Above:
It’s not until things go badly wrong that you really get to find out what you’re made of. And in a spot it’s also when you need your clothing to work flawlessly to give you the best chance when battling adversity. Aiming to become the first female to circumnavigate Antarctica singlehanded was always going to be a mission for Lisa Blair, but then, when her mast crashed down after 71 days at sea, life suddenly became a whole lot tougher for the plucky Australian.
Blair was grabbing some sleep below decks when she heard strange noises outside as her Open 50, Climate Action Now, battled on autopilot through 40kt northwesterlies in the Indian Ocean. ‘I grabbed my lifejacket and was clipping on as I stormed towards the companionway hatch to get on deck in a real hurry. Just as I was almost there I heard the worst sound imaginable… the noise of metal screaming loudly as it rips apart. ‘It was deafening – the groaning of the mast as it toppled down, taking my chances of a world record
58 SEAHORSE
with it. I stood there with my eyes closed as I listened, my whole body tense as my afternoon went from a pleasant sleep to survival mode. ‘When the grinding and
screeching finally stopped I stood there for several more seconds in disbelief. I was only four weeks from the finish. So close. I bolted on deck in my thermals and mid- layers to take a quick look…’ [See too:
lisablairsailstheworld.com] Blair’s passion for an
adventurous project captured the attention of many supporters, not least innovative sailing apparel specialists Zhik, who provided her with the best kit possible for some of the toughest conditions in the world. Aside from the Australian connection, Blair also felt Zhik offered her the best garments for the job.
‘The great thing about Zhik gear is it gives you the biggest bang for buck in terms of comfort and thermal insulation, while being lightweight and low-profile – which really helps you to move around more easily on deck,’ she says.
even for the world’s best specialist manufactur- ers it remains a technical challenge to develop high performing outdoor clothing
materials that offer low
weight, good properties of thermal insu- lation, all combined with the high degree of
‘breathability’ which is essential to evicting sweat and therefore in turn staying drier and avoiding the undesirable chilling effects of evaporation
With Blair’s 16,400-nautical mile route taking her so close to Antarctica, she was an obvious choice as an early tester of Xeflex, Zhik’s new mid-layer range that employs radiant barrier technology. Zhik R&D manager Tom Hussey explains: ‘Xeflex is a nano-thin heat metallic coating that is applied to the fabrics. It reflects radiating body heat that is not normally insulated by fibre or down insulation, reducing heat loss without adding more weight or bulk.
‘Within the Xeflex fabric the mid-layer contains a vertical lapped insulation technology. With a unique internal structure, the insulation gives a better loft, or separation, due to the vertical fibre structure being unusually resistant to compression levels.
‘Thickness has a direct influence on warmth, and when the wind blows it compresses other jacket fillings such as down and this reduces the level of warmth significantly. The vertical lapped insulation is able to maintain its thickness and warmth even when the wind is blowing hard against it. This is obviously beneficial when sailing in cold and windy conditions, which is why it was ideal for Lisa’s challenge and will also be perfect for our teams competing in the next Volvo Ocean Race.’
Since starting up about a decade ago Zhik has taken the scientific approach to all of its product R&D,
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