# Need help christening a dock **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 19, 2017, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-christening-a-dock/787044 "2017-05-19T22:24:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Hamsandwich)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-christening-a-dock/787044/1 "2017-05-19T22:24:54Z")
Wasn’t sure where to put this, but I was wondering if anyone has any ideas/advice for a project I’m working on. The project is this: my brother and I want to build a new dock at our summer place. Basically it’s going to be in a u-shape where we can park the canoe in the middle of the U. It’s going to be floating with barrels and attached by short chains to the shore. The metal ladder is going to be attached to the right side of the U at the tip. Now, it’s not the construction of the dock, proper, that we are concerned about. We have that part covered. What I thought would be a cool idea is to install some kind of memorial to our passed-on grandfather, who built the house (aka “Opa”, “the Old Man of the Sea”). Something tasteful without being gaudy. (If it helps, imagine Jane Fonda’s character doing the same for her father Norman in the movie _On Golden Pond_. Not that that happened in the movie, but the setting is relatively similar.) I was originally thinking maybe some sort of small plaque that could be affixed in the dock itself within some type of transparent, durable material. I Googled the crap out of this but I keep getting search returns that are either trying to sell me a house or links to military pier installations. Any help is surely appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-christening-a-dock/787044/2 "2017-05-19T22:27:34Z")
I misread the title and was sadly disappointed by the content of the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Hamsandwich)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-christening-a-dock/787044/3 "2017-05-19T22:43:10Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > I misread the title and was sadly disappointed by the content of the OP. A rising tide lifts all docks. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-christening-a-dock/787044/4 "2017-05-19T23:10:30Z")
Some version of [this saying](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/4b/f7/2f/4bf72f23e4b8c3fd080c9451ecdb9482.jpg) might suffice. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-christening-a-dock/787044/5 "2017-05-20T04:06:30Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > I misread the title and was sadly disappointed by the content of the OP. Ditto. Google “Trophy Stores” for help with the actual physical plaque. You could also engrave something right into the wood deck of the dock. Stain it with a dark stain so it stands out. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-christening-a-dock/787044/6 "2017-05-20T04:32:02Z")
I suppose you will be using wooden or plastic boards. Have someone use a router to engrave your granddad’s name into the surface. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Hamsandwich)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-christening-a-dock/787044/7 "2017-05-20T05:16:18Z")
These are great ideas! Thanks you guys. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-christening-a-dock/787044/8 "2017-05-20T16:00:52Z")
Make a creative driftwood totem. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-christening-a-dock/787044/9 "2017-05-20T17:40:05Z")
Contact a local RC priest, they’ll ceremony bless almost _anything_. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-christening-a-dock/787044/10 "2017-05-20T17:43:54Z")
Why a dock? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-christening-a-dock/787044/11 "2017-05-20T19:51:34Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Why a dock? I’m telling Exapno on you!