There are lots of little touches on Enceladus that really – pardon pun – float my boat. And it’s clear just by looking at them in situ and at photos that charted their progress that the Brinklow boys really are quite something – just so much care and craftsmanship lavished on the smallest thing, every Northwich detail given assiduous attention. Take the towing hook.

It seems that a few Woolwich and Northwich boats (including Enceladus) were outshopped originally with one dolly and one towing hook, generally with the hook to port. Interestingly, when Enceladus arrived at Brinklow her new stern featured two dollies so I’m very grateful to whoever it was that suggested/insisted on the change back to her original configuration. 

I think I read somewhere that hooks weren’t popular with the boatmen and didn’t last long as they were rather hopeless when it came to towing, but I am extremely taken with it, even if it does crunch careless fingers.

From the photos I have, I’m guessing it was lovingly fabricated by someone at Brinklow, Simon possibly? And before anyone suggests it, no, I don’t need a butty to properly test out its towing capabilities, I’ll take the old boatmen at their word.