Several days have passed since the Clipper Round the World Race crew arrived at the Qingdao stopover. While enjoying a well-deserved rest, the crew members are diligently attending to repairs and maintenance of their vessel, ensuring it is in peak condition for the next leg of the challenging race.
Alvin: I'm just wondering what he is doing up there.
Andrei, Crew Member, Yacht CV22
Repair and maintenance, he is checking the rigging, what you see is the sail cable, OK? This is extending rigging. They stabilize the mast when we’re on the way we sail up.
During a Clipper Round the World Race stopover, the yachts undergo a comprehensive range of maintenance tasks, including meticulous hull and deck inspections, sail and rigging repairs, and thorough checks of all onboard systems. Additionally, the crew must stock up on groceries and other essential supplies to ensure they are fully prepared for the demanding life aboard the yacht.
Alvin: How is the life on the boat？How do you cook and how do you (sleep)?
Lucia Feltz, Crew Member, Yacht Qingdao
We have a stove for the oven. So every night we make a bread dough.
Alvin: Below the deck?
Lucia Feltz: Below the deck, we make fresh bread, and then we put it in the oven in the morning， so we have fresh bread for breakfast. We usually have like a porridge or we even scrambled eggs， sometimes pancakes, and a little bacon now and then.
Alvin: That sounds flavorful. Can you show me the kitchen?
Feltz: Yes I can. Come on.
Lucia Feltz: It’s not very big. Turn around. Yeah, turn around and walk backward. So everything that we need to cook is here, our cups， plates， dishes， coffee， the stove.
Alvin: Oh I see the stove. It can swing.
Lucia: Yes, because when we're sailing fast and we're heeled over on the side， so the boat tipped all the way over, that will move so everything doesn't slide. In that way, we can still cook and there's a little oven.
Alvin: Very smart design.
Life on board is meticulously tailored to the challenges of ocean sailing. The yacht features a specially designed stove that ensures safe and efficient cooking amidst the constant motion of the sea. Even the sleeping quarters are ingeniously engineered, with beds thoughtfully designed to provide stability during even the most turbulent voyages.
Wang Ziqi, Crew Member, Qingdao Yacht
Yes, that's right. I don't know if you saw the beds we sleep in earlier.
Alvin: Can you show us?
Wang: Sure, but maybe everyone hasn't finished tidying up yet. This is where we usually sleep,
Alvin: It's really crowded.
Wang: Yes, it's very crowded, every inch of space is precious. This bed can be adjusted up and down. When we pull this rope, if the rope is loosened, the bed will come down. If you want to raise the bed, you tighten it, and you must clamp it here, otherwise, if it loosens, you might roll off from the top. And this curtain must also be drawn. One is to have a little privacy, and the other is to protect yourself from rolling down.
Alvin: Now I’m aboard the Qingdao yacht. Soon we’ll be heading out to sea to experience the charm of the Clipper Around the World Race. And behind me, this is our skipper Quinn. Hi， Mr. Quinn.
Mr. Quinn: Hi.
Alvin: Would you like to say something to our camera？
Mr. Quinn: We're obviously going out for a sail today. We're gonna try to get you involved and get you working on the boat. So you can have some experience of what the crews do when we're racing. So we're trying to get you involved as much as we can. Hopefully, have a good day.
Alvin: Thank you.
Typically each yacht accommodates a crew of approximately 18 individuals, who are divided into two shifts to ensure continuous operation.
Throughout the race, crew members operate in rotating shifts, with daytime shifts spanning six hours and nighttime shifts lasting four hours. Each shift assumes full responsibility for all facets of yacht operation, encompassing navigation, meal preparation, cleaning, and upkeep.
Collaboration is paramount in the Clipper Round the World Race, particularly during sail changes, which demand seamless coordination among all crew members. Sail adjustments are executed using specialized winches known as coffee grinders.
Alvin: What is the usage of the coffee grinder？
Wang Ziqi: The coffee grinder we use to grind the sail in an easier way.‘Cause everything there is mechanic, so for this coffee grinder, it mainly is connected to the main sail winch. Once we get pull this out and once you get engaged with the main sail winch， we can grind the main sail. See, the winch is moving.
Alvin: So generally speaking， the coffee grinder is used to change the direction of the sail?
Wang: I won't say the change of the direction of the sail. There's a terminology called trim， trim the sail, or we wanna like if we do a mast check， we grind people up.
Annually, the Clipper Round the World Race attracts sailing enthusiasts from all corners of the world. They may be educators, law enforcement personnel, medical professionals, or entrepreneurs. They have a shared thirst for adventure and the exhilaration of navigating the open seas in this remarkable race.
Chen Jie, Former Crew Member of Qingdao Yacht
In an international sailing competition like this, all the teammates come from different parts of the world, each with their own unique culture, background, and habits. So, there will inevitably be conflicts and you will face difficulties. Maybe you will get seasick, maybe you won't be used to the food, maybe you will feel unwell, maybe you will miss home - all kinds of difficulties can arise. All of these things will be a challenge for you. You will see how people from all over the world cope with difficulties and joys. Moreover, the unique environment of a sailing competition allows for introspection and reflection on your past and future, something that is often difficult to achieve on land. Looking outward while also looking inward is a truly enriching experience. For these reasons, I cherish this opportunity immensely and am deeply grateful for the lessons learned and the personal growth experienced.