Who or what inspired you to start Sailing?

I began at age 18 Sunday sailing on my boyfriend’s father’s brand new S&S 34 and loved it. We parted but the interest remained and I bought a little wooden boat and began cruising at age 25. Dreams were fuelled by reading the tales of Joshua Slocum, Naomi James, Robin Lee Graham and others. I wanted to go single handing in my own small boat.

Bridget and Kathy racing on another boat

How do you increase female participation in double-handed offshore sailing?

Anyone wanting to race double-handed offshore needs to believe they are capable of it. This means experience and knowledge in all aspects of sailing, navigation, and boat management to RYA Yachtmaster level, as well as offshore racing. Cruising double handed or single handed is great preparation, doing deliveries, always expanding experience and being willing to take on challenges you don’t quite feel ready for.

Fitting all this in with demands of family and career is challenging, and support from your partner is absolutely essential.

What do you hope to see in the future about female participation in double-handed offshore sailing?

I’d love it if the time came when nobody paid any attention to whether sailors were male or female. 

Photo from the race by Bow Caddy Media

The way Kathy thinks about it, sailing is a truly gender neutral activity, double handed, single handed or fully crewed. A double handed sailor needs self confidence and resilience that is based on experience, knowledge, skills and a passion for sailing.