The way it used to be

The way it was …. early Whitbread stopover Auckland.

In less than two weeks the Volvo Ocean Race starts. It’s an exciting time for Emirates Team New Zealand after 18 months hard work by everyone involved in the CAMPER project.

It’s tempting to draw comparisons with round-the-world races of the 70s and 80s.

Back then we raced what were essentially cruising boats; they were slow and the gear was not very good. There were only four legs and half the race was in the Southern Ocean where large lumps of ice capable of sinking a yacht were our constant companions.

But there were some luxuries. On my first race (Lion New Zealand in 1985-86) we had a couple of microwave ovens and we had hot scones every second day.  Each bunk had a reading light, a fan, we had books and walkmen and plenty of music tapes.

Those were the amateur days. Then as professionalism and the weight watching took hold the finer things of life started to disappear. Less weight equaled more speed so non-essentials had to go.  While the Whitbread as it was then called was one big adventure the yachties still wanted to win.

Hot scones were gone, in their place freeze dried food, bunk lights and fans went so there was no need for books; sleeping bags were shared.

The professional era got its start at the end of the 80s with the Steinlager 2 and Fisher and Paykel campaigns.  Four years later New Zealand Endeavour took it further.

Today the boats are faster, the equipment is fantastic and there are nine legs with stopovers at exotic places.

Roughly 70% of the work on a Volvo Ocean Race campaign goes in before the boat is launched. That’s the way it has to be if you want to win. For the CAMPER project we started by selecting the key people then pouring effort into design, research, weather and assembling the right people for shore and sailing crews.

One of the big changes is in the communications from on board – HD video off the boats every day, GPS tracking so race hq knows where the fleet is at all times. That makes it easier to follow the racing from on shore.

So it’s a different race. But it’s still as tough physically and mentally – and as potentially dangerous – as it ever was. What’s more every boat has a chance to win.