News - 2014

14:47 Wednesday 6 Aug 2014 Sue Pelling/CWLAzzam makes debut at Cowes in preparation for VOR

Photo – Rick Tomlinson/CWL

Abu Dhabi, the official destination partner of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week, today celebrated the naming of Azzam – Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s contender in the 2014/15 Volvo Ocean Race.

Members of the team including Ian Walker (Skipper) were at a celebratory lunch at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club today to announce plans for the forthcoming race, and Keith Burhans the winner of the Azzam Facebook competition was also present, preparing for his prize-winning day on the water with the team on Azzam in the Artemis Challenge tomorrow. Burhans was chosen as winner for gaining the largest Facebook fan base in the Azzam competition.

Abu Dhabi as a destination will act as the second stopover in the race. The boats will arrive in Abu Dhabi on 14-15 December following their leg from Cape Town. Organisers are expecting a huge turnout at its visitors village with more than the 124,000 that visited the race village in the previous race.

Ian Walker – skipper – preparing for the start of the VOR from Alicante 11 October this year, talks about what the crew is likely to expect on the challenging 38,739 nautical mile race.

Sue Pelling: How does the VO65 she compare to the VO70?

Ian Walker: The biggest difference between this and the 70 is because she is built stronger and more reliable for the race – some of the weight has been taken out of the bulb and put into the structure of the boat – means the boat is a bit more tender, a bit tippier, a little bit less powerful therefore a bit slower upwind and reaching. She’s also a bit drier, thank goodness.

What is the VO65 like to steer?

Very well mannered boat, agile in the light and, in the breeze, very manageable. We’ve not had any big nose-diving problems. Basically she is well balanced and light on the helm.

What sort of boat speed are you likely to achieve?

The fastest we’ve sailed so far was 32kts, but the fastest we’ve averaged for a period of say six hours is around 22kts.

Do you expect to improve on that?

I am sure we’ll do more than that in open conditions but I think it will be tough to break the 24 hour speed record. It is very tough to average 25kts like Ericsson the VO70 did but even that was a one off and none of the others of us managed it.

How many crew on deck at any one time?

Just four. We have one driving, one on the mainsheet, one grinding and one trimming the jib or spinnaker, depending on what we have up. We had to do that otherwise we don’t get any rest.

What’s your sail allowance for the race?

Seven sails. One mainsail, three jibs and three spinnakers.

What happens if you go through your allotted sail wardrobe?

You are allowed four spare sails so we can bring on four new sails during the race. If you were to damage a sail and not have a spare then you’d apply to the jury to use one of your previous race sails – one that we are currently using.

How many hours rest?

Three four hour watches on deck and three four hour watches off deck in a 24-hour period. Given the fact you have to eat off watch, and get dressed, you never really get more than three hours in an off watch period. The most you can get if you were undisturbed, which never really happens would be three times three hours.

What do you eat?

We have freeze-dried food to keep the weight down. Typically three or four meals a day plus savoury snacks and nuts, dried fruit, beef jerky, one chocolate bar per head per day, protein bars, isotonic drinks and plenty of water.

How much water do you carry?

We can’t carry more than 50 litres of water at once when we use 50 litres in one day. We never hold more than one day’s supply of fresh water. We have to use desalinated from the sea water.