Mark Pollock and Mick Liddy will compete in the 2010 Round Ireland Yacht Race aboard a one-design Class 40 ocean racing yacht.
The Class40 is 40 feet long and designed specifically as a high-performance boat for short-handed ofshore racing. It is built to travel at high speed through the most inhospitable conditions the sea can throw at her and is used for races across the Atlantic, such as the Route du Chocolat race from France to Brazil, and other ofshore sprints. With twin rudders for steerage, it can sail heeled at a steep angle with no loss of control.
A wide open cockpit is designed to allow the waves wash over the boat quickly, and all control lines are led back towards the sailors in the cockpit to allow for safe, efficient handling of the boat with few people aboard.
The e-glass hull of the boat is stripped out completely to keep it light, essential for race performance.
There is no bathroom aboard, and the crew will sleep in two suspended net bunks (known as pipe cots) which are tilted up on a pulley system to compensate for the angle of lean of the boat and prevent the sleeping crew member from rolling out as the boat bucks and rolls over the waves.
Cooking takes place on a single gimbaled stove with a kettle to boil water for the freeze dried meals.
There is one small sink, plenty of storage and 2 clearly marked buckets for 'personal use'. That's it for home comforts.
The boat is fully equipped with state-of-the-art navigational and safety equipment to ensure that Mark and Mick can plot the best course for the conditions and get around in complete confidence.