What’s in a Name..?

By definition, a boabird likes boats.

And this boatbird likes this boat…

A lot.

Isn’t she splendid? I want her.

I’d be very proud to tow her along behind Hobo when we are a’cruising and she’d make a superb little run-around. Imagine arriving at the pub in this (leaving could be fun). She’d go where Hobo won’t, can’t or shouldn’t and would make a great tender too, especially if we want to moor up somewhere a little inaccessible.

She does, however, require a little work on her interior…

But that is the way with boats.

Raggety Ann is a new arrival in the yard here and the owner seems to be assembling a bit of a collection…

The large yacht beneath the blue cover is, funnily enough, another concrete boat so sort of related to John’s little boat.

Speaking of which, I am expecting a flurry of activity there soon. Potato harvest is now all but done so John has a chance to get busy once more on this project, then I’ll be able to report back here with pics and progress. I know, been said before but we’ll get there.

Lots to do but with a few dedicated days, without too many interruptions/sidetracks/wild goose chases – one can live in hope – the little boat will soon take shape I’m sure.

I’m really looking forward to seeing it being transformed into a fully-functioning river-going craft and doing some river going with her.

Perhaps we’ll even address the naming issue. You never know.

Of course one has to bear in mind that boaters are often referred to by the name of their boat. We have chaps around here that answer to Ellen Rose and Ellis Chicken and I’ve also known a Jonjo, a James Waterlily, a Wooden boat Jim and even a Nobhead (his spelling as marked in the grinding dust on the side of his work-in-progress.)

We met a Volendammer and a Bag Lady on the Thames and John’s Dad addresses his emails to me ‘Dear Hobo.’

There’s more if I could call them to mind but by far the best in my view is Tinkerbell – I don’t even know his real name! I’m not sure many do as he is universally known by this name, sometimes Tink for short.

I rest my case.

So John is being, unsurprisingly, reticent in the naming of the little boat, which seems to have stuck at The Little Boat. We’ve had some very acceptable suggestions but none have gone ‘ping’ so far. And whilst he did like Phoebe… 

Well I ask you, does he look like a Phoebe?

Hardly.

This was taken after a good old mud splattering down on the farm and not a nasty case of measles by the way.

Maybe I should just start calling him Little Boat…

And yes, I could live with being known as Raggety Ann…

There’s been far worse.