Steve Hayles interview - A love / hate relationship

“People ask me if I love what I do. We can’t really love it, but you look around the boat when those around you are cold, tired, hungry and battling against the elements as well as the competition, and the expression on their faces makes you well up inside. It is a love-hate relationship, something that I feel compelled to do with every ounce of my being. In the Volvo Ocean Race, every single individual has such an enormous role to play. You can’t hide from your role or get away from it.”

Navigator Steve Hayles was only 20 when he competed in his first round the world race in 1993-94 as navigator of Dolphin and Youth, and it was the start of a love/hate relationship that goes on to this very day. He excelled at another sport when he was growing up. Professional sailors were very rare and at that time sailing was seen more as a pastime than a career, so Hayles dreamed of being a professional footballer.

“I played a lot of football when I was younger,” he says. “I had a trial for a couple of professional clubs, and some of the guys I played with or against at the time went on to be successful professionals, winning full England Caps. I was at school with Darren Anderton and we both played for Southampton and Hampshire. The big local match was against Bournemouth and Dorset and my opposite number there was Jamie Redknapp. I think he was always a better player than me although I have ended up with a much better looking girl!”

Inspiration

Growing up near Southampton, Hayles has been fascinated with sailing around the world ever since he can remember and thoughts of becoming a professional footballer soon vanished. Gypsy Moth and Sir Francis Chichester played a big part in setting Hayles on the road to success.

“My favourite book is still ‘Gypsy Moth’, by Sir Francis Chichester. I have read it over and over again. It is the book that really sparked my interest as a child. When I was young, and had no experience in sailing around the world, the book was very inspirational and now, having sailed around the world, I take my hat off to Sir Francis even more in terms of what he achieved and his attitude towards the challenge. He was a very skilled navigator, not just in sailing; he flew a lot of planes as well. He was in his sixties when he took off around the world and it was an all round tough challenge. Back when navigation was a real art, he was extremely talented. I have three or four copies of ‘Gypsy Moth’ floating around and every time I read from it, I always enjoy it.

“But how can you grow up fascinated by the Volvo or The Whitbread and not admire Sir Peter Blake for his achievements? I never raced with Sir Peter, but I did meet the great man when he was safety officer for my first Whitbread and he came sailing with us. The whole crew were in their twenties, not unlike the ABN AMRO TWO crew in the last race, and it was a fantastic experience just to spend a day with him. He was an extraordinary man and it was a very memorable time of my life.

“In 1993 only skipper Matt Humphries had done the race before. Just like most of the ABN AMRO TWO crew, the rest of us were rookies and we had much in common when we started our first race. You have no comprehension of what you are about to do. You don’t get scared by the task ahead as you really don’t know what the task is. The attitude you have is ‘take it on and try and prove yourself as a young sailor’. The ABN AMRO crew probably had a lot more experience on the boat, and also they were more technically able and probably better sailors than we were back then. I would have to say they did have a better chance in the race than us, as they were better funded and had a relatively better boat. One thing stays the same though; doing your first round the world race is incredibly exciting, it is a fantastic time of your life.

“But don’t misunderstand me, racing a Volvo Open 70 is a tough, tough, thing. Both physically and technically and that is why most teams pick a lot of experienced guys. It was great to see a young team in the last race, I could see a bit of the younger me in them and I enjoyed watching them, they were great fun to have around.”

Hayles has competed in every Whitbread/Volvo Race since his debut in 1993, a total of four races around the planet, and the latest race to be announced has, once again, caught his interest.

Change in course

“I think that the change in the course was inevitable and absolutely understandable. There is a little part of me that says ‘I don’t want the route to change’. I have had a love/hate relationship with the race for as long as I can remember and there is something evocative about the old course, and the new route is a big departure. If you never did the traditional course then it probably won’t make a huge amount of difference to you, but there is a part of me which says ‘oh what a shame’ but it is probably the right thing to do.

“I think the new course will be just as interesting to watch from a spectator’s point of view, in fact it opens up some fascinating areas for the sailors as well. The kids on ABN AMRO TWO had the benefit of a huge amount of data about sailing around the world that didn’t exist 15 years ago. The traditional route is well-known; designers and sailors know most of the ways in which to build or sail the boats on that route. There is a huge amount of learning to do for the new course, and, unlike the old course, there are no experts or people who have done it many times before to consult, and I think that is a good thing for the race. I am already looking at the new course, hoping to be involved in the next race and I really want to be there.”

“The change in the course will make it very interesting, as with the last race some teams will get it pretty right and some wrong in lots of areas, but especially in boat choice. Personally, for me as a navigator, the new route is something that is fresh, a new challenge, something that I can use all my experience to get the right answers. I like that. Something that requires a huge amount of preparation covering new ground is the sort of challenge I enjoy.”

It’s unlikely that Hayles will break the habit of a lifetime, or at least the last 15 years, so look out for him in 2008-09. It wouldn’t be the same without him!