Sailing can seem like a male dominated sport but if you take a look at it women, since the beginning the women have been fighting against the existing barriers. They made their roads following their own route and made histories on their way onto the world’s greatest ships.
In honour of International Women’s day, we made a list of the bravest and most influential women sailor’s of history. And maybe seeing their love with sailing you may think of planning your own. http://hostandboat.com
Grace O’Malley
Grace O’Malley was a 16th century warrior and pirate. When her mother objected to Grace’s sailing with her father, claiming that the girl’s long hair would get caught in the ropes, this rebellious young girl immediately cut off her curls and gained a name that meant “bald” and deserved to travel. This brave woman ruled the Kingdom of Umaill in Ireland after her father being the chief of the O Maille clan. She used the ships she inherited for piracy.
Grace and her crew would set foot on vessels that dared approach their shores or ships, and demanding a payment. Resisting payment was punishable by violence or death. According to the legend, Grace was so fearless that the day after she gave birth to a baby on board, she took her in her arms to protect her and screamed her men with the words: “Be seven times worse than today for a year, those who could not do a day without me!”
Photo credit: Youtube
Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz
She was celebrated around the world as a national hero, she was the first woman to sail single-handed around the world.She completed her voyage in 401 days without stopping.Her journey started in March 1976 from Las Palmas Gran Canaria and ended in April 1978. Krystyna crossed the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the famous Panama Canal, the Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean.Under her influence Naomi James and Kay Cottee repeated her voyage later, Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz broke the barriers that the world set to her.
Naomi James
While Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz was the first single-handed sailor, Naomi James was known as the first solo traveler around the world within 272 days. And the interesting thing is she didn’t learn to swim until her husband Rob James taught her. Her adventure is impressive to us considering her growing up in a farm and not knowing how to swim until the age of 23. And the most bravest thing is that she set sail to her voyage with only six months of sailing experience!
Photo credit: Getty Images.
Isabelle Autissier
Isabelle Autissier is a French sailor, writer, navigator and broadcaster.She is known as being the first woman to complete a solo world navigation in a competition. Her father had taught her and her sisters how to sail, he was an architect in suburbs of Paris. Later she graduated with a degree in marine engineering. In the 1998-99 her boat capsized around the west of Cape Horn and she was rescued by fellow competitor Giovanni Soldini. What a brave adventure!
Photo credit: https://www.parismatch.com/Culture/Livres/Isabelle-Autissier-a-la-barre-et-a-la-plume-162172
If you think about planning your own trip, don’t worry we have choises with skipper or without skipper. Just contact us!
Kay Cottee
Kay Cottee is the first woman to circumnavigate the world non-stop and without any assistance.In 1988, she achieved this success of 189 days on his 37-meter Blackmores First Lady yacht. During her travel she couldn’t set foot on earth due to some obstacles but on the 5th of June , people came to Sydney’s harbour to celebrate this brave woman’s turn to earth. Throughout her journey she raised more than one million dollars for charity and inspired lots of high school students.
Photo credit: https://sailinghalloffame.org.au/inductee/kay-cottee-ao/
How brave and strong women they are! If you know more please write to us!
If we made you dream about the sailing world, just take a look at hostandboat and start planning your voyage of a lifetime!
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