A little calm after the storm for Azzam crew

Azzam skipper Ian Walker writes another monthly update ahead of the Volvo Ocean Race as his crew enjoy a 10-day break after some rough conditions following their delivery from the UK to Portugal.

Azzam crew member Luke Parkinson works on the new 65-foot carbon racing yacht during preparation for the Volvo Ocean Race. Courtesy Ian Roman / ADOR

The Englishman Ian Walker again will be the skipper of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s boat, Azzam, in the Volvo Ocean Race, which begins in October. He will write a monthly message leading up to the race.

After three solid weeks of sailing since the launch of Azzam in Southampton in the United Kingdom, we are starting our first maintenance period.

The British weather was very kind to us for the commissioning period, with similar conditions for the delivery down to Cascais in Portugal. The Portuguese weather, however, has turned on us with a vengeance.

As I look out over the marina, at the yacht waiting to be lifted out of the water by a massive 120-ton crane, huge Atlantic waves are crashing over the sea wall.

This is why we came to Cascais, to get a taste of the rough seas we can expect on our round-the-world journey, and so far we have not been disappointed.

We may have suffered a lack of wind on the 900-mile (1,450-kilometre) passage south to Cascais, but we have not lacked wind or waves since.

Our first 30-hour offshore training sail was all in winds of more than 20 knots (37kph) and these are the conditions in which we really learn about the boat and our team.

Our new Volvo Ocean 65 is certainly a very different beast from our old Volvo Open 70, and we’ll need to adapt our techniques to get the best performance from her.

The good news is that the new design appears to be a lot stronger than the old, but the bad news is it also feels a bit slower.

Just as Formula One cars have slowed slightly in the search for reliability and economy so, too, have the Volvo Ocean 65s.

Make no mistake though, these are still powerful yachts. I am sure we will find some new gears as we become more familiar with the new Azzam.

With all the yachts having identical designs we will have to step up our game to push the best performance out of our yacht. We will work harder to make Azzam go faster than any of the other yachts.

The biggest challenge of the past few weeks has been trying to get everybody fit and well. We have had a flu-like virus sweeping through the team and, with so many people living and working in such close confines, it is almost guaranteed that everyone will be affected in some way.

The need to pack up in the UK, sail to Portugal and set up camp in Cascais means there has been little chance for anyone to lie in bed and feel sorry for themselves. Everyone has battled on manfully and is fighting back strongly.

It is always a tough decision when to back off training – especially the gym work. Nobody wants to give up a session, but push too hard and the consequences can be far worse.

Our trainer, Pete Cunningham, has put in place new measures to help avoid a repeat and, with the fantastically healthy cooking from our team chef Denise, I am confident we will stay fit and well.

While the sailors now enjoy a 10-day rest, the shore team have rolled up their sleeves and attacked the job list. The major, more time-consuming jobs get put off until these break periods, so now is the shore crew’s chance to shine.

As soon as the gale force winds abate, it will be time for the 30-metre mast to be taken out, stripped down and serviced.

The yacht will then be lifted out of the water for a full check and clean-up underneath – we want to keep Azzam’s smart paint job as shiny as we can.

It will be a full service for engine, the winches and the hydraulic system, while all the other fittings get visually checked over too.

Personally, I cannot wait to go and spend time with my wife and kids. It is hard living away from home for such long periods but one of the upsides is how much you look forward to seeing the family when you get the chance.

I will need to shift my focus from sailing speed, performance data, race rules and strategy to helping with homework, playing games and teaching my kids to sail.

In short, it is time to go and be a good husband and dad for 10 days and to recharge my batteries before getting back to the task of working hard towards our goal of winning the Volvo Ocean Race for Abu Dhabi.

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