Dell Rugged to face extreme test in Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

by Morgan Kasmarik on 13 Jul 2017 We are very pleased to reveal that world leading technology brand Dell has come on board as the Rugged computing technology supplier for one of the world’s toughest endurance challenges, the Clipper 2017-18 Round the World Yacht Race.

Legendary British sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo, non-stop, around the world, in 1968/69, and Clipper Race founder, said: “The Clipper Race partnership with Dell is a great fit for both sides.

“The race and its crew will traverse some of the most inhospitable corners of the globe, and having the very best rugged performance technology on board each yacht will support the teams’ efforts to perform at their very best, whilst showcasing the Rugged capabilities in such extreme environments.”

Dell’s Latitude Rugged laptops and tablets will be fitted to each of the Clipper Race’s twelve 70-foot ocean racing yachts and will be the perfect fit to endure this eleven-month global challenge of a lifetime. The Clipper Race brings non-professional sailors from very different walks of life around the world together to work as a team, to meet challenges, and work towards a common yet extraordinary goal.

“These themes are reflected in the products, services, and core values of Dell,” said Shannon MacKay, vice president Rugged Mobility, Dell Client Product Group. “Taking on Mother Nature’s toughest conditions, the yachts and their crew will face many tests, including extreme heat, condensation, corrosive salt water, and numbing cold, requiring the toughest technology to see each team through to the finish.”

Each of the Clipper Race teams will be provided with Dell Latitude Rugged laptops, as the keystone computing technology on board. Rugged tablets will be used by the skippers and crew for onboard navigation to plot the fastest routes, keep regular contact with the Race Office, and send back daily blogs, images and video so followers and those at home can keep up with all the action on board.

The Dell Latitude 14 Rugged Extreme 14-inch notebook is made with shock-absorbent materials and meets rigorous military-standard requirements. Compression-sealed from sand, dust and liquids and built to withstand extreme heat and cold whilst withstanding shocks, drops and vibrations.

The Dell Latitude 12 Rugged Extreme is a 12-inch 2-in-1 notebook built for real-world performance and security. It features a first-of-its-kind flip-hinge design for versatility in any environment.

Around 710 crew compete in the Clipper Race, from all walks of life and from all around the world, with over 40 different nationalities represented. Crew can complete the full circumnavigation, or one or more of its eight challenging legs. Approximately 40 percent of crew have no previous sailing experience before they start their intensive race training programme.

The Clipper 2017-18 Race, the biennial event’s eleventh edition, starts in Liverpool, UK, on 20 August and will visit six continents. After racing across the Atlantic Ocean to the first stopover port, Ponte del Este, Uruguay, the fleet will continue on to Cape Town, Fremantle, Sydney, Hobart, the Whitsundays, Sanya and Qingdao in China, Seattle, Panama, New York, and Derry-Londonderry, before completing the circumnavigation in Liverpool on July 28, 2018.