NIKKI HENDERSON

WHERE DO YOU FIND HANDY BILLY WHEN YOU NEED HIM?

Close reaching at a fast 60° TWA I was working out how far forward the outboard jib lead needed to move before setting up something more permanent.

“Where is a handy billy when you need one?” I said to my crew mate, who looked at me with an incredulous expression that so reminded me of my friend’s four-year-old son, Axel. Axel was learning how to speak on the radio with his grandfather, Dennis.

“Roger!” Dennis responded on the handheld VHF. “Why are you talking about Roger?” Axel replied, confused. “My name is Axel.” My crew mate’s face: “Er... Nik... Who the hell is Billy?” So, who is Billy? I thought the same thing. After diving deep on Google, it turns out billy has many forms. The US Navy’s billy is an engine-powered portable water pump to empty out sinking compartments on a ship.

Down Under, a ‘billycan’, commonly known as a ‘billy’ is a name for another piece of emergency equipment: a metal can used to boil water for tea and coffee.

In Canada’s Pacific Northwest, a handy billy is a wooden motorboat with an outboard motor under a housing (for a quieter ride).