Race 3 - Day 24
Crew Diary - Race 3 Day 24: Cape Town to Fremantle
24 November

The Battle of the Dry Suit

Hello to our family, friends & HotelPlanner.com supporters,

Hoping all are well and like us here enjoying the countdown to our next port, Fremantle. We are keeping the pedal to the floor and doing our best to keep the pressure on our competition!

You will have heard mention of the Drysuit several times during Leg 3. Well it has been both a friend and a foe to many of us over the last three weeks. However, while it may take some getting used to especially when trying to dress at all hours under time pressure and on unsteady footing, for those who purchased a Drysuit it has been a very worthwhile investment for the Southern Ocean challenge.

To provide a little more insight, the purpose of the Drysuit is to try to keep out the wind and rain or the seawater as we get splashed on deck quite liberally in the bigger seas, especially the foredeck bunnies. While the foul weather kit provided (knowns as our Foulies) consisting of water & wind resistant salopettes & smock are an excellent piece of kit, they are less resilient to the wickedly determined cold seawater that can find its way down your neck, up your sleeves and into your boots in the blink of an eye.

So what's the big deal? Well, in addition to dressing while half asleep in a very rocky environment there are other challenges such as zippers, velcro, elastic, latex & neoprene to battle with. We have about four different brands and designs of Drysuit being flouted on deck here since the weather became wetter and colder earlier this month. They are like a onsie jumpsuit with lots of added bells & whistles, literally. Many of them come in a bright yellow 'look at me' colour. Others a more muted shade of red, and others a demure black hue. Each has their own idiosyncracies and challenges.

The first step is getting your feet into the legs and down into the Drysuit booties before putting on your sailing boots. I find this the most challenging bit as I like to wear a couple of pairs of socks inside the Drysuit. However, as I stuff my feet into my boots which are already two sizes bigger than usual I find my toes getting squashed into the toes of the booties as they don't slide easily into the sailing boots. So I need to allow time for several slide & reverse motions to reduce the 'squash effect' and avoid suffocating toes.

Next step is the belt or beaces bit to help hold them up as they are quite a heavy piece of kit, so a snug fit helps. The next big battle is getting the head and arms through the latex neck and cuffs (some designs with neoprene cuffs are a little less challenging, I hear). Some people go head first, others begin with the arms. Either way, it feels like the circulation to hands and face is getting cut off as you push your way blindly through the neck/cuffs, but that is soon forgotten as you check that you still have two ears left and move onto the next stage of the battle. The dreaded ZIPPER. Depending on the drysuit design the location of the zip can vary, but a front zip starting the over the shoulder and closing accross the front down to the opposite hip is the most common on show here this season. This design is more advantageous to the menfolk among us for obvious reasons. Personally, I find that the large teeth of the zip like to attack your face and hair if not kept under control. As you will already have worked up quite a sweat below deck at this stage closing the zip is usually delayed until last minute for added ventilation. However, I learned early one particularly cold and damp morning at 6.30 with only 30 minutes left on deck that my drysuit was not resisting the elements as I had forgotten to close the zip under my life jacket! Not recommended.

Finally, the neck and hood has several velcro folds and straps and bits & pieces that assist to keep out the cold and wet, if properly done up. Some hoods come with side 'windows' which help with the peripheral vision. Once you are fully dressed and properly sealed up life inside the drysuit can be quite snug and warm and you feel ready for the elements on deck. My only advice is shop carefully and persevere as despite the many wardrobe obstacles the battle is worthwhile. Actually another piece of advice – avoid too much tea/coffee while in the drysuit as you will not want to go through the procedure repeatedly.

Of interest, the drysuit battle attracts three types of people: 1. The Helpers, who kindly assist others with zips etc. 2. The Jokers, who enjoy other peoples misery/battles 3. The Acrobats, who just get on with it and like to improve on their own PB daily.

Now as we near our destination and enter warmer waters again the Drysuit will soon be yesterday's fashion, until needed again.

Goodnight to all once again from the crew of HotelPlanner.com

Oiche mhaith agus gra mor do gach duine sa bhaile,

Mary x.