Last Friday night saw the first of our three speaking nights about the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race.

Newcastle Workers Club excelled themselves in their efforts to make the night a success and my heartfelt thanks go to Ken Conway (Manager), Lyn Brown (Functions Co-Ordinator) and Dave Best (P.A. and Lighting).

The Kid's Club will benefit to the tune of approximately $3,000-$4,000 and my thanks go to my crew who gave so freely of their time and were prepared to put themselves through the emotional turmoil of it all over again.

I would have liked a bigger audience then the 250-300 that attended but one has to be satisfied providing you know that you have given it your "best shot".

This coming Friday we are at Wyong Leagues Club and on Saturday it is Muswellbrook's turn at the RSL. I'll let you know in my next update how we finish up.

Yesterday (Sunday) I spent on the boat at the LMYC fitting the two new forestay fittings to the deck that will take the 2nd furler and the forestay for the storm jib. Heinz Brille did a great job (as always) fabricating all the bit's and pieces for me and I now have another day or so to that piece of the jigsaw into place.

I got home around 4.20pm in time to watch the mighty Newcastle Knights defeat the Penrith Panthers in the televised Rugby League match of the day.

When Morrie and I sailed around Australia we had a regular problem with water ingress around the main sliding hatch and the problem once again manifested itself quite badly in Bass Strait last December. Being a person who does not like leaks, I have decided to do something about it, and so for the last 3 weeks I have spent quite a few nights in the carport building a fibreglass (foam core) permanent hatch cover that will screw down over the hatch and should make a huge difference. I will try to take some photos when it is finished and post them on the site. I should have it finished within a couple of weeks.

Holly and Jordan have been on school holidays for the last 2 weeks but their run comes to an end tomorrow when they return to the "salt mine".

I selected and ordered boom vang strut support a week ago and will pass on it onto Whalespars when I receive it so that they can incorporate it into the work they are doing on the new mast and boom.

Haven't sold the winches yet but have been eyeing off some new ones and dreaming.

I had a couple of stickers made up advertising this website and put them on the topsides last weekend.

A week ago The Woodturners of the Hunter staged their 4th Woodturning and Craft Expo with all proceeds ($40,000) going to the Kid's Club and I was asked to speak at a dinner on the Saturday night. It was a great night and Keith Boaz and his fellow "woodies" deserve the heartiest of congratulation for a job well done.

Well that's enough for now and I'll catch up with you soon.

Tony Mowbray