Women in Maritime: Staying Afloat in a Male-Dominated Industry

Published: Thursday, March 3, 2022 12:00 pm
By: Annastasia Artzer

It's no secret that the boating industry is historically a man's world. The perpetuated stereotype of the burly and bearded man, with a "boater's tan," is a difficult image to move away from.

This Women's History Month, it's easy to focus on the textbook pioneers marching the streets in petticoats, waving picket signs, and demanding equality. So often overlooked are the maritime heroines of equality—women who stepped up to the challenge and commanded a vessel long before women were ever accepted in this industry.

A remarkable example of this is Caroline Mayhew, the wife of Captain William Mayhew, on the whaling ship Powhatan. Sailing from Martha's Vineyard in 1826, a smallpox epidemic aboard the ship disabled her husband and 8 crew members. Caroline's working knowledge of navigation and medicine saved the lives of everyone on board. Another such example is Mary Patten, wife of Captain Joshua Patten. Pregnant and just 19 years old in 1856, Mary's husband fell ill while rounding Cape Horn. His second mate, next in line for command, possessed no knowledge of navigation. Mary took command and was so consumed with caring for her husband and navigating the ship, Neptune's Car, that she was unable to change clothes for fifty days. She navigated them safely to San Francisco, where the insurers of the ship awarded her $1,000 for saving the voyage.

As time progressed through the 19th century, women began to find themselves more established in the maritime world. The days of personal disguises and accidental captaincy were placed firmly behind them, and a life at sea was chosen on their own terms.

Elizabeth Strunk, First Officer, Women in Maritime

In 1974, the first group of women was admitted into the United States Marchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York, and one of these women, Captain Wagner, became the first woman to earn the Unlimited Master's License. Meaning, she could captain any vessel, anywhere. Following this, she became a harbor pilot in San Francisco, bringing large vessels into small waterways, that are difficult to navigate. Captain Wagner is still the only female harbor pilot in that bay.

Today, things are a little different. Women still only make up 1.2% of the global seafarer workforce, but it's far easier for women to enter the industry now than when women had to disguise themselves as a man to even board a ship. Organizations like the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies put considerable effort into spreading awareness about the challenges women face in the industry, as well as helping to promote education and recruitment.

According to this report from BoatUS in 2018, women in boating are looking for well-fitting gear, inclusive education and training, and role models. While many companies create products for women, they're typically just pink versions of products they already have, not products geared specifically toward women. On the topic of education, Danielle Tindale, a powerboat owner, was quoted saying, "I'd love to see the marine industry offer women-only programs for women to feel more comfortable on the water by themselves. In my experience, as soon as you offer these programs for both men and women, you see a decline in women wanting to participate."

Overall, there are positive indicators for the future of women in the maritime industry. Federal grants available to women looking to enter marine training academies, and gender-specific fellowships offered through the IMO are just a couple of examples of the way the industry is looking to encourage women to ditch the 9 to 5 and head out onto the water.

Here at Great Lakes Scuttlebutt, we are proud to say that 83% of our staff are women. In honor of Women's History Month, our social media posts and news articles will have a strong focus on women in the boating and fishing industries, as well as spotlights on the women that make this magazine happen. We welcome you to share your stories with us too! If you're a woman in the maritime industry, please send your stories and businesses to editorial@kylemediainc.

Photo credits to the International Maritime Organization 'Women in Maritime'.

tags: History, Women In Boating