Below deck there is no shortage of work during an ocean race. The crew must be fed, the generator and water maker kept running and sails repaired.
Great team work above and below decks keeps the boat speeding along
Mother watch
Everyone takes their turn to cook and clean the boat. A constant supply of tea and coffee keeps those on deck warm and hydrated and meals have to be nutritious and filling enough to keep a crew firing on all cylinders. There are no refrigeration facilities on board so meals have to be planned well in advance and are generally concocted from tinned and dried ingredients and are often rice or pasta-based. Bread is baked fresh every day.
The victualler is responsible for the menu plans and overseeing the shopping in each port to restock the boat, keeping a record of where everything is stowed so the mothers can easily find the ingredients they need. If you think successfully shopping for a family of four for a week is an operational triumph, imagine shopping for 18 people for up to five weeks at sea, often in supermarkets where products are unfamiliar and the packaging is in a foreign language.
Each yacht will use approximately 380 teabags each week and the fleet gets through around 17 miles of toilet paper during the race. And you can’t pop out to the supermarket if you run out of anything in the middle of the ocean!
Engineer
There are a number of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems on the Clipper 68s and the engineer is responsible for servicing and maintaining all of them, getting them running again if they break down at sea. They are responsible for making sure the yacht is carrying sufficient spares and if any break or get lost overboard (spanners don’t float) they are replaced in port. There is often a qualified engineer or someone who has a natural talent for the role. We organise marine engineering courses for crew from each of the yachts prior to the start of the race and our maintenance team is always standing by to offer advice and answer questions.
Sail repairer
The sails are essential to keep the boat moving and if one tears it has to be taken down and repaired as quickly as possible in order to minimise loss of performance. One or two members of the core team will attend a sail repair course before the race starts to learn how to fix any damage to the sails at sea. Each boat is equipped with a heavy duty sewing machine, sail needles and other equipment. Major damage, for example a spinnaker ripped from end to end, will often require a team of people sewing in relays – and it can take many hours – until it’s repaired and can be re-hoisted.
Boat medic
In addition to the skipper’s medical qualifications one round the world crew member for each of the yachts takes on the role of boat medic. It is usually someone with a medical qualification or who has been trained in first aid. Clipper Training offers first aid courses for crew. Each yacht carries a comprehensive range of medical equipment to allow the skipper and medic to care for anyone who becomes ill or injures themselves at sea.
Media crew
With a worldwide audience in excess of 200 million people, daily news from the boats is vital. Crew send back blogs, video footage and photographs during each race. Our award-winning host broadcaster and official photographer come in to train crew members in the art of taking great pictures and capturing breathtaking footage of the race.