Striking the colours

Holding a passport allows UK citizens to exercise one of their fundamental rights, that of leaving and re entering the country. Getting one however is a crusade and that's because when its summer and holiday time, the fuckers at the passport office are on strike. No wonder people hide under the axles of trucks to get into the UK, they are probably just bloody tired of waiting..

Now some may argue that the right to join a trade union, and the right to strike, are as fundamental as free speech. If you don't have them, you're not an employee but a serf, and a society that outlaws strikes isn't free.

I think that's rubbish. It's well timed and meant to cause maximum disruption by blinkered selfish individuals too thick to realise that in time, this and other administrative services, are best outsourced to China.. Their actions are just speeding that process up, particularly as one of their complaints is that they don't think the service is efficient enough...

This means I may have to get to the US nationals in the wheel arch of a 747.

Anyway I've been experimenting with wands recently and the conclusion I've come to is that the standard BR one is probably the best. It's stiff and with a relatively high swing weight (new term) you don't need much elastic tension. Anyway the boat feels really good with it. I have tried an AMAC style "broke back" wand with a paddle which is good upwind but down it creates some drag which has a noticeable effect in the light winds we've had here. I think it will be great in a breeze but for now its off the boat mainly because it makes an incessant "chat,chat,chat" noise all the time and reminds me of an ex.

This pm I've promised the kids at the club that they can have a go in my boat. I've had to refuse a few, which isnt easy, one in particular just can't sail, but we should get a few new recruits down at Hayling Island and they should have fun.