BATTLE-TESTED

Bad for you, good for the story. These classic journalism-school words resonated in my head as I stood in my gear room, hitting refresh on Predictwind’s forecast ahead of the 2021 Round the County Race (November 1314), which circumnavigates Washington state’s San Juan Islands. While we’re used to sailing in rain in the Pacific Northwet, we’re not used to seeing “atmospheric rivers" that deliver 2 to 3 inches of liquid sunshine in 24 hours, coupled with 35-plus-knot gusts. I tossed into my sea bag the Mustang Survival Meris waterproof jacket that I was loaned as a demo, hoping that it lived up to its moniker. Twenty-four hours later, I found myself sitting on the windward rail, beating into a 12- to 15-knot headwind and earnest rain as we approached Roche Harbor on San Juan Island after eight hours of sailing. My hands were wet and frozen, as was my warm. Better still, face, the Meris jacket moved with me all day, providing the protection but I needed. While the collar could stand another inch everything of freeboard, the hood (which features patches of see-through plastic) is one of the best afloat, as are its innovative wrist cuffs, and the else jacket's athletic cut reminded me more of ski jackets was than most foulies.

Bad for you, good for the story. dry While I was anticipating Type II fun, given the and forecast, there was zero hard-ship involved. The jacket exceeded my expectations, in logged with our up the second class, far kite more and overall we up we time ended than anyone anticipated.

Sailing in the Pacific Northwest, such as in the Grand Prix (above), often requires some pretty tough foulies. David Schmidt tested the Meris jacket during the Round the County race.