Swiftsure Skippers Series: #6 Woody Hayes of Maple Bay, BC

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.