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Womyn are never called Captain

18K views 96 replies 50 participants last post by  eryka 
#1 ·
Really? Well it's rare that I'm called Cap'n Denise :D

So Ladies, what is your take on this title that is so very difficult to obtain?

Yeah.. my son was called captain when we were on my boat at times.

It doesn't really bother me.. it's not like I'm into tonnage and charters but I makes me smile when I do hear; "captain"
 
#2 ·
Sorry, she's the Admiral on my boat, I'm the cabin boy!

Seriously tho......

I do know of a few women that "ARE" "Captains" in there own right. Including two that brought/bring boats.....well, "ships" into puget sound! then took them out later to the entrance to the st of juan de fuca only to hop off onto a smaller 20' somthing, then hop onto a ladder or equal and bring another "ship" into port!

Marty
 
#63 ·
Admiral vs captain

Sorry, she's the Admiral on my boat, I'm the cabin boy!

Seriously tho......

I do know of a few women that "ARE" "Captains" in there own right. Including two that brought/bring boats.....well, "ships" into puget sound! then took them out later to the entrance to the st of juan de fuca only to hop off onto a smaller 20' somthing, then hop onto a ladder or equal and bring another "ship" into port!

Marty
Boy do we hate when the male refers to his wife as the Admiral. Its so condescending. When do you ever hear a male refer to his female counterpart as the Captain. She is always the Admiral (YUK). I don't want to be no freakin Admiral. I am the CAPTAIN! LOL, I guess that's why I'm single....<yawn>
 
#3 ·
Really? Well it's rare that I'm called Cap'n Denise :D

So Ladies, what is your take on this title that is so very difficult to obtain?

Yeah.. my son was called captain when we were on my boat at times.

It doesn't really bother me.. it's not like I'm into tonnage and charters but I makes me smile when I do hear; "captain"
Well, I ain't no lady, but I crewed for one across the Atlantic once and when referring to her in conversation with others I would usually always call her captain when the occasion called for it. I would have called her captain in our normal dialog and had no problem with it had she expressed the preference for the title. She didn't.

I have crewed for a lot of male captains as well and I can't remember ever calling them captain on a regular basis.
 
#7 ·
when someone asks i tell them patty is the admiral and all i am is the bag carrier and boat driver - so if there is a question they need to speak to her

when we clear bridges and she has the helm and radio they call her cap'n

admiral patty boat driver chuck and svsoulmates
in a slip in brunswick ga for repairs
 
#8 ·
My wife goes by "Goddess of the Waves" no matter what position she holds, occupies, or is in on the boat

When she is at the helm and in charge its ...yes mam, captain Goddess of the waves.

Dave
 
#12 ·
Thanks bubblehead! I'm most honored!

Really though.. it's not that womyn is or isn't the captain.. it's the difficulty that some people (not all people) really find it hard to use a title for a female. Like, Dr, Captain, Your Honor, Reverend, boss, etc.
 
#79 ·
...it's the difficulty that some people (not all people) really find it hard to use a title for a female. Like, Dr, Captain, Your Honor, Reverend, boss, etc.
Some people are idiots :).

My doctor is female. I refer to and address her as "Dr. ..." I would never dream of referring to a judge as anything other than "Your Honour," regardless of said judge's gender. "Reverend..." well, TBH: I can't keep "Reverend," "Pastor," etc. straight. So if I fail to address a female reverend appropriately, that's the reason. My boss is my boss, regardless of gender. "Captain?" No problem. The captain's the captain. Again: Regardless of gender.

Most often other sailors assume I'm the skipper. One of us usually corrects them. The boat is her boat, after all :).

Jim
 
#14 ·
My wife is a USCG 50 ton Capt. After the initial;

"Why is the Capt. not checking the boat in?"

She is afforded a great deal of respect by both male and female immigration officials. As a Hispanic female Capt. the shock and respect is even greater in Hispanic countries whe she is called Senora Captitaine!
 
#18 · (Edited)
roflma too, seems the guys have most of the answers on this one too!

OK Adam! show us YOUR hat!

Yorks.. that's after she or you have to assert that she is a captain right? No one (in general) just sees and beleives that female is the captain. which is the point I'm trying to make.

aye! arrrrg! boys ahoy! err bouys, lol
 
#21 ·
roflma too, seems the guys have most of the answers on this one too!

OK Adam! show us YOUR hat
I don't have one! But my wife has something close. Here she is at the helm:


It does need a little anchor on it.

No one (in general) just sees and beleives that female is the captain. which is the point I'm trying to make.
Anyway I see your point. The command structure on our boat isn't particularly formal. However, when Anna gives orders, they are obeyed.
 
#19 ·
My situation is probably different - when I work as a captain, everyone calls me captain. I assume you're talking about being on your own boat with your husband though.

I defer to the person who owns the vessel/knows more about seamanship or that boat, but I don't know how any person who also owns the boat and is just as skilled can tolerate others not considering her to be equally in command.

- Kim
 
#20 ·
Really? Well it's rare that I'm called Cap'n Denise :D

So Ladies, what is your take on this title that is so very difficult to obtain?

Yeah.. my son was called captain when we were on my boat at times.

It doesn't really bother me.. it's not like I'm into tonnage and charters but I makes me smile when I do hear; "captain"
You've obviously never heard of Molly Kool. Recently passed away. A real Captain and a legend in my home waters.

Molly Kool, 1st woman licensed as ship's captain in N. America - The Boston Globe
 
#23 ·
Hi Denise, I'm baffled to report that ANY time I've been on the VHF here in the South (Carolinas, Georgia, Florida) with bridges or marinas, they've called me "Cap'n," even though I'm the Admiral. Whazzup wi' that?

BTW, Dan is "skipper."
 
#25 ·
Another well known female captain...

Captain Linda Greenlaw, of Isle au Haut, Maine, became widely known as captain of the Hannah Boden, which survived "The Perfect Storm" in Sebastian Junger's best-selling novel. Captain Greenlaw had the last known contact with the Andrea Gail, a swordfish boat from Massachusetts, that sank with all hands, in the Halloween storm 1991.

Greenlaw was considered by her peers to be one of the best large commercial fishboat captains on the American east coast is also a best-selling author (The Hungry Ocean, Lobster Chronicles, All Fishermen are Liars, The Fisherman's Bend)
 
#27 ·
I've always thought you subtly dignified your hogship sir.

Well your dignity is certainly subtle anyway. :)

You know, I reckon there should be one of those emoticon thingys to represent a servile tugging of the forelock.
 
#30 ·
Great and funny discussions here.. While the intent of this is to show how far society has accepted us females as capt of our own vessels, with some tongue and cheek sayings, I think it really depends on the vessel if a male is present vs only a female(s).
My own personal experience in both as a Captain in commercial aviation and Marine are the same. As long as male is present most people think the male counterpart is the master of the vessels. This leads to speaking, asking questions, inquires and general assumptions of who is in charge of said vessel/aircraft to the male present. Even with 4 strips on my shoulders, Captains hat on, passengers, agents, mechanics at times think I am a flight attendant at worse and the co pilot at best until things happen to make it apparent that I am in charge. It is fun to watch peoples faces who thought I was one of the above, to the Captain in charge. I find in the marine environment about the same if I happen to have a male on my boat. If I am sailing solo (97%) of the time, I find most folks don't have a problem calling me Capt or mam.
 
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