Expedition Evansvideo
GALE FORCE WIND as We Leave the EU (Hardtop Stress Test) | EE 166
September 18, 2025 · 31 min · 96K views · Mediterranean Sea
Sailboat cockpit battles gale-force seas at night
What this video covers
Brett and Jade Evans depart the Mediterranean on a four-day passage to Gibraltar aboard their boat Eva, racing a hard deadline to exit EU waters before their 18-month non-EU vessel allowance expires and triggers a VAT import tax worth tens of thousands of dollars.5:01 The primary purpose of the passage is also a structural stress test of a custom carbon fiber hardtop they spent thousands of hours designing, modeling, and laminating — a structure integrating handholds, rainwater collection troughs, and 1,800 watts of solar panels.0:26 On the first night, a spontaneous summer storm hit with gusts over 40 knots; the hardtop showed no flex or rattle, a marked contrast to their previous bimini, which shook and flapped in much lighter wind.6:47 PredictWind failed to forecast the storm, and the crew found themselves six hours offshore when conditions deteriorated, eventually tucking into a sheltered anchorage.1:26 On day three, running downwind at 5–6 knots in 16 knots true with a fouled bottom, they motored the final approach to Gibraltar to maintain 7 knots through known orca territory before dark.7:49 A persistent bilge water problem traced to air conditioning hose fittings was resolved — zero bilge pump runs over three days confirmed the fix.12:35 Jade also discloses a serious post-COVID condition: weakened neck tendons causing brainstem compression, vision loss, and autonomic dysfunction, with spinal fusion as a potential last resort.15:04
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