Women on the Water
These ladies are serious boaters
Published: Friday, October 24, 2025 10:00 am
By: James Proffitt
When it comes to boating on the Great Lakes, it’s mostly a guy thing. But mostly doesn’t mean always, and these women are among the old-school crowd that have been plying the waters for years – showing guys how it’s done and offering great role models for women and girls who would like to be at the helm one day.
Wisconsin native Juls Davis was always an angler. Her father passed the love of fishing on when she was young and it stuck. She became a competitive walleye angler after she moved to the Port Clinton area about 25 years ago, competing in tournaments for years before she decided to move in a new direction. In 2011, she aced the U.S. Coast Guard exam to become a licensed charter captain.
“When I started, I was just one of a handful using tournament-style boat to charter and now I see they’re all over the place,” she said. “That’s the type of boat I was sponsored with when I was tournament fishing and you can launch anywhere.”
Davis was one of the innovators when utilizing smaller, faster boats that can be trailered to follow walleye as they migrate or the bite shifts, launching at the best locations for weather and fishing conditions. Most captains operate larger Sportcraft boats from a fixed dock location throughout the season.
But despite her solid pedigree, Davis still encounters embarrassing situations – for men.
“Just yesterday, I had a guy calling and asking about a charter and he thought I was the wife of the captain, asking me if I did the bookings for my husband. I told him I’m single, I’m the captain, and this is my business,” she said. He then went on to apologize and was a tad sheepish after that.
The 62-year-old has been boating for years, beginning with a 16-foot Sylvan, then a jon-boat, then a Lund Alaskan. She now operates a 22-foot Vexus powered by a 400 hp Mercury Verado.
“I get treated like one of the guys,” Davis said. “I don’t get treated any differently. People in this area mostly know me and who I am and what I’m doing.”
A post-pandemic examination of women searching for boats to purchase showed female shoppers soaring by 75 percent, according to data provided by Boat Trader. There has also been an exponential increase in boating courses taught by women.
While Davis earns a living on the lake with her boat, other women are there solely for pleasure.
“My dad had a little Lyman on Lake Erie when I was seven or eight years old,” said Blythe Friedley, of New Washington, Ohio. “He had a 1959 Lyman, it was about 15 feet. So I cut my teeth boating, fishing, swimming on Lake Erie. Best times of my life. Our boat was Rollene because my dad’s name was Rolland and my mom’s name was Arlene.”
Friedley said she and her husband became avid boaters, including water skiing, and that’s when she grew capable of handling a vessel. Today, she operates a 33-foot Sea Ray Express Cruiser, Captain Bly.
“It’s 38’ overall, and it’s every inch of that when you’re docking,” she said, laughing. In fact, she said she’s gotten cheers on more than one occasion when squeezing into a tight spot in a marina, from both men and women. “Especially the women after I sterned into the wall and no one thought I could fit. Someone yelled ‘You’re my hero!’”
Despite the accolades, Friedley (who stands 4’-11”) said she wasn’t even paying attention because she was laser-focused on what she was doing. But she did have some help.
“According to the men who are neighbors and watch me dock, they are all impressed and both men and women have confidence in my ability,” she said. “But by-the-way, I have a 10-inch wooden box I stand on so I can see.”
Friedley said boating is definitely a family thing.
“My sister and I both were brought up on Lake Erie and we had it put in our blood early. She’s a great captain, she can really sail,” Friedley said, citing her sister and brother-in-law’s extensive saltwater cruises.
Friedley clarified that she’s not a certified captain, although that doesn’t mean she’s stopped learning.
“I’ve taken the boating course a couple times to refresh myself and an advanced navigational course,” she explained. “And, I’ve requested all my grandchildren, three girls and a boy, to take the basic course and they have.”
Friedley said that, while she has a BoatUS tow membership over decades on Lake Erie, she’s never used it. But, she has stepped up and saved the day by towing other boats to port when the occasion arises.
“I do see more women at the helm now,” Friedley said. “And I like it.”
tags: Boating Inspiration, Boating Lifestyle, Charter Captains, Empowering Women, Female Captains, Great Lakes Boating, Lake Erie, Sailing Stories, Women Boaters, Women in Maritime
