly!
[Barry Dunning]
1890
Dai Bach
Dai Davies
There seem to be various translations of Dai Bach - take your pick.
1895
Rampage
Not known
Name taken from the dictionary definition "to go about wildly"

[The Merlin Rocket Book]
Re-named:-
Exe Profundis
Not known
Not known
[Year Book]
1911
Alfa Mo
A yellow boat. The original owner towed her around in a bright yellow Alfa Romeo.
[Hywel Bowen Perkins (jnr)]
1939
Royal Dutch
G. Chick
'G' worked for Royal Dutch-Shell.
[Mike Liggett]
Re-named:-
Tarcus
Re-named by:-
P. Melvin

[Peter Male]
Re-named:-
Englands Glory
Re-named by;-
D. Holtham

[Peter Male]
Re-named
War Horse
Re-named by:-
Mike Liggett
Mike considered this sounded a fighting name.
 
(War Horse was also a London stage play - following a film - based on a book)

[Mike Liggett]
1945
Marmite
Terry Stark
Terry and his crew went down to Bob Hoare's to pick up the boat. There was much discussion on names and it got to the stage that the dinghy was launched - still without a name. At this point Terry's crew said "Which do you like best, Bovril or Marmite?" Terry replied "Marmite" His crew responded with "I name this boat Marmite".
[Mike Liggett]
1965
Dougout Too
Doug Pearson
Doug followed a theme from his previous boat (1488).
[Mike Liggett]
1972
Hull O Dolly
The boat carries the name Hull'O Dolly but the Year Books since 1994 show Hell-O-Dolly or Hello Dolly - depending where you look. Up to 1994 it is simply recorded as Hell-O
The boat was build in 1966. In 1964, the musical Hello Dolly was staged on Broadway and then in 1965, the West End. The title song became a best seller.
[Colin Nunn / Peter Male]
1999
William the Conquerer
Will Godfrey
One of a series of boat commisioned by Will, all named with his eponymous ‘Will’ theme. It is thought that William the Conquerer was the first.
[Noelle Wright]
2004
Rage
Spud Rowsell
Follow of the theme from 1895
[The Merlin Rocket Book]
Do you have more information to add?
We would love to hear it so that the database keeps growing.
To add the thinking behind your boat name - amend an entry - add a photograph - suggest website links - correct a typo please email:- [email protected]

 

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