J24s Parkstone Mon 9th May.

The story of the week goes to a recalcitrant Tactick compass which threw itself overboard from Jobs for the Buoys last Monday and was found enjoying a sunbathe on Sandbanks beach just 24hrs later. Duly returned to its owners, dusted down, fitted with a safety line, it took its pride of place for Monday's race.

However, it would have served its owners much better had it been an echo sounder, as team JftBs joined Wijit and new arrivals (welcome to the "boys" J24) XP Rigging on the mud, in a fierce outgoing tide, only minutes after rounding the windward mark in second place.

Meanwhile crew Madeleine woke up only one minute before the start to realise this was supposed to be a sailing, rather than a bare pole drifting, race, whilst we, on board Vinyl Solutions, had just prised ourselves off another sandbank to start a little later than desired !! All good professional stuff in the Parkstone J24 fleet !!

Sometimes it works in your favour to watch mistakes being made at the top of the fleet, and Madeleine took over first place which she never relinquished, and we overtook two stranded vessels.

Crackerjack continues to impress, taking another second place, and Zaphod, despite also finding the ground, finished a very creditable third. Obviously Phil's crew prefer the more gentler kind of sailing rather than the "survival" stuff of the last few weeks!

William

mobile tel no. 0782 552 8413

email: william.lack@hotmail.co.uk