Why would we want to dig deep into our pockets when there are millions of people out there who're desperate to buy us beer....

By luck I bumped into an MPS sailor as I was heading for the chandlery to see what they had in stock. Without knowing I needed a new bit of stick, he mentioned that he'd bought a bulk supply (10!) of blank carbon tubes when he bought the skiff last year and has only broken 3 or 4 of them since! So just need to trim the end (the damn things are huge) and fit a flexijoint and I'm sorted for a lot less than the £80 a Holt stick would cost. So I can even afford to buy myself beer if I have to now...