Vendée Globe

Of course there is the race. It is exciting stuff.  The Vendée Globe skippers are sailing their boats at an incredible pace, making tactical choices, carrying out manoeuvres at all hours. In spite of that, life goes on: eating, sleeping and washing are all vital actions ensuring the physical and mental well-being of the sailor. Here is a look here at how the competitors are spending their time, as they race around the world.

Sleeping

How do they sleep?  First of all, we need to get rid of any preconceptions: the solo sailors sleep on average between four and six hours a day.  That may not seem much, but the pace of life at sea is very different from on dry land. By dividing up their sleep, they take just what they need.  These periods of rest depend however, very much on the circumstances: it is not easy to let yourself drift off to sleep, when the boat is charging across the ocean at high speed.  You need to put everything behind you to manage to find the mental strength to put out of your mind the whistling from the keel, the sudden movements from the boat, the waves washing over the deck… Stress is certainly the biggest factor as far as tiredness is concerned. To sleep, everyone has their own recipe: some prefer to curl up in the bunk, while others have gone for more innovative solutions.  Michel Desjoyeaux, who is in favour of a minimalist approach in his boat, has chosen bucket seats, which he sinks into, while Sébastien Josse and Jean Le Cam have a sort of bean bag that they set up as they want in their corner, like a cat in a box.  What counts is feeling good and that means a sort of cocoon to protect you and insulate you from external pressures. Some have carried out scientific research on sleep patterns, while others rely on their instinct, so it is all a question of individual temperament.
 
Eating

Once again, to each his own way of doing things.  Of course, the "kitchen" is reduced to something minimal in order to remove any unnecessary weight, usually, we are talking about a simple burner usually fixed somewhere low down in the boat. There is no room for any galley fittings, when you are trying to make weight savings, especially if we are talking about 1m20 cabinets, as it is not only the weight that counts, but also, they try to avoid placing weights high up inside.  Of course, that means it is not easy if you want to do anything more substantial, but the race comes first.  So no time for stews, but instead food that is quick to heat. The first goal is feeding yourself. In addition to that, some sailors take cans on board to remember the little pleasures of home… Others opt for the life of a hermit eating only freeze-dried food.  The advantage is that these little packets weigh next to nothing. The drawback is that they do not really taste that good.  For some sailors, enjoying what they are eating is important, as it contributes to their general state of well-being
 
Washing

Good hygiene is of course vital. Living in permanently damp conditions, the sailors are exposed to the risk of little infections: Sores and itching are common, when you are wearing wet oilskins all the time.  To deal with this, there is one rule - you must wash regularly. There are no showers for you.  In the tropics, a good wash with salt water on the bow and a bucket of water over the head replace more sophisticated bathrooms.  In the South, things get a little more complicated.  They each have their own away of doing things: sprays for some, baby-wipes for others, but the main things is to find a good balance. Some of the men feel the need to shave, while others happily grow a beard for a few days. It is all a question of temperament: but in the end the sea imposes its own law.
All of these little daily activities contribute to daily life on board for the Vendée Globe competitors. Of course, a lot of this is theoretical. When everything is going well,  and the boat is sailing at fifteen knots and the sun is shining, it is easy enough to respect this routine. When the bad weather arrives daily living requires much more of an effort.  But it is these details that often make all the difference.

PF Bonneau

 

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