'Boaty McBoatface' Is Top Public Choice To Name New British Research Vessel

And it's not the only witticism in the running, with Usain Boat, Ice Ice Baby and Notthetitanic also proving popular on social media ahead of the voting deadline on 16 April.

When launched, the yet-to-be-named vessel will be the UK's largest and most advanced of its kind, and will allow scientists to conduct research at the poles during the harsh winter months. Boaty McBoatface: A majestic boat deserves a majestic name.James Hand, a former presenter for BBC Radio Jersey, expressed on Twitter that when he proposed Boaty McBoatface, he never expected it would take off the way it did.

But leading the vote is a name that's even more out of the ordinary: RRS Boaty McBoatface.

The good news for the council's decision to crowd-search a name for its latest polar research vessel is unprecedented public engagement in a sometimes niche area of scientific study.

The 15,000 tonne ship, which is being funded by the Government and will be the first British-built Polar research vessel to have a helideck, will be sent to both Polar regions to act as a floating laboratory.

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This has formally paved way for Mehbooba Mufti to be the first woman chief minister of the new PDP-BJP coalition govt in J&K.; MP Tariq Hamid Karra speaking at PDP's Legislative Party Meet on March 24, 2016 at PDP chief's Fairview residence.

James Hand, who put the suggestion forward, described it as "an absolutely brilliant name".

Lord West told BBC Radio 4's Today program: "It's a typical thing of the Brits going mad - normally silly season, rather than this time of the year".

We talked to the guys from Free Beer and Hot Wings about Boaty McBoatface on Wednesday's edition of the 13 Morning News.

Organisers of the competition say the ship will be operating in one of the world's most challenging global environments so the name needs to be "inspirational". Officials have the power to overrule any ship name they don't like - but that doesn't mean they're not pro-Boaty McBoatface.