The name Tantalus comes to us from us from the ancient Greeks. As the story goes, Tantalus (a son of Zeus) was favored among mortals by the gods and was often invited to dine with them. He enjoyed the finest food and drink to ever cross the lips of any mortal, among them the gods own wine, the sweet ambrosia. Tantalus however, took it upon himself to relieve the gods of some of their sweet ambrosia and share it out among his mortal friends. The gods learned of this and were not pleased.

The gods decided to punish Tantalus for his actions, and the punishment was harsh. To show Tantalus the value of what he had given up, he was placed in water up to his chin. Whenever he leaned over to sip, the water fell away and he could never quench his thirst. Above him hung ripe fruit on tree limbs just overhead.  When he reached for the fruit, wind blew the branches beyond his grasp; Tantalus could never ease his hunger. Tantalus would spend all eternity in this condition.

I named the boat Tantalus with hope the gods will hold fast in their sentence, and the waves will fall away whenever the boat lays over harshly to meet the sea. If the gods approve, water will never enter the vessel. Of course, the ripe fruit just beyond the reach of Tantalus may translate into a stiff header when reaching for a beautiful cove, or a when reaching for a finish line while at the head of the pack; a small price to pay.

Tantalus will always keep a supply of the sweet ambrosia on board to share out among fellow sailors. This is to ensure the gods continue to enforce their sentence upon Tantalus, thereby ensuring the vessel's safety at sea. Of course, I'll be sure to wear several life vests and sail very near shore, just in case the gods are not on board with this plan. Should you come across Tantalus anchored in some quiet spot along the coast be sure to stop by for a visit, and help us maintain our pact with the gods.