The boat that rocked

We took Sally Slipknot for a little sail at lunchtime out to Shardlow. Here she is looking serene in the sunshine.

It wasn't always so. We bought her a year ago from a geezer with a lot of home-made tattoos. He advised us how to avoid mooring fees by moving on every two weeks.

Perhaps the name should have been an indication. Slipknot - called after the thrash metal band of the same name. When we phoned up to register ownership there was a long pause on the other end of the line then the man from British Waterways said: "Slipknot. We know that boat well."

Turns out she'd had several ASBOs.

We also noticed that whenever we went anywhere in her we got hailed loudly by certain other river-users. Usually the ones you hear long before their boats come into view.

"I've had some times on Slipknot!" one said wistfully. Seems she was a party boat!

Her life may be dull by comparison now but at least she has loving parents and a nice secure marina to call home.