My Adventure: by Scott Shawyer
Scott Shawyer is President and Skipper, Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water Positive
https://www.canadaoceanracing.
Sailing alone for nearly three months through the toughest oceans on earth is a test of everything – endurance, focus, and resilience. It’s also a chance to represent something bigger than myself: to hopefully inspire others, to put Canadians on the world stage in offshore sailing, and to use this platform to raise awareness of one of the most important issues of our time – protecting our planet’s water through our Be Water Positive campaign.
I’m not just chasing the finish line of the Vendée Globe, I’m embracing every mile and every learning curve, because for me it’s as much about the journey as the result.
From the Boardroom to the Ocean
My background isn’t the traditional path to this race. I spent most of my career in business building companies, leading teams, and making decisions under pressure. In many ways, that experience prepared me for offshore sailing. But nothing truly compares to being alone in the middle of the ocean, where every decision, every sail change, every small mistake is yours alone and can make the difference between success and failure.
I’ve had to learn, fast. That’s why I’ve brought in people who’ve done it before, like Nick Moloney, our CEO and one of the few sailors in history to have completed the Vendée Globe.
Working alongside him and our wider support team has been an incredible education.
The Ocean Race Europe: Testing Ourselves
This summer, we took part in The Ocean Race Europe, sailing against some of the best IMOCA teams in the world. It was a huge moment for me – it was a chance to race on the boat we recently acquired that I’ll take to the Vendee Globe and to surround myself with a team of experienced offshore sailors.
The Ocean Race Europe was demanding, fast-paced, and full of lessons. The race allowed me to test the performance of the boat, to get to grips with how it sails and what I need to do between now and 2028 to get ready for the most intense sailing challenge of all.
Be Water Positive
Through this campaign, we’re championing a message we call Be Water Positive. It’s about inspiring understanding and action around global freshwater issues, from scarcity and pollution to innovation and stewardship.
As a Canadian, I’m incredibly proud of our natural water resources. But we can’t take them for granted. Water connects everything: people, economies, ecosystems. By racing around the planet, I hope to highlight that connection and show that small changes in mindset, design, and collaboration can make a huge difference.
We’re working with partners who share this belief and tell the story of solutions that already exist.
Learning, Leading, and Failing Forward
Preparing for the Vendée Globe is proving to be a hard and humbling experience. Every training sail, every equipment issue, every setback has taught me something new about myself and the team.
There have been days when things have gone wrong – when the weather turned, the systems failed, or I made mistakes. But those are the moments that define you. You can’t control the ocean, but you can control how you respond to it.
That mindset – of constant learning, humility, and resilience – is what this journey is all about. It’s what I want others to take from it too: you don’t have to be the best to start; you just have to start.
Canada’s First Vendée Globe
No Canadian has ever completed the Vendée Globe. That’s the goal that sits at the heart of what we’re building. It’s not about breaking records – it’s about breaking new ground.
We want to show what’s possible when purpose meets perseverance. I’m proud to represent Canada on this stage, to carry our flag across the world’s oceans, and to share this story with everyone who believes that big dreams are worth chasing, no matter how impossible they might seem.
What I’ve Learned So Far
If there’s one thing this journey has taught me, it’s that no one gets anywhere meaningful alone. The ocean doesn’t care who you are or what you’ve achieved; it humbles everyone equally.
As I look ahead to the next chapters – more racing, more training, and eventually the Vendée Globe – I carry that same mix of fear, excitement, and purpose. This might seem like a journey towards finishing a race, but it’s also about inspiring others to take their own leap, to set their own course, and to never stop learning.
Advice to Others:
Lead with purpose.
Know why you’re doing it. Purpose gives direction when things get hard and meaning when they go right.Build your crew.
No one achieves anything alone, even a solo sailing race. Find people who share your values, challenge your thinking, and bring out your best.Embrace failure.
You’ll get it wrong, often. That’s part of the process. Learn from it, adapt, and keep going.Share the story.
Be open about the journey – the highs, the lows, and the lessons. You never know who it might inspire to take their own first step.
Skipper Scott Shawyer: Canada Ocean Racing