• The Hovercat Mk. 2 multipurpose amphibious hovercraft (Hovermarine Transport Ltd., Hazel Wharf, Hazel Road, Woolston, Southampton) has a wide range of roles.

The Hovercat depicted above is fitted out for casualty evacuation. It can take two stretcher cases inside the cabin and two more in the specially constructed external pods.

It is capable of operating over a variety of terrains—marshes, sand bars, deserts, ice, snow, scrubland—and also in coastal waters, along rivers and on lakes. The Hovercat's fully amphibious quality allows it to operate from relatively unprepared bases and in coastal waters tidal rise and fall do not limit operations.

• Mr. S. Blachford, of Southampton, applying (see picture) Letrasign, a tough PVC selfadhesive lettering (Letraset Ltd., St. George's House, 195/203 Waterloo Road, London, S.E.)1 to his 16-foot trimaran Royalist III.

Mr. Blachford set out at Easter to sail, singlehanded, the trimaran 5,000 miles across the Atlantic from Southampton via Portugal, theCanary Islands to the West Indies.

Letrasign, which is being used for suppliers' names along the sides of the trimaran, stood up extremely well during Royalist Hi's rigorous sea trials in the Channel. It even weathered a gale, and proved to be highly resistant to constant salt water exposure.

• The Laureate course corrector and D.R.

(dead reckoning) position indicator (Circle Marketing, Kelven House, Totteridge Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks.} has been designed for small boat, cruising boat and racing yacht use. It is equally suitable for sail and power vessels.

Correction can be determined in the cockpit without leaving the tiller.

Today most charts, tidal streams and recommended courses are given as 'true' compass bearings and for convenience this system is adhered to in the Laureate instrument. Final correction to give magnetic compass readings and bearings is easily made when required. The instrument (see p. 142) incorporates a 'magic slate' which serves two purposes: movement of the original plot for construction of velocity triangles and for erasure when a particular correction has been determined. Information is stored until the next correction is to be made and this can be useful as a constant reminder to the helmsman of the course to steer.

% Drying out a boat can be difficult even when it is fitted with bungs and balers. One of the quickest ways of getting a boat really dry is by using the Straight Jane self-wringing mop (Straight Jane Mops Ltd., Garfield Road, Wimbledon, S. W. 19). (Continued on page 142)The mop head has a purified linen wringer bag. When the head has soaked up water it is withdrawn into the bag. A twist of the wrist wrings out the mop, no special bucket being required (right).

• Ardleigh Laminated Plastics Co. Ltd., Bluebridge Industrial Estate, Halstead, Essex, are specialists in the construction of G.R.P. hulls and decks for amateur and professional boatbuilders to fit out. A 19-foot 6-inch by 7-foot 4-inch hull and deck of the traditional round bilge design is available.

% The Sea Truck—the new tougher and faster all glass-fibre version recently introduced by Rotork Marine Ltd., Lower Weston, Bath, Somerset— was earlier this year being assessed by Port of London observers for its suitability as a high speed liaison craft in emergency situations..