Boomer

* II
* I

Zero Marine (Formerly)

Captain Zero (Formerly)

Private Owners

*"'Well, a houseboat... well don't you feel... sort of silly?'*

*'Not one bit! Not at all! It's what I always wanted to be!'"*

- Ten Cents and Boomer, Jinxed

**Boomer** (formerly known as **Captain Harry**) is a houseboat who resides up-river. He was once a tugboat, but was converted into a houseboat following a series of bad luck which ultimately made him happier in the end.

## Bio

Captain Harry, as he was known in those days, was a hard-working, well behaved tug. One day, he was sold, and his named was painted over. His new owners renamed him Boomer, but ever since that day, Boomer had nothing but bad luck. Sunshine and Ten Cents found him out at sea one night, engine dead, sitting in the way of a shipping lane. He told them to stay away, but Ten Cents and Sunshine insisted on helping him. Ten Cents did not believe in Boomer's jinx, telling him they don't exist. Trouble began right away, as Ten Cents' line on Boomer mysteriously came loose, much to Ten Cents' annoyance.

At the Star Dock, Captain Star had Boomer stoked up, and tried his engine again. Boomer's engine billowed black smoke, and Ten Cents had to pull him free of the dock. Presently, Captain Star's megaphone fell out the window, prompting Captain Star to angrily order Boomer to be brought to Lucky's Yard. On the way, Boomer sank, but was saved by landing on a sunken garbage barge, to the dismay of Boomer. Ten Cents, Sunshine and Mighty Mo attempted to rescue him by placing him in a barge, but Mighty Mo's hook jammed, causing Ten Cents and Sunshine to have to pull Boomer, suspended in the air by Mighty Mo, to Lucky's Yard in the dead of night. As they approached the structure made to take Boomer, the lights at Lucky's Yard went out, causing an accident.

Shortly after, Boomer was purchased by Captain Zero, but following an incident with an ammunition barge, was quickly sold to Captain Star. Sunshine deduced that Ten Cents' hooter must cause Boomer's bad luck, as he's blown it each time he's had an accident. Ten Cents, Sunshine and Boomer test this theory by tying Boomer to a buoy, which sinks when Ten Cents blows his hooter. Boomer's first job on the Star Fleet was to take a schooner out to sea. He was cautious, but reassured by Ten Cents and Sunshine, who were certain nothing bad will happen. Later that day though, Boomer and the now burnt-out schooner were towed back into port by the Fire Tug. Boomer claimed lightning caused the accident, but the others are reluctant to believe that there could have been lightning on such a nice day.

Captain Star had had enough, and ordered Sunshine to take Boomer to Lucky's Yard, with strict instructions that he never be used as a tug again. Soon after, Ten Cents and Sunshine were ordered to take him Up River. They fear they will have to take him to the breaker's yard. They were surprised, then, when they found Boomer beaming happily at Lucky's Yard. He had been turned into a houseboat, and was to be brought to his new mooring by Sunshine and Ten Cents. At his mooring, Boomer apologised for causing any trouble to the tugs. Ten Cents blew his hooter goodbye without thinking, and a tree fell over nearby, scaring the two tugs into thinking it was the jinx that caused it. Boomer laughed, and said the jinx must be gone, because the falling tree didn't hurt anyone. The two Star Tugs left Boomer, who had finally found his place in the world.