The Women Steering Yachting in a Bold New Direction
Traditionally male-dominated, the yachting industry is progressing as more and more women take on leadership roles. Navigator talks to the women shaping the future of yachting and the evolving perceptions within the industry.
Rose Damen, Managing Director, Damen Yachting
Challenging long-standing gender norms in shipyard leadership roles, Rose Damen has been at the helm of the Damen Yachting Group for almost a decade.
Ann Avery, Yacht Broker, Northrop & Johnson
Ann Avery has been a yacht broker for three decades. Prior to this, she spent eight years at sea as one of only three professional female captains in the Caribbean.
Tracy Edwards MBE, Sailor
Tracy Edwards is a pioneering British sailor renowned for her achievements in the world of sailing. Today, Tracy champions girls’ education through The Maiden Factor Foundation.
Rochelle Stebbing, Second Officer, ALFA NERO
Rochelle Stebbing has worked her way up from deckhand to her current position on board the iconic ALFA NERO.
Rose My entire life has involved ship or yacht building. As a child, I was often with my father at the Damen shipyard, going to see boats with him and even traveling to visit clients. I accompanied my father on a trip around the world and from then on, I knew that the ocean and boats would be a part of my future. That said, I also recognized that I needed to develop my experience beyond our family business, to bring my own expertise to the table. I was internationally active in the financial world for a number of years and after completing an MBA course, I made the choice to join the family business. My financial business acumen and experience paid off and the rest is history, as they say.
Ann I left my academic life to embark on a year-long family adventure, sailing around the Caribbean. During our travels I read Androgyny by June Singer. Singer purported that no matter what body a person is in – male or female – to succeed one would have to know how to navigate or “be” both genders. As one of a family of five girls, I thought it would be good for me to captain professionally to really understand responsibility. I went on to captain sailboats professionally for about eight years, then became a broker, helping others live a glorious life on the water.
Rochelle I was working in the restaurant trade when I met some “yachties” who suggested I give yachting a try, so I quit my job and took my STCW. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to work on deck, but my course instructor advised I aim for deck/stew instead. I took no notice and flew to Fort Lauderdale and dockwalked. My first job was a day job, washing down the boat. I gained experience working in various deckhand positions before gaining my Yachtmaster qualification. I have worked my way up on various yachts to my current position on board ALFA NERO as Second Officer.
Rose For me, it has always been about diversity in all forms and creating opportunities. At Damen Yachting, we believe in the strength and potential of women to drive change and innovation, and sometimes opportunities need to be created for this to take place. In 2019, we launched Women in Yachting, a community that brings together women who are not just working in the industry, but are leading it, inspiring others, and fostering a more inclusive environment.
Tracy When it comes to the sailing community, it is simply down to the hard work and dedication of the female contingent involved in this sector.
Ann Women have brought a much-needed feminine perspective to the heavily-weighted male-dominated/competitive paradigm that many of us were brought up with. Women have a natural ability to relate to others, being empathetic while still attending to the bottom line.
Rochelle I think we have had to work hard to prove we are capable, but our skills are undeniable. I have been lucky to work with Captains and crew who recognize my skills, work ethic, and contributions instead of my gender.
Rose In recent years, Damen Yachting has grown significantly, both in terms of the number of employees and in the diversity of the portfolio, with record numbers of deliveries, new models, and yacht types. Such rapid growth comes with its own challenges that are not always easy to navigate, especially when you are in an industry that can sometimes be averse to too much change. Adopting new ways of working takes time. However, I am proud to say that by becoming more creative and flexible, we have managed the process with great success.
Tracy I have spent 40 years looking for funding for various female sailing programs and it never gets easier.
Ann Throughout my career I have come across people who dismissed me because I was female. I understood the naysayers, whose only context was the past. I looked for people with imagination, who were willing to take a chance on me. There were so few women in the field at that time; men were my main collaborators and teachers.
