Charybdis is a 57ft narrow boat. She has what is known as a semi-trad stern, which means there is an enclosed space at the back, which looks traditional but still gives your crew space to stand. She is based on a Liverpool Boats hull and has been fitted out beautifully by Matthew Spilka (Spike). She has a 35hp Izusu diesel engine was built in 2006.

 

From front to back she has:

Forward well.

Open plan lounge with TV, a monk's bench which converts to a guest bed, two armchairs for us, a fold-down table and a coal/wood burning stove.

Galley with cooker, fridge, sink, washing machine, and side hatches.

Bathroom with toilet, bath, shower, and basin.

Fixed double berth with wardrobe and dressing table.

Utility room with tumble dryer, calorifier and airing cubboard.

Semi-trad stern

Scylla and Charybdis are two sea monsters of Greek mythology situated on opposite sides of a narrow channel of water, so close that sailors avoiding Charybdis will pass too close to Scylla and vice versa. The phrase "between Scylla and Charybdis" has come to mean being in a state where one is between two dangers and moving away from one will cause you to be in danger from the other, and is believed to be the progenitor of the phrase "between a rock and a hard place" or the more literal phrase "between the devil and the deep blue sea'. Scylla lived on the cliffs and Charybdis was a dangerous whirlpool. Neither fate was more attractive as both were difficult to overcome.

Not an obvious choice as the name of a boat then. There have, however, been no less than 6 HMS Charybis in the history of the Royal Navy some of which are pictured opposite.

The first Charybdis was an 18-gun brig-sloop in use from 1809 to 1819.

The second Charybdis was a 10-gun brig-sloop in use from 1831 to 1843.

The third Charybdis was a screw corvette launched in 1859, loaned to Canada from 1880 to 1882, and sold 1884.

The fourth Charybdis was a 2nd class cruiser launched in 1893, converted to a cargo ship in 1918 and sold to Bermuda in 1922.

The fifth Charybdis was a cruiser launched in 1940 and sunk in the English Channel by German torpedo boats in 1943.

The sixth Charybdis was a Leander-class frigate launched in 1968 and sunk as a target in 1993.