WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Backstories of some of the most recognized operations on the water today
Backstories of some of the most recognized operations on the water today By Cameron J. Rhodes
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 ones are not immediately clear, and leave us scratching our heads and wanting to know more. ¶ As we ask about the origins of a particular boat’s name, we find ourselves connecting deeply with members of the sport-fishing community, learning more about the people who pursue billfish to all corners of the world, often with their families as part of the team. They travel, they fish tournaments, and they have a blast doing it. Facilitating those connections might just be one of the many reasons folks choose creative and personal boat names in the first place.
QUEMAS
The 70-foot American Custom Yacht built in 2004, Que Mas is no stranger to sport-fishing headlines. This renowned boat, owned by Wally and Sue Whitley of Islamorada, Florida, has fished in some of the top billfish destinations, participating in—and winning—many highly competitive tournaments. The Whitleys also enjoy time on the water with family and friends in locations such as Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico and Bermuda. The sleek teak transom with big, bold gold-leaf letters is classic and clean, and easily recognized when backing down on those angry blues. While many folks with a basic understanding of Spanish will know that qué más translates to “what more,” it takes a little more background to truly get the full effect of this playful and fitting name.
For that we turn to the boat’s leading lady, Sue Whitley. Her father worked for General Electric International in South America and Mexico, and Whitley, whose maiden name is Whatmore, attended middle and high school in Latin America. Upon learning her last name, her classmates gave her the nickname Que Mas. The name stuck and followed her to college in San Antonio, where she first met Wally, who recalls, “The Que Mas nickname was used occasionally in a fun way among friends, particularly when she was speaking Spanish.”
Years later, when considering possible names for the newly minted boat, the tribute to Sue just seemed right. She’s a mother, grandmother, enthusiastic traveler and a crucial part of the team. “Since many boats are named after beautiful women, it seemed only fitting that our boat would be named after Sue,” Wally says. “And when the boat was completed, we felt it was one of the prettiest, classiest sport-fishing boats on the water. So ‘what more’ would anyone want?”