Women Aboard Ships

[GavinC]

In these modern times, the US Navy now has women serving aboard combatant ships. I always had apprehensions of the whole idea of it but it finally came about after I was gone and no longer on active duty anyway.

I saw a photo the other day that I immediately put up on my monitor screen as the background. What is the opposite of what Donald Trump would say? ---- You're HIRED!!... because if she popped up as a prospect for crew, I would have absolutely no reservations or feelings of apprehension in this particular case with regard to a woman being somewhat less physically suited for arduous sea duty!

[anjou]

And for that reason, thats why the top brass took the view that women aboard would be a bad move.

Ironically not for any fault or blame of women but because of mens reaction to them.

Just in case you wernt aware, not all female sailors are a carbon copy of Geena Davis in Cut throat Island

[shadow]

I agree, if she was part of the roster, I doubt any actual work would get done.. Period!!

[Astrid]

Well and judging from her outfit and implied profession, you would be well off to keep a hand on your wallet and an ear open for rumors of a take over of your boat.

[sailorboy1]

My wife and I met in the Navy; thought I had told her to get her picture from then off the internet.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by GavinC

In these modern times, the US Navy now has women serving aboard combatant ships. I always had apprehensions of the whole idea of it but it finally came about after I was gone and no longer on active duty anyway.

I saw a photo the other day that I immediately put up on my monitor screen as the background. What is the opposite of what Donald Trump would say? ---- You're HIRED!!... because if she popped up as a prospect for crew, I would have absolutely no reservations or feelings of apprehension in this particular case with regard to a woman being somewhat less physically suited for arduous sea duty!

i found her years ago on a z car forum and stole her--i love the pic--lol--i have since moved on th another pic i found--i still use this one on that car forum....is a goood one

[hummingway]

1952-53 Ann Davison crossed the Atlantic solo in the 23 foot Felicity Ann.
1969 Ingeborg von Heister solo Atlantic crossing in Ultima Ratio. She returned in 1970.
Nicolette Milnes-Walker crossed solo in a 30 footer.
Sharon Sites Adams crossed the Pacific solo in a 30 footer in 1969.
In 1976 Clare Francis did the OSTAR in 29 days.
In 1978 three women circumnavigated solo. Krystena Chojnowska-Liskiewicz was the first and she did it in the 31 footer Mazurek.

I can't speak to their physical attributes but they must of had something going on!

[zeehag]

some women can actually SAIL. go figger. i hear we are also voting and driving automobiles. LOL.. is a goo d roster above--thankyou!! toomany males think of women as itemsm to possess. we are not that. we are actually STRONGER than males. males have to worry about rupturing because of their external plumbing, so they dont have the strength of the folks with internal plumbing. they also dont bear children/offspring. LOL. women also have greater endurance. so -- there is no reason to keep females off boats unless they are felames. just because we have internal plumbing doesnt mean we are not up to your job at sea.
look at i2f's lady-- she is awesome.

[Ike]

I went to Officer Candidate School in 1976 with the woman who was the first woman to command a USCG Patrol Boat and later to command a USCG High Endurance Cutter (The Northland). Another woman that was in my class was the first woman to be a USCG helo pilot. A third recently retired as a three start admiral. A woman in the class just before ours was also a three star admiral and the highest ranking woman in the military before she retired. They are here to stay and Praise God for that! I served many years before women were allowed in the regulars and it's now a damn sight better because they are.

[Chief Engineer]

I find women who own boats with their husbands, for the most part, most receptive to instruction.....they have an attention to detail that some
"Captains" don't have.

They also READ manuals.

They don't seem to have an attitude when they get their "ticket".

Unlike men who boast about their 100 ton License........It is a freaking piece of paper that does not imbue one with skill.

I also find that women steer better at either wheel or tiller......I don't know why....they just seem to hold a better course.

[Capt Phil]

I've found the same thing, Chief... I was somewhat nervous the first time I engaged a female for regular crewing duties on a delivery years ago rather than hiring her as a cook/decky. She turned out to be one of the more steady, reliable folks I've sailed with. I believe she went on to sit for her 100 ton License. Since then, I've hired several women who stood a watch in rough weather and maintained mechanical/electrical systems as well as or better than men. Most of them were sharper with the newer electronic nav gear than I was. In addition, I found they were much more willing to share their knowledge with less experienced crew members than the experienced guys on deliveries. Capt Phil

[zeehag]

omg--lookie what i started..wow!!( and hummingway, too!)
\i wonder if it is because we dont have to let testosterone get in the way of judgement and depth perception.....hhmmm...just a thought--- guys are always peacocking in front of women---unless they feel the woman is not mate material......

[GavinC]

Hey, seriously... I really love this photo! Back to the orginal commentary I made, yes! I was apprehensive about women in combatant roles but never saw it take place personally. It's just sort of hard for me to picture too many women able to shoulder a 250 lb. object and scale up a ladder with it or bang out a 3 mile swim on open ocean with gear on!

On the flip side of the coin, allow me to tell you something you may find amusing (at least all you women will). In the state of New Jersey, USA there were multiple incidents of a boat slamming into a dock, boater slamming into a piling, boater slamming into another boater, boater slamming into a sandbar, etc... the bodies were really starting to stack up so the state of New Jersey decided to establish a mandatory boating safety certificate and a little course that goes with it!

I didn't have to partake in the course due to documentation and credentials I found out but the dear woman did. She stumbled into this class for her boating safety certificate and it was ALL males with the exception of her! This group of macho, manly sorts of males muttered things under their breath along the lines of, "Why is a WOMAN taking this course!?" because it seemed sort of laughable or amusing to them? This entire class as it turns out were a group of the typical weekend warriors (powerboaters) that all owned open fisherman type boats, bass boats, etc. that loaded up the cases of beer and went fishing. One went so far as to ask the instructor along the lines of "Why's a woman in a boating class with us manly cool boating dudes?" sort of thing. He replied, "Her? She owns a relatively large yacht and is an experienced sailor with many years of experience", which seemed to get them to tone it down a bit and shut up.

The true caliber of the overall boating and navigational skills of these guys became apparent rather quickly... They didn't seem to know a pair of dividers from a midchannel marker from a seagull! They quickly found out that this woman in their class already knew all the answers to everything, possibly better than the instuctor and were asking her for answers to things along the way. Half the class failed the little exam thing at the end, many others barely slid by... and the only one to "ace" it was also the only girl in the class. She essentially made them all look like idiots and I'm sure they were all rethinking their initial thoughts and commentary at the beginning of the course.

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by GavinC

I saw a photo the other day that I immediately put up on my monitor screen as the background.

Where did you find my portrait? I thought I buried that years ago!

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Saucy Sailoress

Where did you find my portrait? I thought I buried that years ago!

ROFL... love it!!!!

those testosterone overdosed sexist stinkpotters needed that come-uppance..LOL... ye didnt really start a riot-- we spiced it a bit and had fun!!!! besdes, the pidc is reallly cool....