Captainess

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

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

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.

Big Eagle has a female captain.

Big Eagle Yacht Crew

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

Also, Sherakhan has a female captain.

Sherakhan

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.
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".

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......

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

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.

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.

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.....

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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