There are several questions that have been asked several times in our Facebook group. I am compiling here a list of these questions as a F.A.Q, hope that someone can find this useful!
Equipment
Luggage for training
Training is the time to experiment, so don't hesitate to bring excess luggage, there is no limit on weight when training (up to a point!). Bring different stuff, test it and find out what best works for you. Your bags need to be foldable so that they can be put away once you are onboard, no hard case luggage. These bags do not need to be waterproof
It is not clear if the Clipper office will be able to hold any luggage for you while you are training, so if you have some luggage that you are not taking on board you may need to find somewhere else to store it, maybe in your hotel if you are spending some nights elsewhere.
Luggage for the race
For the race you will need one or more large bags, people have been using bags with 80-100L capacity, either large sailing bags or large duffel bags. There will probably be a limit on how much weight you can carry onboard, this will usually be decided by your team and your skipper. You don't need a lot of pockets or fancy stuff in the bags as they will usually be folded and put away during the race. Again no hard-cases and also no need for the bags to be waterproof as you won't be keeping your items inside them.
Some people use vacuum bags inside of these large bags, where you can vacuum out all the air so that things occupy less space during transportation.
Dry bags
People usually carry several waterproof dry bags and/or zip-lock bags that will keep whatever is inside dry. People usually carry several sizes, from 10L up to 50L and maybe some smaller zip-lock bags. Ideally these should be transparent or have a window so that you can check what's inside but if they are not you can always label them. People use different strategies when dividing stuff in these bags, some divide them according to function (one for pants, another for t-shirts, etc...) and some divide them according to time periods (one for the first week, another for the second week, etc...)
You won't need to use these dry bags during training as there is very little probability that your stuff will get wet but you may want to bring them along to start testing how to organise your things.
Boots
If you are doing any kind of cold leg, even if it is just part of it, you need a good pair of boots. People have mainly gone for one of three options:
- Most popular choice seems to be the Musto Ocean Racer GTX boots, they are very light and waterproof thanks to their Goretex membrane. They have gaiters to help you keep the inside dry.- Dubarry Ultima or similar. These boots have a very resistant leather outside with an inside Goretex membrane.- Neptune Le Chameau. These boots have a rubber outside with a neoprene inside layer. They are heavier but probably warmer and more waterproof.There are other options like Zhik or Helly Hansen but they are less popular. Some people have even said that they just wore Crocs the whole race! The recommendation is to use your first training levels to look at what other people are using and check what works best for you. If you want to purchase the Musto boots you will probably want to wait until the end of your Level 1 when you will receive your Musto discount code.Buy a size that is slightly larger than your usual shoe size. You will probably end up wearing them with more than one layer of socks and you want to make sure that they are not a struggle to get into.
Boots for training
If you are doing any kind of cold leg, even if it is just part of it, you need a good pair of boots. People have mainly gone for one of three options:
- Most popular choice seems to be the Musto Ocean Racer GTX boots, they are very light and waterproof thanks to their Goretex membrane. They have gaiters to help you keep the inside dry.
- Dubarry Ultima or similar. These boots have a very resistant leather outside with an inside Goretex membrane.
- Neptune Le Chameau. These boots have a rubber outside with a neoprene inside layer. They are heavier but probably warmer and more waterproof.
There are other options like Zhik or Helly Hansen but they are less popular. Some people have even said that they just wore Crocs the whole race! The recommendation is to use your first training levels to look at what other people are using and check what works best for you. If you want to purchase the Musto boots you will probably want to wait until the end of your Level 1 when you will receive your Musto discount code.
Buy a size that is slightly larger than your usual shoe size. You will probably end up wearing them with more than one layer of socks and you want to make sure that they are not a struggle to get into.
You don't need some high quality boots for your first training levels, so there is no need to spend a lot of money for them. Use them to find out what best works for you and then use the latter levels to confirm your choice. For the first levels any kind of sailing boots, for example the cheap ones that you can find at Decathlon will suffice. If you can't find any boots to use, just bring some shoes (trainers, deck shoes....) that you don't mind getting wet. Whatever shoes/boots you bring, don't forget to bring an additional pair of shoes that you can use when you are not sailing.
