Clipper Corner is a monthly column I write for my local sailing club, the Astoria Yacht Club! This was my article for March 2025.

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Hello fellow AYC members! This month’s Clipper Corner is about the people component of the race, including all the different roles on the boat. I’ll share what it’s like to team up with people you’ve never met, working with so many different personalities and cultures, and the bonds formed in doing so. Let’s go!

The Clipper Race recruitment team interviews race applicants primarily for their interpersonal skills, and, secondarily, considers their marine background. The recruitment team looks for skills in verbal communication, conflict resolution, situational awareness and adaptability, handling stressful situations, team dynamics, and leadership ability.

Despite racers’ varying levels of sailing experience, different cultural backgrounds, and wide span of personalities, we are all participating willfully and share a desire for adventure and personal challenge. These common denominators have made it easier to make personal connections and work as a team during our training sessions!

Clipper racers come from all walks of life: educators, medical professionals, project managers, students, engineers, entrepreneurs, scientists, writers, and so much more! Participants’ professional backgrounds and non-sailing skills play a significant role when creating evenly matched teams.  

Each race team has Deck Roles and Team Roles. Clipper Race has an ethos of full participation – all participants learn about all Deck Roles – but often, crew will go on to specialize in the areas where their strengths lie. The Team Roles are assigned based upon the non-sailing skills amongst the team members.

Deck Roles

• Bow: The bowman leads the team on the foredeck and anything in front of the mast is their responsibility.
• Foredeck: The foredeck crew plays a key role in sail changes and preparing sails pre-hoist while working closely with the bowman.  
• Mast: The mast crew is normally made up of the last two members of the foredeck crew. They work together to hoist as quickly as possible.
• Helm: The Helm is responsible for maintaining a steady course and getting the most out of the yacht in all conditions.  
• Snake Pit: Crew in the snake pit control all the halyards as well as many other sail controls and should be able to lay their hands on any line, day or night, and prepare it for action in a flash.
  (a glimpse of the snake pit)
• Trimmer: Good sail trim could mean the difference between first and second in a race. Strong communication between the Trimmer and Helm is paramount.
• Cockpit: The cockpit is where all the sheets are controlled. Every crew member is expected to be able to operate any point of the cockpit rapidly and accurately.  
• Watch Leader: The watch leader is the Skipper’s Second in Command (2IC). (S)he is responsible for running the yacht when the Skipper is sleeping. They must maintain a cohesive functioning team, coordinate sail changes and trimming, and ensure a steady course and standard of helming. They must always have an eye on the meteorological and tactical situation.

In addition to the Deck Roles, there are non-sailing Team Roles that need to be fulfilled:

Team Roles

• Medic: Typically filled by someone who has professional medical training, such as: a doctor, nurse, paramedic or even a veterinarian. Working with the Skipper (who is also medically trained) they take responsibility for the welfare of the crew. They are supported by medics on other teams as well as doctors in the UK who are on call 24 hours a day.
• Sail Repair: Sail repair skills are critical in an ocean race. The Clipper Race yachts carry heavy duty sewing machines for this purpose. The Sail Repairer will often find themselves working under great pressure in hot, cramped conditions.
• Engineer: The Engineer maintains their Clipper Race yacht’s mechanical equipment, including: generators, engines, water makers, plumbing, pumps, steering gear, etc.
• Team Coordinator (TC): This role is responsible for most of the administration related to the day-to-day running of a race yacht. The TC will liaise with the Clipper Race Manager and the Boat Secretary to ensure that the Skipper is presented with all pertinent information in a timely manner.
• Safety Officer (SO): The SO’s role is to ensure that all safety equipment is on board prior to the start, is fully operational and undamaged, and within its expiry dates (if appliable). They ensure all crew are kept up to date and trained on how to use the safety equipment correctly.
• Boat Secretary:  The Boat Secretary coordinates team events/contacts and acts as a useful focal point for communications to the Skipper and Team Coordinator as well as manage the team’s social media.
• Social Secretary: Social Secretary responsibilities include organizing all crew social events, crew parties, management of the crew kitty, crew entertainment whilst racing and the organization of crew clothing.
• Quartermaster / Chief Victualler (QM): The critical role of the Quartermaster is to ensure all the correct supplies are purchased, prepared, loaded, and correctly stowed aboard prior to the start of each race leg. The QM organizes the menu plan, organizes the purchase of food stores in each port, manages the menu whilst at sea, tracks the usage of stores and performs inventory checks pre-stopover.
• Stopover Manager (SM): The SM works in conjunction with the Skipper and the Team Coordinator to manage the day-to-day maintenance and activities that are required during each stopover.
• Bosun: The Bosun is responsible for the routine maintenance, care and repair of all sailing-related deck equipment including sails, standing and running rigging, winches, halyards, sheets, guys, blocks, stanchions, guard wires, dinghy, etc. The Bosun organizes repairs and maintenance pre-start, during each leg, and at each stopover port.  

It takes a village! Because of my communication skills and professional background in project management, I am being considered for Team Coordinator. On deck, I would like to grow into being a designated Watch Leader and am currently gravitating towards both Foredeck and Helm. I cannot wait until May 17^th when we learn our team assignments and who our teammates will be!

Cheers!