John (Woody) Hayes hails from Maple Bay Yacht Club near Duncan, BC and races his Beneteau 45 FS with gusto – and wonderful crew.
Q1: Name Woody Hayes – owner/skipper of First Sight from Maple Bay Yacht Club
Q2: How many Swiftsure races have you done? 7 races but the boat has been in 15
Q3: What year was your first Swiftsure? 2007 as crew
Q4: What’s the funniest thing that has happened to you or your crew when racing in Swiftsure?
We have a navigator who used to captain a CP Train Ferry and also used to run a Tug. He knows every joke ever told on the coast and keeps the crew laughing.
Q5: What was the most exciting or interesting thing that occurred while you were racing in Swiftsure?
Cruise ships and fog – need I say more? They go faster than you think.
Q6: What advice would you give someone who’s thinking of racing Swiftsure for the first time?
There are some excellent skippers out there and some aggressive ones – you have to keep your head up and provide a bit of a margin for those who think they are both.