Women at the Wheel
You Need To Do This
IN A SOCIETY where equal opportunity and equal rights for women are valued, it’s frustrating to hear, “I don’t
know anything about the boat, I’m
just the wife/daughter/girlfriend/grand-daughter etc.” Until recently, this was a
very common comment in the boating
community.
As a female boater since early childhood, let me tell you there is nothing
more invigorating than jumping
behind the wheel of a boat or a truck
towing a boat and effortlessly maneuvering these vehicles (especially when
surrounded by men)! Let’s be serious
ladies, we know there’s more to enjoy
about a boat than its colour, clever
interior design, or the hunk that’s currently driving it.
Boating is a great opportunity to
meet new friends, entertain family, or
just to get away from the fast-paced
world in which we live. The doors to
the world of women in boating are
open and opportunity beckons.
Women now understand that boating
is an activity that doesn't have to
involve a man, as was thought in previous generations. What better way to
spend a sunny summer day than out
on the water with a nice cold (
nonalcoholic) drink and a few girlfriends?
I learned along the way that to
many women this dream, this skill of
boating, is one that may never come
to fruition because of fear, the lack of
instruction and the potential frustration which comes from learning from
a beloved husband, father, brother or
boyfriend.
While I understand this fear, I also
understand that as women we have a
keen sense of safety, which is inherent when it comes to protecting
loved ones and ourselves. Think
about this…by not knowing how to
operate your boat aren’t you putting
yourself at risk every time you
