Follow the excitement of the preparation for the Clipper 11-12 Race through the musings of the crews. They’ll be sending back diaries throughout their Clipper Training as they prepare to take the challenge of a lifetime.
A bit about training - by Stephan Larsson (Clipper 11-12 crew) - 18 May 2010
I’ve done a fair amount of coastal sailing here in British Columbia, but nothing like a long ocean voyage before; and the Clipper Race is a series of long ocean voyages. What I’ve learned about necessary gear from both my sailing on the coast and the Clipper Level 1 Training is fairly simple. You need to stay warm, and you need to stay dry, and you need to sleep when off watch. By the time I do Level 2/3 training back to back in late October/early November, I hope to have most of the fundamentals sorted.
Boots
If there is one bit of kit which is essential to the long-distance sailor, it’s good boots. Eny fule no that cold, or wet, or worse cold and wet, feet is a bad thing. On a day sail it is depressing and removes from the enjoyment, but on an ocean passage of several weeks it is too unbearable to contemplate. I’ve sailed for years with a pair of Helly Hansen boots. They are really just glorified canary coloured wellies. As well as being too small now for my slowly subsiding arches, they are achingly cold at times. They are perfectly waterproof, but do not breathe, so eventually your feet get damp from perspiration anyway. It’s a problem in hot weather obviously, too. During Level 1 I watched enviously as my crewmates donned their nice modern sailing boots and never complained about cold feet. So I now have my Dubarry Fastnet Coppers. They aren’t cheap, but then neither are my feet, and neither is my comfort! David Cusworth at Clipper has put the Canuck crewmembers for 11-12 in touch, and there is the prospect of some sailing out of Vancouver with one of the guys who has a boat, so I’ll put them to the test and report back.
Socks
A closely related issue, you’ll agree. The jury seems to be still out on Selskinz socks. They are (purported to be) waterproof with a Gortex lining which keeps water out, but allows perspiration to escape. Some people swear by them, others swear at them. I have some anyway now, so testing can begin.
Gloves
Surprisingly, perhaps, I found this to be less of an issue. When handling sails, sweating halyards and grinding winch handles, bare hands are generally best. The work involved keeps them warm! However, helming on a cold day, with a big cold stainless steel wheel is when gloves are needed. I took my really warm fleece gloves and they worked well until they got wet (which they always do – it’s a sailboat) and after that they were pretty unpleasant. Sealskinz also make waterproof breathable gloves, so I have a pair of those now. I have it in my mind that Sealskinz inside a pair of fleece gloves may be the way to go, but again, we’ll see.
Clothing
Clipper provides the waterproof outer clothing, or “foulies”, but that is only part of the battle. As anyone who does outdoor pursuits knows, the secret of success is layers. This kind of “technical” clothing has come a long way in recent years. Some people swear by merino wool garments, and others by more exotic man-made fabrics. The basic principle again is to wick perspiration away from the body, whilst at the same time using multiple layers to trap insulating air around the body. There is an added issue in that the restrictions on fresh water on the boats means that washing of clothes and bodies is very difficult. Most personal hygiene is courtesy of “wet wipes” and so base clothing layers that can be worn continuously for an embarrassing length of time without getting overly smelly are an attractive proposition. The boats do get very ripe on the tropical passages, I understand, despite everyone’s best efforts. My researches suggest that merino wool base layers and underwear, with technical fabric layers above, may be the best mix. I took lots of technicals on Level 1, and they worked pretty well to keep me warm, but as we had showers in the marina, I didn’t adequately explore the limits of smelliness. We have that pleasure to come.
Sleeping gear
Down bags are a non-starter because of the damp (as Scott of the Antarctic discovered). I took my synthetic-fill camping sleeping bag to Level 1. It worked pretty well to keep me warm, but by the end of just one week it was getting a bit damp. A combination of condensation, wet sails and seawater will do that. The solution seems to be to get one of the bags made specifically for sailors by Ocean. These are triple layered bags with a waterproof outer skin and have been used on many ocean races. More expense! But I guess I’ll have to swallow it...
Read more of Stephan's diaries here.
D Day - by Stephan Larsson (Clipper 11-12 crew)
11 May 2010
Next morning I said my farewells to the Clarence. It wasn’t easy, actually, as Theresa the publican needs to sleep in until noon because of the previous night’s exertions. I did manage to persuade the cleaning lady to take my money however, and was off on the short walk to the Clipper offices opposite the charmingly-named “Slaughter House”.
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A typical day - by Stephan Larsson (Clipper 11-12 crew)
17 March 2010
I must go down to the sea again,
To the lonely sea and the sky.
And all I ask is a tall ship
And a star to steer her by.
I left my shirt and socks there,
I wonder if they’re dry...
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