For many people naming a boat reflects something meaningful or personal, or at least cleverly fun and unique. For Dauntless, it was going against the grain for this captain to choose a very popular boat name, because common is just, well, common. Do a search on-line for boats named Dauntless and you will see a dozen pages or more of boats all equally unoriginal with the same name. Even a U.S. Coast Guard cutter bears the name Dauntless. Boston Whaler, a popular boat manufacturer, named a product line of center console boats Dauntless. I’d be willing to bet some boat owner somewhere has a Boston Whaler Dauntless named Dauntless, just for the humor in it. For this captain’s boat though, the name is only an element of a fuller, more meaningful illustration that is indeed very unique. More on that in a moment.
First, what does the word Dauntless actually mean?
Dauntless, by definition, means to not be intimidated, to be fearless. It’s a popular boat name for being synonymous with courage and conquering the sea, hence the Coast Guard Cutter named Dauntless. To be undaunted by the unforgiving nature of the ocean is to be steadfast and unwavering amidst incredible challenge.
For this vessel, the name Dauntless represents a personal journey resulting in a wildly dramatic life change, but it also represents what it takes for anyone desiring significant change. I departed a marriage, a comfortable lifestyle, sold my house, and left a six figure career, all at once, with no new job in place. The new plan was to figure out how to earn a living doing what I enjoy. What I enjoy most is being on the water on my boat. So I sold off most of what I owned to simplify life and make the goal more attainable. The longer vision though was, and still is, to live a more mindful, fulfilling life, live to my strengths, and use my professional skills to help others do the same – all while on the water where I am meant to be.
The naming of the vessel Dauntless goes well beyond a definition. There is meaningful symbolism throughout the illustration that resonates with most people.
The Artwork
The mermaid is nautical, a symbol of good luck across many cultures, the embodiment of feminine strength and resilience. It’s also simply a feminine element on a woman-run boat. By-the-way, ever wonder why boats are referred to as “she?” You can read more on that here.
The skeleton represents your core. It’s the foundation for the rest of you, the ordinarily hidden version of you that influences your drive forward or holds you back. It’s exposed, out in the open, translating to “putting yourself out there,” letting go of doubt, fear and insecurities to more freely be your authentic self and stretch your comfort zone. No risk – no reward.
The chain is also nautical. For a boat to hold fast at anchor, it must have a good length of chain. The mermaid has chain shackled to her wrists, but she has broken free from it, no longer being weighed down or held back. Sometimes it feels safest to stay in place, at anchor, but then you’re not going anywhere. Break free from what holds you back to pursue what matters most to you.
The lantern is for lighting your own way in the direction you desire to go. You set the course and navigate in that direction. You’re in control of your desired outcome.
Leaving behind a comfortable but undesirable life and corporate career for a lifestyle on the water was achieved by a dauntless pursuit to make it happen. I “put myself out there,” extending my comfort zone to be more open to opportunities, asked questions I would otherwise be afraid to ask, and stretched past my independent nature to ask for help when needed. It took a lot of confidence in myself and my skillsets to build an entirely new life 1,800 miles away someplace unknown to me. The selling of so many possessions to survive and fund my pursuits was freeing and scary at the same time. When I finally acquired the Dauntless and launched her on the water, I felt I had “arrived,” finally, where I belong.
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.”
Henry David Thoreau