As a young woman who has been involved in boating since childhood, it’s important to me to have the skills to be independent and confident on the water.
Being thrown into a completely different world with seemingly complicated rules, and extensive experiential knowledge to be had, is hard! Learning from women who are so intelligent and driven is valuable to me. When my mother suggested we go to a Women on Water (WOW!) seminar, I worried I could end up being a little out of place. When we arrived, I did indeed seem like an outlier, being 17 while everyone else was an adult. Nevertheless, as I started talking to the women around me, I realized that the community that had come together was ready to hear my thoughts and let me contribute.
I have grappled with a certain amount of anxiety or uncertainty when it came to involving myself with sailing bigger boats. There has always been more to know or things to feel more comfortable doing. As I have grown older, I continuously realize the importance of having female role models and intelligent women to guide me. Going to the WOW! seminar and experiencing the passion that these women have for sailing was a privilege.
What comes to mind in particular is the general maintenance presentation I sat in for. Sarah White stood out as such an educated woman. I know next to nothing about how to maintain a boat, but she handled the complicated material in a way that made it less intimidating.
Another activity that brought out some interesting situations was the Bringing it All Together segment. We grouped up at our tables for a docking exercise, but my team lacked a skipper. As the scenarios played out, my whole table was hesitant to assume the role of skipper and make a plan in each round. I volunteered once, was skeptical of my method of docking, but ended up being “voluntold” to be the skipper for each round after that. I definitely did not have the most experience at the table, but simply being up for the challenge had me leading the group for the rest of the session. It was a great experience, and left me feeling empowered and knowing that I am capable – capable not only to learn more, but to be the one that steps up and takes action, even if I’m unsure.
The Women on Water seminar left me with connections, knowledge, and most importantly, the confidence to keep growing into this community and lifestyle.