What.A.Day. Wind was higher than forecasted to start and built to ≈17 NW for a bit, but we had a good start and were in first for a good bit. And then we had an actual POB during a tack (crew slid under the lifelines on the low side) but we immediately did a figure 8 and got right back, used the swim ladder and recovered. We did lose several places, BUT managed to claw our way back into second by the end! I was on jib which was pretty full on especially during the next to last leg (before hoisting the spin) when we had both the barberhaul line and regular sheet set up and I was switching between them.
engine died as we were heading in to dock, so used jib to sail up to delirium to raft up. Engine issue seemed to be carbon build up. Wish we'd had a fresh fuel filter to put in before leaving. I wasn't too happy about leaving at 5 and heading directly into a big line of storm cells and not huge confidence in the engine. :-/
docked back in Annapolis at 12:30 after an absolutely miserable drenched ride back. Had an exciting moment before it got really dark when the wind was really kicking up and we needed to get the jib in, and as per, the furling line was stretched out and we couldn't furl past about 3/4. Was a struggle but got sheets and rest of the sail wrapped manually around the forestay, cleared off at the how and coiled into a cow hitch like a bowline. I think gusts were in the mid-high twenties at least during that bit, but they died down considerably after we passed the front. Still massive rain off and on even after we got away from thd lightning and thunder.
