{"id":16788,"date":"2025-08-15T16:36:20","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T16:36:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.canadaoceanracing.com\/?p=16788"},"modified":"2025-08-19T11:52:28","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T11:52:28","slug":"learning-by-doing-scott-shawyer-reflects-on-leg-one-of-the-ocean-race-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.canadaoceanracing.com\/learning-by-doing-scott-shawyer-reflects-on-leg-one-of-the-ocean-race-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning by Doing: Scott Shawyer Reflects on Leg One of The Ocean Race Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"

As Leg One wraps up, here’s how Scott is fast-tracking his IMOCA skills.<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n


\nAt times, the spray was flying, the pace relentless, and at other times, the water was glassy and the air was breathless. For Scott Shawyer, president and skipper of Canada Ocean Racing \u2013 Be Water Positive, Leg One of The Ocean Race Europe was about far more than the result sheet. The team crossed the line in a solid 4th place, yet the real win was his<\/span><\/i> acceleration of a steep learning curve on his new foiling IMOCA. With the Vend\u00e9e Globe 2028 as his ultimate target, every mile racing and training between now and then is a step toward that challenge.<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe bought the boat earlier this year and after a short training window with Brian Thompson, Pip Hare, S\u00e9bastien Marsset and Chris Pratt, we’re here in Portsmouth, England at The Ocean Race Europe having just completed Leg One.  Looking ahead, the next big step is to race it in solo events next season, starting with the Vend\u00e9e Arctique,\u201d Scott explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetween now and then, I’m facing a huge learning curve, so this race is the perfect opportunity to get experienced people around me who know these boats inside out. It\u2019s a \u2018no excuses\u2019 race environment that forces me to learn quickly. We\u2019ll add more training later this year and into next year, so I\u2019m fully prepared for the solo races ahead.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

While the competitive element is key, Scott admits the race serves several purposes. \u201cIt\u2019s important from a training perspective, but also for raising our profile as a team. On a performance level, a communications level, and a sponsorship level, it all matters. And on top of that, it\u2019s just a fun race – a really enjoyable part of this bigger adventure.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

A revelation at sea<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

Leg One also gave Scott an unexpected personal insight: \u201cI learned that I absorb information best by doing, not by being told, which was a bit of a revelation for me. I tend to question things and won\u2019t take them at face value unless they resonate with me.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

If the task is straightforward, like starting the engine, Scott is happy to follow instructions. But when it comes to something more nuanced, like adjusting sail trim, he needs to see the effect for himself. \u201cIf I can\u2019t see the boat speed increase, I don\u2019t fully take it in. I like to run my own trials, look at the data, and confirm it. That might sometimes look like I don\u2019t trust my teammates, but it\u2019s just my learning style.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Recognising that pattern has been important. \u201cNow I can explain it to the people around me so we can work together better. It\u2019s not that I doubt them, I just learn best through experience.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Learning styles and patience<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

Scott says the team has been generous with their knowledge. \u201cEveryone\u2019s open and willing to share. The only challenge is that I can be a bit \u2018prove it to me.\u2019 If something doesn\u2019t fit my current mental model, I have to try it myself. That takes a bit of patience from the team.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

He likens it to approaching a door with a \u2018push\u2019 sign and being told to pull it. \u201cI\u2019ll stay open-minded – perhaps it does need pulling – but I’m going to push first and see for myself. On the boat, there are moments like that where someone will say \u2018do it this way,\u2019 and if it doesn\u2019t make sense to me yet, I\u2019ll want to test it. Sometimes it doesn\u2019t make sense because I don\u2019t have all the knowledge yet, but testing it helps me understand.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Shared goals<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

Despite differences in approach, Scott says the team is united. \u201cWe\u2019re all aligned on the big objectives \u2014 learn the boat, make it go fast, sail well, and give our best in The Ocean Race Europe. We all want the same thing, and we\u2019ve all got the team\u2019s best interests at heart.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

For Scott, this leg has been as much about self-discovery as sailing. The miles ahead will bring more lessons, both in boat speed and in how he learns, but the direction is clear: toward a solo Vend\u00e9e Globe campaign, built on a foundation of hands-on experience.<\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Arriving into Portsmouth.<\/p>\n

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As Leg One wraps up, here’s how Scott is fast-tracking his IMOCA skills. At times, the spray was flying, the pace relentless, and at other times, the water was glassy and the air was breathless. For Scott Shawyer, president and skipper of Canada Ocean Racing…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":16792,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nLearning by Doing: Scott Shawyer Reflects on Leg One of The Ocean Race Europe - Be Water Positive<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.canadaoceanracing.com\/learning-by-doing-scott-shawyer-reflects-on-leg-one-of-the-ocean-race-europe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Learning by Doing: Scott Shawyer Reflects on Leg One of The Ocean Race Europe - Be Water Positive\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As Leg One wraps up, here’s how Scott is fast-tracking his IMOCA skills. 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