When New Amsterdam became New York, it must have been easy: just run up a new flag and defend it with cannon. RSGuskind documents what happens on buildings in his faded industry post.
This tug used to be known as Exxon Empire State, but all that’s left of the previous identity is raised metal. So grind it off or lavish on the paint? A friend named Mary had a similar dilemma when she divorced the husband whose name she had had tattooed on her back.
To mask the raised metal that previously announced this vessel as Fidelio (sibling of Faust), more than 10′ of plate was cut and the structure masked by adding a lifeboat assembly to mark its transformation to Patriot.
Sarah Dann‘s renaming is well-executed, but I’m wondering why she’s no longer Stephanie Dann. What sibling rivalry underlies this?
I just finished a book that involves a tugboat Rose renamed as Babe. Check it out here.
Photos, WVD.
tugster: a waterblog 
4 comments
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January 29, 2008 at 6:13 am
Tim Zim
From experience, grinding off raised metal names is harder than you may think.
January 29, 2008 at 11:33 am
Mage
Facinating links. Thank you so much.
January 29, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Biffle French
I read a book called “The Outlaw Sea” recently which is full of scary stories about what happens out past the 12-mile line (or closer sometimes.) One of the discussions was about today’s pirates who routinely dump crews into the water – possibly with a lifeboat, possibly not. They then repaint the ship while at sea and stencil on a new name before making the next port. I don’t know how common it really is, but the author made it sound like it happens all the time. I suppose it would be pretty easy for an armed gang to overpower the small crews on most ships. Ships all look alike to most folks and a quick repaint hides the crime pretty well.
January 31, 2008 at 5:36 pm
michael
“Exxon” is a tough name for a ship to carry. Reminds me of the joke “what happened to all the people with the last name “Hitler”? You can see how a name change would be desirable.
Meanwhile I’d hope that the owners of any boat would be excited enough about naming it that they’d use enough paint to cover the old name.
I just changed the name of one of my windsurfing boards. The new name will go on with colored Sharpie, as soon as I can get the artist I want (great handwriting) and board together.