I've been a boat owner for many years and I'm well aware of the superstitions about renaming watercraft - it's horribly bad luck... and if one wants to take on this great risk and in so doing, cast their eternal fate to the wind, the requsite 'renaming ceremony' involves numerous long and loud incantations whilst standing in the vessel, followed by copious amounts of alcohol, both for the boat's bow and the owner's gullet (nb: only the best liquor is permitted - else one may tempt the gods to show their displeasure), followed by still further chanting and ranting, along with considerable stumbling about (at least if one executes the ritual properly, anyway).
Some even say that one has to motor or sail the boat backwards for a time to reverse any ill fortunes, although if this particular ritual is to be considered it's best undertaken at the *beginning* of the overall ceremony, since if left to the end (after all the other incantations and liquid 'blessings') it's not a pretty sight and often ends badly, usually involving rocks, piers or other solid, immovable objects in conjunction with the sound of splintering of glassfibre and more incantations and chanting (this time, of a far more colourful nature!).
