What a silly name for a boat: KANDARIK! Imagine having to say that on the VHF radio, time and again, and have to spell it out phonetically each time. “Kilo, Alpha, November, Delta, Alpha, Romeo, India, Kilo!!!” How many times have I had to spell that out? I can do it in my sleep! It comes so easy now, but still people get it wrong, and call back as “Can of Garlic?”
You know, I wanted to christen our boat “The Good Ship Pamela W.” but my Australian husband and boat-builder would not have it. He wanted an Australian name! After all, the boat is an Australian design, Australian built, and bound for Australia! And a good friend from─you guessed it─Australia, asked us to name our Freya 39 a name he had chosen a long time ago for the Freya he was building but never did get to sail. So, KANDARIK it became, and KANDARIK she will always be!
Actually the KANDARIK in Australia is an aboriginal dancing Kangaroo who in mythology taught the Aboriginies how to dance. The cave dwelling drawings of the Kandarik depict a large kangaroo man, holding a long stick (with outstanding genitals!!!) beating the rhythm of the music with his large stick!
This truly is an Australian name, and I guess the “Pamela W” will just have to wait her turn. Maybe someday! But, my advice to you is to have an easy-to-remember, easy-to-pronounce, and easy-to-spell name for your boat, like simply “Pam”!!
This would make everyone’s lives so much easier. Well, except for KANDARIK, that is, who loves her name and proudly displays it on her stern!
Good on you, dear KANDARIK, and thanks to Billy Nance for giving Andy the clever Kandarik idea. It has served us very very well!!
─ Pam
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