Is this the final Word............?

Equinox was lifted and pressure washed last week and sits on the quayside looking surprising clean and prim. I was amazed how clean her hull was as she rose up out of the water on the crane's straps.  I immediately spotted a small length of very familiar looking fishing net wrapped around her prop - the 'Norfolk Incident' The vibrations experienced when motoring during the final stages of the voyage may well be due to this rather than a tired Cutlass Bearing. The Gammon Iron should have been rebuilt by now but Chris at CB Marine has slipped a disc; no doubt in agony, poor chap. Warren Butler has in hand the replacement tachometer. The one fitted to Equinox had a cracked glass and misted up. Of note, it had only three wires coming from it; easy to fit and, of course, no longer made. It's visually identical replacement from the same manufacturer, has a staggering 26 wires; and no accompanying instructions. Someone please tell me this is progress.
Tomorrow night I've been invited to join a regular gathering at Chichester Yacht Club as a guest speaker/ entertainer. Of great concern is that everyone in the audience will be far more qualified that moi; having done little if anything formal, by way of recognised courses. Gina, my wife has one more qualification than me - having done a Competent Crew; and she shows me up!  Stupidity and a little bit of courage, fortified by liberal and frequent doses of Speckled Hen are not recognised as qualifications by the RYA which, is a pity really, as I might have made Yachtmaster.

As the wise sage said when giving advice on how best to present your Christmas wines. 'Open the bottle and let it breathe. If it it's not breathing, don't hesitate, give it mouth to mouth...........!