Shoes for warmer legs
If you are participating in warmer legs (or legs which have a warm part) you probably want to bring some other shoes apart from your sailing boots (though some people continue using them in these warmer sections). The most popular choice seems to be Crocs, whose main advantage is that they dry very quickly, apart from being very comfortable to use. Other people use sport sandals with straps like Keens as these will provide a tighter grip for your feet. What isn't recommended is to use trainers or similar as once wet they soon start smelling horribly.
Base layers
There is a big consensus that the best base layers are made of merino wool. It is quite warm, dries easily and, due to its anti-bacterial properties, does not get smelly fast. People regularly wear them for up to a week with no issues. They can itch a little bit, so if your skin is very sensitive you may want to test them before purchasing a lot of them. There are many brands available and usually all of them will be good enough for the race, just find some models that you fancy and which have the right price.
Mid layers
There is a huge variety of mid layers with different properties in weight, waterproofness, warmth, etc.... Use your training to find out what works best for you. The best strategy is to have different types of mid layers that you can use to "layer up" depending on how cold the conditions are. In colder legs it is not unusual to see people wearing six or seven layers of stuff.
Foulies/outer layer
Musto will provide a very high quality smock and salopettes for the race, so you don't need to provide your own. For warmer legs they also provide a soft-shell jacket but no trousers other than a pair of shorts, so you may want to look at some alternatives.
For training you will also be provided with a wet weather jacket and salopettes (foulies), so you don't need to bring your own (though you may want to do so if you have some high quality sailing kit that you are used to). These are not the models that will be used during the race, they are older models used in previous races. Some people have complained that some of them are not fully waterproof, though that does not seem to have been the case for most people.
Crew kit
These are the clothes that will be provided by Musto for your race:
- HPX Gore-Tex Pro Series Smock- HPX Gore-Tex Pro Series Trouser- Evolution Sunblock Long Sleeve T-Shirt- Crew Softshell Jacket- Pro Lite UV Fast Dry Short
Apart from those you will also be provided with two additional pieces of kit by your sponsor, these are mainly meant to be worn while offshore or during promotional events.
- Sardinia BR1 Jacket- Evolution Sunblock Short Sleeve Polo
As part of your level 1 you will visit the Musto Lighthouse store in Portsmouth to do a fitting and find your best sizes. You can use this opportunity to look at other Musto stuff that might interest you. You are welcome to visit the store at a later date for a new fitting if you are unsure of any of your sizes, just call or email the store.
Your final kit will be provided at the start of your level 4 and it will be in the colours that you will use during the race depending on the sponsor of your yacht.
Life jacket/harness
During the race you will use the new Spinlock life jackets/harnesses which are really good, very high quality, very comfortable and very easy to get into. There is no need for you to provide your own. In fact you will not be allowed to use any security equipment that is not the one provided by the Clipper race. You will be allocated a life jacket that will be yours during your sailing time in the race but unlike the crew kit you do not get to take it home after the race.
During training you will either be using these new Spinlock life jackets or some of the older models used during previous races, The old ones are also very good but probably a bit less comfortable.
During the race and training you will also be provided with a three-end tether that you will use with your harness.
Dry suit
People only recommend that you consider a dry suit if you are doing one of the colder legs like Leg 3 or Leg 6. The main advantages of wearing a dry suit are two:- They will keep your mid and base layers dry, thus keeping you warmer.- If you happen to fall over board they will increase your chances of survival substantially.The main disadvantages are also two:- They are another layer that you need to get into when getting ready and some of them are not easy to get into, so this may be inconvenient when you are trying to get ready for your watch- They are usually very expensive.So, it is a matter of personal preference whether you want to get one or not. Again look into them, see what other people are using and make your choice.
Many people opt for the Musto HTX Ocean dry suit. This is a very high quality outer layer that will replace your foulies (so you will be wearing one or the others but not both at the same time). Its main disadvantages are two: it can be quite difficult to get into and they are really expensive.
Some people have opted for other lighter dry suits that can be worn as a mid layer (under your foulies). They are usually easier to get into as they are less rigid and are usually much cheaper. Their disadvantages are that they are another layer that you need to get into apart from your foulies and that they will not stop your foulies getting wet.
Personalising your kit
You will be allowed to do some personalisation of your foul weather gear, mainly to add your name and/or some initials. The exact rules of what is allowed are not know yet.
