[Rhodes22-list] The Story Behind Silverheels

[Peter Nyberg]

The name of the boat comes from the lyrics of the song ‘Christian Island’ by Gordon Lightfoot (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjd9rKZ9Crk <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjd9rKZ9Crk>).  

Tall and strong she dips and reels
I call her Silver Heels
And she tells me how she feels
She's a good old boat and she'll stay afloat
Through the toughest gales and keep smilin'
But for one more day she would like to stay
In the lee of Christian Island

The song dates from 1972, and I was taken by it the first time I heard it.  So, I’ve had the thought of naming a sailboat ’Silverheels’ stuck in my head for a long time.  

I always assumed that Lightfoot was making an analogy between the wake of a boat and the feet of a running horse, but for all I know he meant it as a tribute to Jay Silverheels, the actor who played Tonto in the old Lone Ranger TV show.

I read somewhere that Lightfoot has owned several sailboats, but never one named Silverheels.

—Peter

> On Apr 6, 2020, at 9:59 AM, Cary Tolbert <retiredtoby at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Thanks Peter, I will wait for your photos.
> Love your videos. Is there an interesting story behind the name of your
> boat?
> Cary
> S/V Whisper '86
>