Ever wonder what it?s like to be a sailor in the Volvo Ocean Race? Ericsson Racing Team crew member and medic Richard Mason, 31, of New Zealand, and helmsman/trimmer Damian Foxall, 36, of Ireland, let The Examiner in on what it?s like to live onboard.
Crew members burn about 7,000 calories per day “depending on what role you have” on the boat, Mason said. That means they have to try and maintain their weight in order to be in the best shape possible. The crew eats two hot meals, one cold meal (such as porridge) and two protein bars ? which Mason called “absolutely disgusting” ? per day. The food is vacuum-packed so it will stay fresh and dry. In addition to that, each crew member takes about 30 vitamin and mineral pills every day, even when ashore.
The hygiene on the boats is not ideal.
“When it?s cold, you don?t sweat, so you don?t need to change your clothes all the time,” Foxall said. “After about 10 days, your body kind of happily produces a waxy sheen, like an apple.”
Ericsson Racing Team press officer Annabel Merrison said that the extent of the hygiene is “quite literally wet wipes and a toothbrush.”
The crew has various kinds of wet wipes for different areas of the body, which substitute for a shower.
“One of the biggest problems on the boat is that you are wet all the time,” Mason said. “You can easily get salt rashes.”
One crew member had a rash that Mason didn?t recognize and therefore couldn?t treat. Luckily, the technology on the boat allowed the crew members send pictures of the rash to a team of specialists standing by just for that purpose.
Foxall said that they are always pushing the capabilities of materials.
“Boats now can do things that were inconceivable 10 years ago,” he said.
Even with all the downfalls, Foxall wouldn?t trade it for the world.
“It?s a fantastic sport. There are so many different aspects and I get to see so many different things. It?s a great business to be in. I highly recommend it,” he said.