There are places in Gosport that are familiar with Clipper and will be able to do this personalisation for you. Cost is about £30 to have your name and two initials added.
If you decide to personalise your kit, make sure that this is done by a professional house that understands that the waterproof capabilities of your gear need to be taken into account.
Gloves
No one seems to have cracked the solution to gloves that actually perform well. There are many "waterproof" gloves but they all seem to be unable to keep your hands really dry and warm. A lot of people do not like wearing gloves when doing any kind of operation with ropes, winches, etc... Some people like to use fingerless gloves. Others use gloves with a neoprene layer. Some use sailing gloves like the ones provided by Musto. The variety is huge and again you should test and decide for yourself.
Some people wear big "mitten" gloves that cannot be used when operating equipment but that will keep you warm when not doing stuff. These are also good for helming where you don't need finger dexterity. Some people use the kind of gloves that are used by people moving frozen stuff or fishermen.
Glasses
If you need prescription glasses you will need to find some kind of solution for the race as "normal" glasses get very wet, fog up and are easy to lose.
- Some people opt for contact lenses but other people have said that the marine environment is very hard on them and it is easy that they get dirty or salty.- Some people opt for sport glasses like the ones worn by baseball players. They have the advantage that they remain very close to your face so you get less water in and they fog less.- Some people opt for wearing googles on top of their glasses in order to keep these dry- Some people opt for laser surgery before the race- If you end up wearing any kind of glasses, make sure to use a strap so that they don't easily fall off you. And if you use any kind of strap make sure that it has a weak link or is attached in some way that will open if it somehow gets caught in something.- Also make sure to bring some spare glasses in case you lose your main ones.- Finally, even if you don't wear prescription glasses, think about sun glasses, particularly if you are doing any of the warmer legs. Polarising glasses are specially good. The reflection of the sun in the water can damage your eyes if you are not careful.
Head torch
There is a huge variety of head torches available, some of the models that several people have said that they like include the Exposure Lights Raw Pro and some Forclaz and Petzl models. Whatever model you choose, make sure that it covers these requirements:
- It needs to be fully waterproof as it will very easily get very wet
- Preferentially it should be rechargeable, you don't want to have to be carrying a lot of batteries
- You should be able to switch it on in red mode without having to cycle through any white modes beforehand. This is very important for night sailing.
Some people have suggested that you should also bring a spare one, even if it is just a cheaper model, as this is an item that is easily lost.
Sleeping bag
You will need a good sleeping bag as it can get quite cold during the race. Most people opt for the Ocean Sleepwear sleeping bag which seems to be very warm and works even under very wet conditions. Its main disadvantages are that it is huge (more than twice the size of any regular sleeping bag) and that it is quite expensive.
Other people opt for high quality mountain or military sleeping bags, many of them with a bivvy bag to keep them dry. Whatever you choose, make sure that it is a synthetic material, not down, as down looses all its properties if it gets wet.
For your training levels you probably don't need a very good quality sleeping bag, the chances of it getting wet are small and it won't be too cold, so you can bring any kind of warm sleeping bag until you decide the final model that you want to use.
Sailing knife
Carrying a good knife is a security measure. Your life or a limb might depend on being able to cut a rope, a tether or other items fast and easily. Most sailing knifes fall into two categories: those which are multi-tool with lots of other options and those which only have a sharp blade designed for emergency use. If you carry one of the first kind (which can be very useful for many different tasks), most people prefer to also carry one of the second kind. Make sure that your security knife is easily accessible, not in the bottom of some hidden pocket.
And remember that these knifes cannot be carried on carry-on luggage in airports, they need to be checked in. Many people have forgotten about this and have had to surrender their knifes to airport security.
Knee pads
Some people recommend getting knee pads as you will spend a lot of time on your knees when doing your training/sailing. The disadvantages are that they represent another piece of kit that you need to wear and that they might be uncomfortable to wear all day long. Again use your training to find out if your knees get really sore and could use some help.
The Musto salopettes that will be provided for the race include some internal knee pads but it seems that they are more designed for impact rather than as an aid for prolongated work. Also, you may not be wearing them during warmer legs. Juts something to consider as this protection might be enough for you.
