Top 10 Women Sailors Around the World

History records that sailing has been predominantly a male-dominated sphere, but numerous resilient and brave women over the years have defied this traditional belief. Many impactful female sailors have sailed around the globe, quietly making history with their adventurous spirit and unmatched valor. This article pays tribute to such inspiring women sailors who have left their mark in the realm of sailing from around the world.

Top 10 Women Sailors Around the World

Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz

Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz, who was born on July 15, 1936, in Poland, became the first woman to sail solo around the world. She set out from the Canary Islands on March 28, 1976, and returned on April 21, 1978, completing a total distance of 31,166 nautical miles (57,719 km) during her 401-day circumnavigation. Her performance narrowly surpassed that of Naomi James of New Zealand, who completed her own solo circumnavigation on June 8, 1978.

Grace O'Malley

Grace O'Malley was a 16th century pirate and warrior. When Grace's mother objected to her sailing with her father, arguing that the girl's long hair would get tangled in the ropes, the rebellious young girl instantly shaved off her curls and gained a name that meant "bald" and deserved to cruise. After her father became chief of the O Maille clan, this heroic woman governed the Kingdom of Umaill in Ireland. She pirated with the ships she inherited.

Ellen MacArthur

Ellen MacArthur is a well-known long-distance solo female sailor. Her interest for sailing began when she was a child in Derbyshire, England, and she began competing in numerous sailing races. She was the youngest Yachtsman of the Year (YOTY) award in 1998, at the age of 22, for her participation in the Route du Rhum Race. At the age of 24, MacArthur achieved international acclaim by finishing second in the tough Vendée Globe event in 2001. She was the youngest contestant to finish the circumnavigation solo and nonstop. This resulted in her MBE and a second YOTY award.

Laura Dekker

Laura Dekker, a Dutch sailor of New Zealand origin, was born on September 20, 1995. She stated her goal to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world when she was just 13 years old. However, local authorities opposed at first, and a Dutch court barred her from leaving while under shared custody of her parents. The custody agreement was finally terminated by a Dutch family court in July 2010, allowing Laura to start on her record-breaking attempt on August 21, 2010. At the age of 16, she completed the solo circumnavigation onboard Guppy, a 12.4-meter (40-foot) two-masted ketch, arriving in Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten, 518 days later.

Naomi James

Naomi James was the first solo traveller to circumnavigate the globe in 272 days. What's more, she didn't learn to swim until her husband, Rob James, taught her. Her experience is impressive to us given that she grew up on a farm and did not learn to swim until the age of 23. The most daring thing is that she embarked on her journey with only six months of sailing experience!

Jeanne Socrates

Circumnavigating the earth alone is already an almost difficult task. Consider doing it when you're 70 years old! Jeanne Socrates, a British yachtswoman born on August 17, 1942, became the oldest female to solo round the globe in 2013. The record remains unbroken. She is also the only woman to have circumnavigated North America solo and nonstop. This 259-day voyage at sea earned her the Blue Water Medal from the Cruising Club of America and the Royal Cruising Club Medal for Seamanship.

Skipper Thuridur

Skipper Thuridur, born in 1777, is one of the world's first female sailors. She joined her father's fishing team at the age of 11 to become a sailor. Her superb rowing and steering talents, especially in big wooden open boats, made her one of the most effective fishing captains in the world. Her capacity to sail in all maritime conditions enabled her to sail without losing a single crew member for many years. Thuridur, who died at the age of 86, was a remarkable character in Icelandic maritime history.

Kay Cottee

Kay Cottee is the first woman to circumnavigate the globe nonstop and unaided.She accomplished this feat in 189 days on his 37-meter Blackmores First Lady yacht in 1988. Due to several problems, she was unable to set foot on Earth throughout her journey, but on June 5th, thousands flocked to Sydney's harbour to commemorate this brave woman's arrival. During her voyage, she raised over a million dollars for charity and inspired many high school students.

Shirley Robertson

Shirley Ann Robertson, born 15 July 1968, is a British sailor and Olympic gold medalist. The Scottish sailor created history when she became the first British woman to win two Olympic gold medals in consecutive games, in Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004. Shirley was named the International Sailing Federation's female World Sailor of the Year in 2000. She is also the first woman to steer the magnificent 45-meter Salperton in three regattas in the Caribbean and Sardinia on the luxury circuit.

Tracy Edwards

Tracy Edwards is a forward-thinking British yachtswoman. She captained the yacht Maiden in 1989, becoming the first woman to command an all-female crew in the rigorous Whitbread Round the World Race, finishing second. During the 32,000 nautical mile race, they experienced enormous hardships such as large seas, storms, and encounters with whales and icebergs. However, the difficulties began well before the marathon. Edwards took four years to embark on this expedition because she was unable to acquire support for her all-female crew. They eventually received backing from Jordan's King Hussein, allowing them to compete.