John: We are here today to be part of a ritual which can be traced back 4,000 years. The vast size, power and unpredictability of the sea must certainly have awed the first sailors to venture far from shore.
Instinctively, they sought divine protection for themselves and their craft from the capricious nature of wind and water.
The christening and launching of a vessel is the moment at which a boat is endowed with her identity. It is the moment when the boat receives a name and begins to emerge as more than just an object.
Christenings tie the bond between the boats and those who build and sail them. And so, we have gathered together this day as builders, mariners, and their friends and family have for thousands of years in this time honored tradition â to name and place into service this vessel to be called âShakaâ.
It seems just yesterday that three of us gathered here to begin the project â Jared had a vision of the greatest game boat ever built, Barry had the ability to translate the vision into reality, and I shared the dream and brought the cheque book.
As we look at her now it is easy to forget all the long hours, stress and tough decisions along the way. Bringing new life into the world is never easy and there have been times when we might have faltered. But our dream carried us forward and we never compromised.
I would personally like to thank all of those who have played a part in bringing our dream to reality and hope that you have gained as much from the experience as I have.
Like all new life, Shaka will undergo much more development. Hopefully, a lot of it will take place over the next few days so that Jared and I can slip her moorings and take her out to teach her to fish! But this moment in time represents the beginning of her life as a real boat and I thank you for sharing it with us.
And now I'd like to invite Sue to carry out the traditional christening ceremony.
Sue: I name this vessel Shaka. God bless her and all who sail in her. May her seas be smooth and her fish be huge!