A cool technology story today in The National.

The Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team is preparing to wear one-piece suits which will adjust for the heat and cold of the upcoming round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race — so that to everyone on the boat it feels like 73 degrees Fahrenheit (23 Celsius) at all times.

That is a significant breakthrough for sailors, who have often been overheated by a pitiless sun or frozen by wintry weather while navigating the high seas.

The crew of Azzam, the Abu Dhabi boat, will encounter extremes of temperatures as they venture through the Tropics, as well as into the chilly Southern Ocean before rounding Cape Horn at the tip of South America.

The suit will be designed with a thermostat near the wrist that can be adjusted so that it will warm up or cool off the person wearing it, depending on conditions.

It will be powered through outlets at the rear of the boat, attached to the crew by a long cord, and if one of the crew has to climb the mast, or otherwise be disconnected from a power source, a battery on the back of the suit will supply juice for a limited duration.

(One down side: Sailors will be on their own for keeping their faces, heads and hands warm.)

Ian Walker, the captain of the Abu Dhabi boat, Azzam, is looking forward to this.

“We’re now able to sail around the world in our own micro-climates, which we can set to mimic a perfect Abu Dhabi December day,” Walker said. “It’s set to be the most comfortable Volvo Ocean Race I’ve ever done.”

Adil Khalid, the Emirati in the eight-man crew, noted that 73 is a typical temperature for Abu Dhabi during the idyllic winter months of December and January.

“Knowing that I will be able to race while always enjoying the UAE winter temperatures is such a bonus,” he said. “I’ll be able to take a little bit of my home around the world with me.”