Life On board
Your race experience is more than your time on the deck. You'll also be navigating living on board with 22 other ocean racers.
Eating
Meals are a team effort and enjoyed together! Expect a variety of dishes, from hearty meals to even baking cakes and fresh bread—all in a compact galley under challenging conditions. Cooking rotates among the crew, and communal eating brings everyone together for a welcome break and camaraderie.
Cooking at sea
Cooking at sea is a team effort. With a rota that includes everyone, crew prepare hearty meals to fuel the team and keep morale high. A full crew is a fast crew!
The Galley
The galley is the heart of the yacht, but cooking at 40 degrees takes skill and patience. At first, it’s a challenge, but soon you’ll master the art of balancing, chopping, and stirring at an angle.
Tea Run
The tea run is a lifeline on board, it's a small gesture that keeps morale high. At first, remembering orders is tricky, but you’ll soon find your own way.
Eating together
This is more than just refuelling it’s a chance to bond with your crew and discuss race tactics during watch changeovers.
Sleeping
You’ll experience the unique challenge of hot-bunking - sharing a bunk with teammates as you rotate shifts. Sleeping in cosy, narrow bunks with lee cloths, you'll learn to rest even with the yacht's rhythmic motion and occasional sea sounds. It’s an adventure in adapting to life at sea, and every nap is a well-earned break from the action!
The Bunks
Your bunk is secured with a lee cloth to keep you in place. Climbing in and out takes agility, especially in rough seas. And with sailing in shifts, you’ll swap bunks, making every rest count.
Life at 40°
At 40 degrees, sleeping means bracing against the tilt. Moving takes balance and grip, and every step is a climb or slide as the yacht heels, making even simple tasks a challenge.
Night Vision
At night, your eyes adjust slowly, relying on night vision to move safely. Red lights replace white to preserve visibility whilst going above and below deck.
Down time
Personal time on the Clipper Race is precious and filled with simple joys. Crew members often relax by journaling, reading, playing games, or celebrating special occasions together. These moments offer a chance to recharge, connect, and reflect on the adventure amid stunning ocean views.
Keeping in touch
Staying connected is a challenge, with no internet or phone signal at sea. Crew send short emails via satellite and cherish messages from home, making each update a treasured link to life on land.
Games
Games bring the crew together during downtime, from card games to trivia and word puzzles. Laughter and friendly competition lifts spirits, making the most of simple entertainment at sea.
Celebrations on board
Birthdays, milestones, and race achievements are celebrated with creativity. Even at sea, the crew finds ways to make special moments unforgettable.
FAQs
Find answers to common questions about ...
The Clipper Race is all about teamwork. On racing yachts this size, dealing with any manner of wind and weather conditions, for extended periods at sea, good teamwork is essential. We know we can teach you the sailing skills required but we can’t change your personality! We need to be sure that you have the right mindset and attitude. You must be willing to roll your sleeves up and get stuck into the full remit of tasks and duties on board – that is not just the various roles on deck, sailing the boat, but also taking your turn at cooking, cleaning, emptying the bilges, doing basic engineering and navigation. This is not a spectator sport, and every crew member will be expected to play their full part.
Living on board is a challenge but you'll learn to live on board right from day 1 of training. Things to consider are can you cope living on a yacht with no privacy – other than when you’re in your bunk, with your eyes closed. How will you deal with using wash cloths to keep yourself clean rather than daily showering? Can you adjust to living in a watch system, getting three to five hours of sleep at a time? And if you do have to get up having not had quite enough sleep, can you stop yourself being grumpy or grouchy with your fellow crew mates?
Join the Race
40,000nm. 5 Oceans. 1 Circumnavigation. See you on the start line.