Sharks fin

The Club 500 racing rules say that all boats must have a number on the top so that laps can be counted.

No matter that I already have the number in massive size on the bow deck. The rules say number on a fin so number on a fin it has to be. The fin was even provided by the top bloke who organises our racing. He must have spent ages making the things. They even came with sticky foam pads on the bottom.

However kind it was to supply the fin, it looked a bit rubbish. Very square. Not at all sporty. And (my fault) the boat didn't fit in the box with it on.

So, the foam was replaced with some Velcro - which the rules do allow. I even put a little bit in the boat box so the number can be stuck in there when not required.

Then I rounded off the top edge. It looked better but I wasn't happy. Staring at it, inspiration struck. If I could cut another curve, I could turn the fin into, a fin. A proper, sexy, sharks fin. One that would scare my opponents out of the lake.

Drawing around the edge of a tin gave me the curve and I thought it looked fab. Then I remembered that we race anti-clockwise. So if I can't fin another number 9 sticker, then the fin will have to be fitted back to front !