Those kinds of things are always interesting and fun, but it sounds like a stretch to me. Robert Hunter, who wrote the lyrics to "Uncle John's Band," -- Garcia wrote the music -- has acknowledged that it is a tribute to the New Lost City Ramblers. John Cohen was knicknamed "Uncle John." Many of the lines in the song supposedly refer to folk songs the NLCR were known for.
"Sloop John B." was an old Nassau folk song performed by many before the Beach Boys. It was brought to the Boys not by Wilson, but by Al Jardine who learned it from the Kingston Trio's version. In any case, the titular vessel was supposedly an actual, well-known craft. The boat may have been named for John the Baptist, though I doubt it, but the song is named for the boat, not the boat's namesake (whoever that may be).
David R.
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