Training
Training levels
- In level 1 you will get acquainted with the basic evolutions like hoisting and dropping the main sail and the head sails, putting in and shaking reefs and tacking. You will start to learn all the items and processes involved in sailing these yachts and all the terms involved. Learning curve is steep but very well managed. You will be sleeping in the boat every night but you will sleep docked to some port, usually Gosport, maybe Cowes, and sailing in the Solent. You will meet around 5pm at Clipper's training office in Gosport and depart the last day before 4:00pm. Last day you will be doing a deep clean of the boat and no sailing. In total you will spend 5 days in the water.
- Level 2 is all about learning to live onboard and getting used to spending the 24h of the day sailing, doing watches and performing different roles. You will continue practicing the evolutions that you learned in level 1 while introducing others like gybing. Unless the weather forecast is terrible or there is some other unexpected condition you will usually spend the whole training sailing, without coming back to dock until the last night. You will usually sail away from the Solent, into the English Channel and maybe along the coast of France. The first day you will do your Sea Survival course, with some theory in the morning and some practice in the swimming pool in the afternoon. You will meet at 08:30 at the place where the survival course is held and depart the last day before 4:00pm, again after a deep clean. In total you will spend 4 days in the water.
- Level 3 is about cementing your knowledge of all the basic evolutions, with a particular emphasis in gybing and about learning how to sail with the spinnaker up. Depending on your skipper and weather conditions you may return every night to port or you may spend the whole training sailing, though most prefer to return to port every night. You will spend your first day doing the Clipper Race Advanced Safety Course, which is mainly a theoretical course about everything that can go wrong at sea and how to handle these emergencies. You will meet at 09:00 at Clipper's training office in Gosport and depart the last day before 4pm, again after a deep clean. In total you will spend 4 days in the water.
- Level 4 is all about getting to sail with your skipper, in your yacht and with some of the crew that will be sharing your adventure. You will be perfecting all the evolutions that you have learned in previous levels, getting ready for the race. In this level, unless there are some extraordinary circumstances, you will be sailing all week, only coming back to port the last night. The last two days there will be a mini-regatta where your yacht will compete against other yachts doing Level 4. You will meet at 09:00 at Clipper's training office in Gosport and depart the last day before 4pm, again after a deep clean. In total you will spend 6 days in the water.
Meals
All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks) for all days are provided. The exceptions are the lunch on the first day of Levels 2 and 3 (when you will be doing your Security and Safety courses) where you need to provide your own lunch (or get something in the surrounding stores). Also usually the last night people go out and have dinner at a nearby pub and the cost of this is not covered by Clipper either.
Meals are prepared by the crew. You will take turns and a pair of you will be in charge of galley duty every day, preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner and keeping everyone well fed. The challenge is doing this while also being able to continue following the training so meals tend to be as simple as possible.
If you are allergic to anything, have food intolerances or prefer vegetarian or vegan options, this will all be considered when preparing the meals for your training.
Facilities
If you need to buy any sailing item for your trip there is a chandler very close to the Clipper training office. In Portsmouth you can find the Musto Lighthouse store with the full repertoire of their range and there is also a Musto outlet store if you are looking for some deals.
If you need to buy any sailing item for your trip there is a chandler very close to the Clipper training office. In Portsmouth you can find the Musto Lighthouse store with the full repertoire of their range and there is also a Musto outlet store if you are looking for some deals.
If you need to do any washing between levels, there are some laundry facilities at the Marina in Gosport.
Also at the marina you will find some toilets with showers and you will be able to use them while the yachts are docked there. There are also toilets and showers at the marina in Cowes if you happen to dock there.
There are many hotels near the office, specially on the Portsmouth side. From there it is a short ferry ride and a short walk to the training office.
Getting there
If you arrive by plane, the best way to get to the training office is by using public transport:
- From Gatwick there are frequent direct train to the Portsmouth Harbour train station. From there you just need to catch the short ferry to Gosport and a short 5 min walk to the office. The whole trip will take a couple of hours.- From Heathrow take a bus to Guildford (with RailAir) and then the train to Portsmouth Harbour and proceed as above. Again it should take a couple of hours.- From Stansted you will need to take a bus to Victoria Station, use the tube to get to Waterloo Station and take a train to Portsmouth Harbour. It should take around four hours- From Southampton you will need to take a train to Southampton Central and from there a train to Portsmouth Harbour. It should take a little over one hour.
