There is more to a boat’s transom than just wood, fiberglass, paint and teak: Those letters stretched across the stern tell their own stories. However, sometimes the anecdotes, quips and nods to loved ...

Humans have been traveling by boat ever since our ancestors began using tools to carve canoe-like vessels at least 10,000 years ago. It’s in our nature to name things that we value, so at some point ...