Giles Coren, the mischievous Times columnist, wrote recently about objects which gradually vanish from familiar use, either because they are outdated in the modern world, or because they were always a bit useless. It all began when a science journalist queried the role of the plastic washing-up-bowl, causing an outbreak of defensive bowlophiles on X (Twitter).
In the outdated category Giles put gentlemen’s hats, carphones, watch-pockets in jeans, china pie-birds, and those anti-lightning strips on the back I wish that all men wore hats like Inspector Thursday – such a reliable look. But it set me thinking about bits of kit still taking up space and weight on boats: things which it feels hard to discard.
