Today We Come to Name this Lady… Kismet

Christening Kismet – Christening is a Ritual
Started by Seafarers Thousands of Years Ago –

We finally got the boat graphics installed on Kismet – time to christen her. Christening, or naming ceremonies, were meant to bring good luck to new vessels and those who sailed on them. The tradition of christening goes back to the early days of boating – thousands of years ago.

Viking ships were marked by the spilling of blood in early rituals. In the Middle Ages, religious shrines were placed on ships and a libation of wine was offered as the vessel hit the water. Wine became a substitute for the earlier practice of a blood sacrifice, consequently, for good luck and a safe voyage, wine was poured on the deck to appease King Neptune.

Ancient seafaring peoples, rimming the Mediterranean, launched their ships with rituals having religious overtones. These practices, varying in form as nations and cultures evolved through the centuries, have carried over to the present christening and launching ceremonies.

Some interesting christening facts…

The Titanic was never christened! The USS Arizona, sunk by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, was christened with water rather than wine or champagne. Both examples ended with bad luck, certainly nothing we’d ever want to come close to while cruising on Kismet.

7 Most Common Superstitions of Seafarers

So with all that that said, we’ve asked some of our boating friends to join us today to help christen the Lady, Kismet.

We have christened most of our boats.
Our last Ranger Tug was christened in downtown Portland, Oregon.

Today We Come to Name this Lady… Kismet

For thousands of years, we have gone to sea.
We have crafted vessels to carry us
and we have called them by name.
These ships will nurture
and care for us through perilous seas,
and so we affectionately call them “she.”
To them, we toast, and ask to celebrate… Kismet.

To the Cruisers of old… to Kismet

The moods of the sea are many, from tranquil to violent.
We ask that this ship be given the strength to carry on.
The keel is strong and she keeps out the pressures of the sea.

To the cruisers of old… to the Sea!

Today we come to name this lady Kismet,
and send her to sea to be cared for,
and to care for the FAVORS family.
We ask the cruisers of old
and the mood of God that is the sea
to accept Kismet as her name,
to help her through her passages,
and allow her to return with her crew safely.

To the cruisers before us… to Kismet.