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Captainess

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by JWY, Dec 20, 2012.

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  1. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    From another thread: "One report up here, crew was a Mother / Daughter crew. Lady captain with 30 years driving stuff."

    I don't know of a female captain/daughter team. And I only know of 3 professional captains in the pleasure yacht world who are female (plus the one who wasn't/is).

    So how common are professional female captains? Anybody have any numbers or percentages?

    Judy
  2. Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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    The Sparkman and Stevens designed A&R yacht 'Id' had a lady skipper.

    Is that one of the ones you were thinking of Judy?

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  3. PropBet

    PropBet Senior Member

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    Perhaps rare, however not unheard of. We have friends that chartered a larger boat (30ish to 40 meters IIRC) that had a female captain. I forget the name of the boat they were on but came back with great reviews of her, and her. (boat, captain, and crew)

    When flying, it's always odd (perhaps unusual or seldom is a better word) to see a female Captain sitting left greeting people on or off the plane.
  4. Old Phart

    Old Phart Senior Member

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    I dunno
  5. Old Phart

    Old Phart Senior Member

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    Sorry about the delay - having a senior moment - fell asleep.

    Also, Sherakhan has a female captain.

    Sherakhan
  6. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Back in the day, my wife got her Master's to help me out on my tour boat. I also hired a female Master when I got hurt. My wife turned out to be one real good boat handler. She's since left the business though as she was tired of dealing with boat owners and tourists. She traded them in for dogs.:D
    I've taught a lot of boaters over the years and the conclusion I've come to is this: Most women don't like driving a boat. It bores them, because women tend to be multi-taskers who like to be busy. They do tend to be better at docking though, because they're detail oriented. Where men like to throw a boat into it's slip looking cool (until something goes wrong), women tend to take it step by step, inch by inch. Guess it goes back to an old adage my father used to tell me all the time: "Patience is a virtue, found seldom in a woman and never in a man".
  7. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    Thanks for updating on some of these great yachts with ladies at the helm and in charge. I know of many boat owners where the "better half" holds a license, but I was specifically referring to the type of professional mariners like cited in the posts.

    Not many, but maybe there are more out there. Would be nice if some of these ladies would contribute to YF as I'm sure their persepctive may be a little different.
  8. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Of all of the years I've been in the business, I've come across one true female Captain. I also have come across the one that sometimes is Barbara and sometimes is Bob......
  9. karo1776

    karo1776 Senior Member

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    Thank heavens the love of my life cannot read English...
  10. revdcs

    revdcs Senior Member

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    The vessel is a little larger - but Cunard's ‘Queen Victoria’ used to have a female captain.

    There are quite a few female captains in the merchant fleet, with less in the Navies of the world. Hopefully some will want to migrate over to yachts at some point in their career.
  11. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    I know a young lady, graduate of a maritime academy, who has been captain on a tanker (Ca.-PNW-Hawaii route). Why would she ever want to move to the luxury sector where she can get fired because the martini wasn't just so. But maybe that's discussion for another thread.
  12. revdcs

    revdcs Senior Member

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    I suppose it depends on what 'floats your boat'. For one person, driving a ship safely from A to B does it. For another, who may be more people centred, the challenge of doing that, as well as providing the ultimate holiday experience for their guests, is what makes it all worth while. But I still think it is a shame that there aren't more female captains in the industry.

    I noted that in the Crew profile, the captain of Sherakhan is described thus; 'With Sietske as Captain, the guests always feel safe, well informed and in capable hands'. Sadly, in this male dominated world, there is a misguided perception that men are more ‘safe’ and 'capable' than women. I still see nervous glances when a woman's voice comes over an aircraft’s PA as captain welcoming the guests. I think we on YF have a part to play in trying to redress the balance and encourage more women to take on the role.
  13. dennismc

    dennismc Senior Member

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    Hope this does not get me in trouble.....

    Perhaps it's the heightened male side of the female that makes some of them good Captains, same as some males with heightened female side get to be good ??? hairdressers, interior designers, ...

    Merry Christmas everyone.....
  14. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    58 meter Feadship "Blue Moon" has had a female master (Sally) the last five years or so and her husband is the DPA Ashore for the vessel Crew and guests love her and she runs an excellent program.
  15. travler

    travler Senior Member

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    judy

    happy holidays i know of 3 that i have one was on a yacht and the other 2 are on bigger fish boats (over 125 ft) and i think these ladies do a very good job i understand there are also a couple out of san diego as well

    john
  16. Pelagic Dreams

    Pelagic Dreams Senior Member

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    That would be our choice

    Judy, given equal experience and skill set, my wife and I wouild love to have a female captain. The reasons cannot be really explained frankly here on the forum but our friends onboard are very "personal" and it would just be less drama. We were expecting that the ratio would be somewhere like 60 /40 male to female but the actual count seems to be much less. We were wondering why more women are not yacht captains....love the post.
  17. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I think that a lot of it has to do with physical abilities. Most Yacht Captains come up the ranks from deckhand to mate to Captain. Most yachts would prefer to have male mates and deckhands for their strength abilities. A lot of mate/deckhand jobs consist of physically tough work, like provisioning the yacht, lifting heavy items, pulling heavy strength with heavy lines. I think a lot of women aren't as physically suitable or capable, so most yachts would prefer to have a strong guy. You're generally not going to get much seakeeping or Captaining knowledge and experience as a stewardess or in the galley, even though you have the seatime to get a 500ton master. I also even know of some deckhands/mates that get no Captaining knowledge as a mate/deckhand because the Captain doesn't allow them to navigate, or take the helm and maneuver the vessel.
  18. Old Phart

    Old Phart Senior Member

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    Motor yacht bleu de nimes also has a female captain.

    The crew of Bleu de Nîmes

    Such a memory lapse could have one sleeping with the fishes.
  19. Bamboo

    Bamboo Senior Member

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    I see none of that nor the need to redress or address a ill which some believe to exist. I do see this as an attempt to put sexism in a place which I do not see it as you do. I have no qualms with a female doctor, lawyer or captain on any type of vessel or mode of transport.
  20. magnumman8121

    magnumman8121 New Member

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    Time to take off the gloves. Recently a yacht was beached near St. Augustine with a female Captain and a female crew member. She tried to drop anchor when there was engine problems, tried calling for help to no avail. It just so happens sh was female and she made most skippers on mega yachts look ill trained or stupid. Sorry, I was never one for mincing words