I have been watching the post for the past few days, as I awaited a vital piece of equipment reuired for the Fastnet race, namely my AIS personal beacon which if I fall overboard during the race will help rescuers find me in the vaste of expance of the sea.  IT can be very difficult to spot a person head in the sea even with small waves and almost impossible at night with beaking waves.

I finanally gave up waiting and called the store I had ordered from, to be told they had run out of stock and it was on back order. you can imaginge I was not amused and I canncelled the order.

I then started looking around for another supplier and remebered a chandler at a nearby boatyard to where Troubadour is berthed. I quick telephone call and the problem was resolved. The chandlery in question had a policy of ensuring they had stock in order to meet the requirements of people competing in the Fastnet Race, some 30,000 persons. I paid over the phone and will pick up mine on Thursday on the way to Troubadour.

David Ogden

Fastnet Crewmember  - Troubadour