Saturday: The port sheet on the jib came undone at the clew during a pre-race tack. Then Niall was airlifted out of the cockpit and into the drink at the north end of Horse Island, which was serving as the leeward mark, courtesy of the spinnaker that had been taken down but not stowed in the cabin. Man overboard drill followed. In the process, the spinnaker halyard flew up the mast and was with us in the cockpit when we sorted out the scene after getting Niall back on board. And the first race wasn’t even over. Without a spinnaker halyard, we retired after a 5th place finish in the first race. Back at Spinnaker Point, fresh from taking down the mast the week before, we did it again and “fished” the spinnaker halyard back through the mast.
Sunday: 4 races, 3 third place finishes, and 1 fifth. A better showing with better sailing. And we looked good in our Hydropathy polo shirts.