Last October we broke our mast after cartwheeling our Tornado under spinnaker in shallow water..... bows came up with mud on the tips. Gee it went over quick.

I gave the mast to a mate who did an excellent job sleeving it back together for next to nothing. I picked up the mast from him and drove home. At about 1.00 in the morning and half asleep I missed a turn and decided to make a U turn in the city. Dark, poor lighting and half asleep, I did not se that telegragh pole.......... Hello Marstrom, I would like to order a new must......ouch.

When I told my mate and my crew the next day they did not find my story very funny.

After a 5 week wait for a new mast, we fitted up the new stick and the next day began our drive down from Sydney to Melboure for the Sail Melboure Event, the first of the Australian Olympic selection regattas.

Just as we were exiting Sydney we sheered 3 of 4 studs on the left hand side of the trailer (The side with the lowest hull) The trailer got the death wobles and we imediatly pulled over. Would hate to of think what would happen if we lost that wheel.

Anyway we got it fixed and made the regatta. Down there Bundock and Forbes plus the Greek team noticed that we had removed our tramp. They advised us that this is not necessary unless it blows 40 knots on the trip.

For the trip home we left the tramp on and you guessed it, it blew 40 plus knots. Westerlies fueled by the Canberra Bush fires followed by a Southerly front that hit when we came into Sydney. Trailer was all over the place. Just put that foot down and bring the apparent wind around further. Quiet a scary trip.