If you are coming by car, there is parking space near the Clipper training offices and you can leave your car there during your training.
During the race
Sea Sickness
Sea sickness can be a tough experience. To avoid it, try to stay on deck as much as possible and try to look at the horizon, helming can be a great help if you feel well enough. Many people take preventive measures and they usually fall into two categories:
- Taking some pills like Dramamine, Kwells or Stugeron. - Using derm patches like Scopoderm All of them have some side effects so evaluate them carefully.Ginger in several forms like ginger tea, gingerbread cookies or raw ginger has also been mentioned as a natural remedy.
Stopovers
Most people don't stay in the boats during stopovers. There is a lot of activity in them, cleaning, repairs, etc... and staying there can be uncomfortable. Most people book hotel rooms or find AirBnb-like accommodation. Some people prefer to book in advance while others just go searching once they arrive.
If possible, find an accommodation that has a washing machine. If not, it should be easy to find some laundry facilities nearby.
Electricity/charging
There are 240V sockets of the UK kind onboard but don't count on being able to use them. They will only work while you are docked or when the generator is on and they will be usually used for other items needed for the trip like the kettle or navigational equipment.
There are 4 12V USB sockets in the main saloon and a couple more in the nav station (though access to these last two may be limited)
Washing clothes
You will be able to wash your clothes during stop overs but don't count on being able to do it during the race. If the weather is fine enough you may have the opportunity to do some washing but be prepared to do without it. Merino base layers are your helpers
Showering
You will have very limited opportunities to get a full shower and the operation might be very difficult depending on the sailing conditions. Many people use baby wipes as a kind of "dry" shower that helps them remain not too filthy.
Insurance
Several people have looked into trying to find alternative insurance different from the one suggested by the Clipper Race but no one seems to have found a viable alternative.
Communications
During the race you won't be able to use your phone or any other kind of communication with the outside world that is not controlled by Clipper. And communications via email through Clipper will be very limited, so consider that you will be isolated other than some small communications with your closest family.
Travelling to stopovers
ATPI Sports Events is the Official Travel Supplier of the upcoming edition of the Clipper Race. ATPI will provide the opportunity to book specialist marine air fares, allowing for extra baggage allowance and flexibility with cancellations when travelling. Contact details for this company are available in the Crew Hub
Announcements
Crew Allocation
Crew allocation happened on the 20th of May in Portsmouth. It was an incredible day which provide great opportunities to interact with your skipper, AQP and the crew that will be sharing your trip.
After the crew allocation day each of us (including those who could not attend) should have received an information pack and a survey from the skipper. Communication with the team will be through an arranged channel, usually a combination of Whatsapp and Facebook.
We will probably have tonnes of questions for our skippers. They asked us to be patient as they will be doing a lot of training and be on the water for many days, so they may be slow in getting back to us.
Team building weekend
It has been announced that there will be the opportunity to do a team building meet-up during the weekend of the 7th-9th of July. It will be up to each team to decide what they want to do and where. Attending this meeting is optional. The activity can be anything we want, they just recommended that we do not opt for any sailing activity as we will already be doing a lot of sailing together.
Skippers
The names of all the skippers for the race have been announced. You can find more information in the Clipper website.
AQPs
The names of all the AQPs for the race have been announced. You can find more information in the Clipper website.
Teams
These are the different teams that were announced during Crew Allocation:
If you want to know who is on your yacht during your legs, go to https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/teams, locate your team and click on it. Then click on "Race Crew" and you will be able to see a list of all the people in your boat. Then you can further filter by leg.
When you filter by leg, take into account that in that leg apart from the people shown when you filter, you will also be with the circumnavigators (you can also filter to see them)
Make sure that you go to the Crew Hub and review your profile as what you have entered there is what is used to feed this page, so you want it to be accurate.
Stopovers
The only stopovers that have been confirmed so far are uMhlathuze (Richards Bay) in South Africa, Freemantle in Australia and Zhuhai and Qingdao in China.
Partners
The team partners that have been confirmed so far are Bekezela Community Foundation, Ha Long Bay Viet Nam, Our Isles and Oceans, Qingdao and Zhuhai
Dates
