Debbie Porter, 15-16 Legs 1 & 2

Welcome to the latest in an ongoing series of guest posts from my fellow 17-18 Clipper Race crewmates and current 15-16 crew members! This is your chance to learn a bit more about them and why they signed up for Clipper, hear about their experiences, and benefit from some of their hot tips for training and kit. Keep an eye on this space - I have another FOUR in the works already! 

Now, over to Debbie Porter who sailed Legs 1 & 2 with GREATBritain in the 15-16 race - enjoy!

It’s very hard to believe that it is three years since I made the decision to join the 15/16 Clipper Race but I can honestly say, despite all the angst and second thoughts and worries along the way, it is the best decision I have ever made.

I’d known about Clipper for a while having being taught to sail in Gibraltar years ago by one of the current skippers – Darren from IchorCoal – but never seriously thought it was something that I could do as a very amateur sailor. However, I work for the Government and was invited to the dinner launching the last GREAT boat in 13/14. Seated between two members of staff from Clipper, I had no chance once they found out that I sailed and by the end of the dinner I was signed up!

For me, Clipper was about a number of things. I wanted to take a break from my life to take stock and have a proper gap to really think about what I wanted to do next in my career and general life. As a close friend of mine said ‘it’s hard to think about your life when you’re in your life’ and there is nothing like staring out at an endless horizon of sea to help give you perspective on things. I also wanted to become a better sailor. I had done some RORC racing but really wanted to challenge myself and a couple of ocean crossings seemed a good way to do that so I signed up for Legs 1 and 2.

So the three things I wished I’d known before I set sail? First, all the things that I worried about ended up not being problems at all. Yes, you face challenges, things you might not want to do, things that might scare you but once you are out there on your boat and there is only yourself and your team to rely on, you will be amazed what you can do without thinking. Secondly, your team are the most important part of the boat. It is your team that get you through – when there is a bit of a breeze on (ahem) you all need to pull together; when you’re becalmed and it’s hot and sticky you need to hold your tongue and support each other even when someone is irritating; and when you need a hug it will be your crew mates that you will be turning to. And hopefully at some point it will be those lovely crew mates standing next to you grinning ear to ear on the podium! Learn about yourself and what’s annoying, make a point of understanding first when someone seems annoying to you – it is your team that will get you through and they will become your best friends. Finally, I wish I had known how hot it would be on Leg 1. On a hot leg it is like a sauna down below and it can be very difficult to sleep – make sure you take a silk liner as well as that super thick ocean sleeping bag!

In terms of training: it is excellent and make the most of it.  I found level 1 very difficult and a bit of a shock to the system, others found the same. Even if you have sailed before you are learning a whole new way of doing things and the scale makes it 10 times harder. But stick with it and it gets easier. Take the chance to make friends – these are the same people you will be having fun with in port and it’s great to know people on other boats and to compare experiences. Also use the training to try out different bits of kit – don’t  buy loads at once as it may not work for you (merino makes me itch!) and buy your boots close to the end of your training as they will get a hammering at sea! Level 4 was the best training as it was the closest to the final experience and starts to awaken everyone’s competitiveness!

I’ve been asked for kit recommendations a number of times. The best thing I took was a hand held fan that cost about £3 and was the source of much jealousy on Leg 1 as it least moved the air around by my face. My other top tip is to seal your knickers in plastic sandwich bags! The lockers are often full of water (sorry but they are!) and there is nothing worse than wet pants! If they are sealed in a bag you know they will be dry (and also which ones are clean!)

Finally, I’ve been asked what my funniest moment was on board. It’s hard to say really there were so many. But, as ever, the misfortune of others makes us all laugh. Cut to my crew laughing their heads off as I was totally swamped by a wave only 2 minutes after coming up on deck in new dry gear! Or the flying fish to the shoulder blades that happened to numerous crew. My watch leader’s favourite moment was when he asked me to put a compass reading of 370 degrees in the log – took a few moments to remember it only goes to 360!

So there we are – Clipper in a few words. My main advice - just enjoy every moment! Because before you know it someone will be asking you to write a blog about your experiences and you won’t be able to believe that is all over!

• Debbie Porter 

https://www.facebook.com/debbie.porter.7796