Around the World of Sailing

3 October 2001

This weeks features:

Finish Line

Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/oc/1003/frw.htm
Team SEB watch captain Matthew Humphries is sailing
his 4th Volvo Ocean race at Age 30. He's also sailed races
as bowman and skipper.

Water Level Update

Reference Point

Inches below Chart Datum -0
Difference from last month -0
Difference from last year -3
Difference from long term average for September -21
Difference from Record High -54
Difference from Record Low +10
Forecast for 28 October 2001 -2

Rowing Reporter

The Rowing Reporter is a weekly column of commentary and
observations by Ike Stephenson, Marine Informationist. It
concentrates on the home waters of Around the World of
Sailing, Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake.
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VOR Kit
It's pretty common to lament the privations of a Volvo
Ocean Race sailor. Working 24 hours a day, no morning
shower and perhaps too many cups of coffee or tea, a limited
wardrobe awkward sleeping and more.
One should remember that the VOR is an arena filled by
professional sailors. Similarly until early last century
sailing ships were also filled with paid crew who made their
living and home aboard ship.
To see how the VORers have it let's compare the typical kit
for a VOR sailor with that of a crew on a whale ship in 1912.
To do so let's line up a pair of hypothetical sailors, start
at the head and end at the foot. The whaler brought a regular
cap, and an oil hat likely a souwester. The VOR has a cap
likely in team logo and for colder legs a balaclava or a
fleece cap.
The whaler had a large selection of shirts cotton and wool,
and denim frocks- a total of 8. The VOR sailor brings a couple
of capeline t-shirts. Also the VOR crew will have either a 1
piece thermal base layer or thermal top.
The whaler had 2 pair of under wear, the same amount as the
VOR. On this Tyco skipper Kevin Shoebridge says after 9 days,
"but still far too early to consider a change of any clothes."
The whaler had a choice of several pairs of denim pant
(jeans?) and heavier wool pants for southern ocean sealing.
He also had a 2-piece oil skin foul weather suit. Let's
remember that oil skins were literally that rain suits made
of cloth that had been oiled to stay water tight.
It's here that the VOR racer has a big advantage. In addition
to the 1 or 2 piece base layer thermal he'll have 2 more
layers available.
The second will be fleece lined and windproof doubling as an
outer layer in fair weather. These could be a 1-piece fleece
coverall or a breathable Gore Tex fleece lined jacket.
For an outer layer he'll have ocean level Gore Tex foul
weather gear. On top will be either a smock for maximum
movement or a more conventional jacket. The same suspendered
foul weather bibs will go with either top.
The whaler chose mittens, while the VOR trimmer will go with
gloves so he can handle sheets.
2 pairs of wool socks for the whaler and 2 pairs of socks
maybe gore tex or smart wool for the VORer.
For most VOR sailors it's either shoes or boots. One explains
his choice of boots this way, "I can always fold the boots
down, but I don't want my toes turning blue again."
The whaler had 1 pair of shoes and a pair of boots.
The whaler had a pair of blankets to sleep in. These were his
own. The VOR crew hot bunks, sharing a bunk and a sleeping
bag with his crewmate.
Some of the Volvo 60's seem to have taken a step back in
sleeping accommodations. For instance Amer Sports I and
Djuice have crews sleep on one long bunk. They sleep head
to head for feet to feet. This seems to violate the old
rule about always sleeping feet towards the bow to avoid a

Sleeping head to head on Djuice

head injury when stopping suddenly. Secondly, even the
British Navy, not known for it's luxurious conditions, gave
each tar 18 inches in which to swing his own hammock. Others
such as Assa Abloy have stayed with separate pipe berths for
each sleeper. Pictures of both arrangements are in the
online version of this column.

Assa Abloy's more traditional 'personal' pipe berths

The whaler had a tin cup, pot and pan for his largely salted
and preserved rations.
The VOR sailor shares food bowls for his freeze dried fare.
The whaler toted a sheath knife, which hung off his belt.
The knife likely did not have a sharp point.
An 1866 law prohibited the wearing of sheath knives. Ships
officers broke off the point, allowing the meat of the blade
for rope cutting.
The VOR sailor wears a fanny pack with his personal safety
gear. This could include: strobe light, PFD, whistle, and
knife or multi tool.
In the end the whaler took about 30 pieces of gear, the VOR
sailor 15. The whaler's gear was heavier, colder and made of
natural fabrics. The modern sailor has synthetic materials
that make for lightweight gear. Don't know that they will feel
any greater warmth in the Southern Ocean though.

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Sailor of the Year
For the 4th year Torresen Sailing Site will allow
visitors to select a Female and Male sailor of the year.
Candidates will be announced next week.
Those on the short list to be candidates include:
Michel Desjoyeaux, Phillipe Kahn and Robert Schedit among the
males and Ellen Macarthur, Lisa Charles and Cory Sertl amongst
the females.
Email your candidates to soty@torresen.com
Voting will begin 17 October at
www.torresen.com/soty with
sailing prizes awarded via a random drawing.
***********
Follow Up
Last week's watery weblog mentioned the new way in
which wind chill will be calculated. If you are looking for
more information and a chance to see the formula working
visit http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ftproot/ssd/html/windchil.htm
where you can plug in temperatures beginning at 45° and wind
speeds and see the resulting chill.