Rochelle Proving my strength as a member of the deck department has been one of the greatest challenges I have faced in yachting. I worked hard and became stronger – both mentally and physically. I have had to work harder, faster, and smarter to even be seen or considered.
Rose Everyone in this industry, be they male or female, faces obstacles. It’s part of business. Whether it’s finding ways to embrace new technologies, dealing with an unpredictable market, or ensuring the company is always doing its bit to protect our ocean, there are always challenges. I have always promised myself to stay true to my own values and business vision that aligns with the family business. As a female managing director, however, there is the added challenge of balancing workload and the responsibility of the shipyard with motherhood. Of course, everybody faces this challenge if they have a family, but being a mother can make this more complex. It requires sacrifice and you need to be OK with that.
Ann I still feel there is gender bias and women are dismissed, not only by men, but also by some women. We need to work cohesively. As they say, “You can’t be your best self by yourself.”
Rochelle Despite bringing my experience, skills and knowledge to the table, I do think my age and gender is seen as a negative when up against a younger, less experienced candidate.
Rose I have always been an advocate for inclusivity and I want our industry to remain one that inspires others. Personally, I often ask myself what we would need to change to ensure that my young daughters will still find inspiration in this industry 20 years from now. It’s a hard one to answer, but I hope it remains an industry that enables each person involved, whatever their position, to reach their true potential. And for that we need inclusivity, diversity and inspiration.
Ann I agree. I would also like to see the industry really engage and commit to transforming our world. I would like to see more reverence for our oceans and the creatures who live there.
Rochelle Loyalty. It seems that in this industry, everyone is dispensable no matter what you have done or what you bring with you. Support of crew when it comes to mental health; crew work extremely long hours away from the social norms and need to have people they can depend on. Crew should be one of, if not the most, important considerations when owning a yacht, because without them you have nothing.
Rose Do not hide yourself and trust your inner voice. Surround yourself with people who genuinely support you and your goal. I would give her the same advice my father gave me: stay sharp, see where the market is heading, and focus on what you are good at.
Tracy To cut your losses sooner rather than later. To focus on quality, not quantity.
Ann To pay attention to intuition and gut feelings, and to navigate with the heart.
Rochelle Go for it! Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t; find the people that tell you that you can. Work hard, learn more, expand your skills, make yourself a candidate that sticks out. When you meet a challenge, grab it and learn; don’t give up, change your strategy if you need. Get a thick skin and don’t take anything personally, use it to get better and succeed.
Rose The head of our family, my mother, Josien Damen. She has been a great example to me and still is.
Tracy The most influential women in my life were my awesome mother and my indomitable grandmother. I come from a long line of strong women, and I am so grateful to them for instilling in me a positive, “can do” attitude. I also owe HM King Hussein I an immeasurable debt of gratitude. His encouragement and support changed my life and I will be indebted to him all my life.
Ann Aside from my own mother, Kaj Wyn Berry was the most influential. I met the Berry family on their sailing boat and spent six months learning to sail with them. Kaj Wyn had a pilot’s license when she was 17, was an award-winning Life Magazine photographer, a journalist, and master calligrapher. Her combination of being successful in a man’s world, a creative, intelligent woman, and a very feminine adventurer to boot, was inspiring.
Rochelle My mother. She was the one who pushed me to be better and told me that anything I put my mind to I will succeed. We were never given the opportunity to give up and I am very grateful for that.
Rose There is still plenty to achieve at Damen Yachting and I continually work to develop myself, my leadership skills, and our family business. I want to leave a legacy that I am proud of and this includes securing a future business and making a positive contribution to the industry.
Tracy Raising funds to keep MAIDEN moving.
Ann Coaching and workshops with women to help them be the best version of themselves as we break the long-standing cultural barriers within us.
Rochelle I would like to get my Master 3000 and be a Captain again on a bigger yacht for a few years. After that I will have to find a new challenge, but maybe with a social life.
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