A Boat That Lived Up To Her Name
Did this boat owner predict the future when he named his prized possession?
Interesting Facts in Easy English
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- live up to: to fulfil
- stow away: hide
- handy: useful; convenient
- tarp: a large piece of material that provides a protective covering
- meticulous: very detail-oriented
- prized possession: something that one cares for deeply; has sentimental value
- foul play: criminal behaviour
- shrink-wrap: a transparent covering
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A Boat That Lived Up To Her Name
Comprehension Questions
- What historic crime made this boat famous?
- Why was the Slip Away II a convenient hiding place?
- Why did the boat owner decide to investigate his boat?
Discussion Questions: There are ceremonies, superstitions, and even rules when it comes to boat naming. Why is Slip Away a good name for a boat? Discuss the irony of this boat’s name. What would you name a boat if you had one?
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A Boat That Lived Up To Her Name
One of the most historic manhunts in US history took place in Boston, Massachusetts in 2013 following a bombing at the Boston Marathon. A few days after the bombing, two suspects engaged in a massive gun battle with police. The first suspect was killed at the scene, but the second fled on foot and stowed away in a boat in a nearby backyard. The boat was a handy hiding place because it was covered with a tarp for the winter. Little did the second suspect know that the boat was named Slip Away II. The owner of the boat discovered the suspect by accident the next day. David Henneberry was meticulous about the storage of his prized possession. When he noticed that two pads had come loose under the shrink-wrap he got out his step ladder to investigate. It was a windy day, and he didn’t suspect any foul play. When Henneberry looked inside the boat, however, he saw blood and the injured suspect. His 911 call ended the manhunt for one of America’s most wanted men. In an interview following the arrest, Slip Away‘s owner said his boat went down “like a Viking ship”.
- The Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 made this boat famous.
- Slip Away II was a convenient hiding place because it was covered for the winter.
- The boat owner decided to investigate his boat because he noticed some of the padding had come loose under the covering.
