|
Sail-World.com : Volvo Ocean Race - It's the little things that matter
Volvo Ocean Race - It's the little things that matter
|
Latest blog from Ken Read, skipper of on board Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, on Leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race to Sanya, China.
I just re-read the last blog I wrote and it was the most boring blog in history, so sorry about that. Hopefully I didn't force too many of you to turn off your TV sets. As for today’s, I will try harder. And, I have to tell you about a revelation I just had – I just changed my clothes.
Wait, wait! Don't go to the next blog just yet. Hear me out.
As you all know by now it is pretty well documented that we leave the dock with quite a limited amount of personal gear. This leg is probably even more to that point, mainly because we all anticipated such a hot leg. Sure enough, we didn't need much. The leg has not disappointed.
Heat below and above decks has left us all pretty manky. Ok, that is the understatement of the century. We stink. But you know what, we all stink together. The biggest mistake you can make is really clean up and put on deodorant and get all pretty because then you smell how bad everyone else smells and how bad below is, and that is the worst. So if we all stink together then life is much more bearable.
I'm off my point. My point is that with such limited clothing options, actually changing clothes and the timing of changes is a really big deal. Sure, I have rinsed my sweat soaked shirt out a dozen times over the last few days and pretty much had myself convinced that it still wasn't that bad. Until I really studied the gray shirt with the big cat on the front and noticed that it wasn't really grey anymore. It was a beige-ish gray brown color and stiff as a board. Essentially, if I put it down long enough it could probably walk away. Really bad. And, it turns out quite uncomfortable, although you don't really realize that until you put on a clean one. The open pores in these breathable shirts weren't exactly open anymore. A serious problem in modern day active wear.
The shorts and under shorts were also standing on their own. Literally. I had to physically bend the shorts when I took them off to sleep to keep them from standing on their own two legs. Great shorts, I might add. A new design sailing shorts that we did with PUMA for this race and they are fantastic. Very little smell after such a long time and they also have a waterproof butt on them. Anyway, the shorts were gross.
So I made the call. This evening was the time to make the big move. Today was the day to change my clothes. Wholesale change I decided. Why do one and not the other? It would be like having a party on top and a funeral on the bottom. Didn't make sense.
And what a move this was. Eureka! An amazing experience. A bit of a fresh water rinse with about two hands full of fresh water and voilà! New clothes are a bit baggier than when I used them last, but what a feeling. Like a layer of slime taken away. Even without a shower, it was still like I had stepped into a totally new world. Slime free, for the most part. Not so stiff, looking good I might add. The clothing choice was an easy one. Another gray PUMA breathable tee and a pair of new PUMA board shorts, which are fantastic by the way (small plug).
So, today is a day that I will remember for a long time. You know, it’s the little things in life. The word is spreading around the boat that a clothing change can change your life and I think most are buying into it. Which is a good thing.
One thing is for sure. No matter how bad it gets on board, we are living in a bed of spring flowers compared to the small Indonesian fishing boat we just passed to leeward of. A mix of month-old curry, fish, and body odor is not pretty, even on the high seas. Made us all feel a bit better about our situation.
by Ken Read
Click on the FB Like link to post this story to your FB wall
http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?nid=93376
5:06 AM Sun 29 Jan 2012 GMT
Click here for printer friendly version
Click here to send us feedback or comments about this story.
Click for further information on
2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race
Related News Stories:
MORE STORIES ...
|
|
|
Our Advertisers are committed to our sport, please support them!
This site and its contents are © Copyright TetraMedia Pty. Ltd and/or the original author, photographer etc. All Rights Reserved.
Photographs are copyright by law. If you wish to use or buy a photograph you must contact the photographer directly (there is a hyperlink in most cases to their website, or do a Google search.) with your request.
Please do not contact
Sail-World.com
as we cannot give permission for use of other photographer’s images.
Only if the photographer named on the image is Sail-world.com, Powerboat-world.com, Marinebusiness-world.com or NZBoating-World.com.
Contact us
.
Ph: +61 2 8006 1873
or complete our
feedback form
Contact us
.
View our Privacy Policy.
[ Go Home]
[ Banner Advertising Specification]
[Bot Archive ]
Customised news feeds -Marine Industry companies, Clubs and Associations have their own customised version of our news feed on their website.
Look_here_to_see_examples
|
CLD
| | |
