Yachting: Lean machines contest Volvo

When Tony Rae first sailed the round-the-world race, they took alcohol on board, ate fresh food, slept in cabins with proper bunks and enjoyed onboard showers.

These days, they are luxuries he can only dream of. In the highly competitive world of the Volvo Ocean Race that begins in Alicante on Saturday night (NZT), every ounce matters. Sailors eat freeze-dried food, don't shower, share eating utensils and even share sleeping bags.

If it doesn't help the boat go faster, or isn't necessary to sustain the 11 crew, it doesn't come on board.

Regardless, Rae has been trying for years to get back into the race. He sailed three Whitbread races, as they were known then, winning with Steinlager 2 in 1989/90 skippered by Sir Peter Blake and New Zealand Endeavour helmed by current Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton four years later.

But he turned his attentions to the America's Cup and has sailed in every New Zealand campaign since 1986/87 except the farcical big-boat challenge of 1988.

In many ways, Rae is a new boy aboard Camper, Team New Zealand's entry in the Volvo Ocean race, considering he hasn't sailed on the Volvo 70 class of boat being used for the race.

"I have always wanted to do it again,'' Rae says from Alicante. "A couple of opportunities fell through with other boats and then the America's Cup rolled on and, being so heavily involved in that, the timing didn't really work out. I always thought, if got the opportunity I would love to be involved again. With Team New Zealand running this project, it was a good opportunity and one I didn't want to turn it down.

"For me, it's the type of sailing that's not everyone's cup of tea but I enjoy it because it's got a bit of everything about it. Being involved from the campaign from the beginning, you get to do so much. It's the whole boat, not just the sailing of it.

"When you are sailing, one minute you might be pulling sails down, trimming, or driving and then the next you might be downstairs making a cup of tea or helping with the meal. You are living as well as trying to race.''

Rae is hugely familiar with a slick land-based operation through his experiences in the America's Cup and it has translated into the round-the-world race. He's even had a large say in how things are done, given his knowledge.

"Nowadays, it's a whole grand prix-type programme,'' he says. "It's a Formula 1 set-up with a shore crew, tents and the whole moving circus that comes along with you. It allows the crew to recover quickly because you have less time in port and you have a moving workshop.

"It's very much one race at a time. It's pedal down when you leave. Now they have the in-port races as well, which throws a whole new dimension into it. Being nine legs, the stopping and starting will be tricky sailing.''

It will also be difficult for him to commit to the next America's Cup challenge in 2013. The Volvo race runs until the finish in Galway on July 3 which, together with the new catamaran boats which will require fewer crew members, will impact on Rae's ability to be involved.

He's not thinking about that now, putting all of his energies into the Volvo, but admits he might give it some thought when the race concludes.

"We will see what happens and I will try to keep myself in one piece in this race first,'' he says. "Maybe I'll start doing that over a few Guinesses when I get to Ireland.''

It's something to look forward to because there won't be much drinking over the next eight months - certainly not on board the boats.