The boater's three keys

The Boaters' Christian Fellowship annual general meeting last Saturday was as enjoyable as ever. It must be the best attended AGM of any society: out of 700 members something like 150 turned out. Apart from the usual business matters - chairman's report, treasurer's report, election of officers etc. - there was a time of entertainment.

First up was a rendition of a Joyce Grenfell song, "Stately as a Galleon". Sorry, I don't know the name of our singer.

Then James and Hazel Bell of nb Gabriel played and sang about the BCN. Can you see the prop (-erty, not -eller!) held aloft?*

Edwin Fasham of nb Ferrous talked amusingly about the various types of engine boats have, from the Bolinder whose flywheel can eject you from the engine room, to the Japanese model where the owner simply turns the key to start it and takes it to the boatyard for servicing at the end of the season. Funnily enough, he was not at all scathing about the Gardner 3LW! (Guess what powers Ferrous?)

Then, perhaps the highlight of the session, came Peter Atwill of nb Gospel Belle. He spoke about the three keys that the apostle Peter is often depicted holding. To illustrate this he held up a windlass or "lock key" ...

... and an anti-vandal key ...

... and a BW key (or should that be CRT key now?)

The three St. Peter's keys, Peter Atwill told us, represent the unlocking of the door to the Kingdom of Heaven for the Jews, the "semi-Jews" or Samaritans, and the Gentiles (i.e. everybody else.) (No, I hadn't heard of "semi-Jews" before, either.)

*It's a "Bargee Bill" prop cleaner (about as useful as a rubber windlass, in my experience).
Not that I've tried a rubber windlass...