↓Skip to main content

She Sails

·618 words·3 mins
Book

🔔 Book announcement! 🔔

After several years of ideating and much writing and rewriting, I have put out my very first book, called She Sails (links at the end of this post)!

This project would not have been possible without the support and encouragement I received, in particular from my better half, David ❤️. He is the reason I got bitten by the sailing bug in the first place, and he has shown me what true partnership looks like.

What is the motivation for this book? There has been increasingly more discussion on the need for a stronger presence of women in sailing, especially in the marine industry and performance sailing. In a recent study by the World Sailing Trust , it was found that, on average, 59% of women have experienced gender-based discrimination, with those numbers increasing with age. Misconceptions around strength, talent, and strategic ability perpetuate this problem, as well as politics, lack of support, and lack of female role models.

While many of these findings can be generalized to other forms of sailing, little data exists for those who choose to “just” cruise, that is, those who enjoy the pleasure of sailing and owning a boat, without making a profession out of it or racing. However, in my years sailing and talking to other women cruisers, it seems many of the same issues are present, and many ladies feel discouraged from assuming leadership positions or even learning the ropes.

I would like us to change that!

This book is about making sailing more accessible — especially for those who come to it as adults. Learning to sail later in life presents unique challenges: not being raised around boats, not knowing how to troubleshoot onboard systems, or not having confidence in hands-on problem-solving. If you’re not already someone who enjoys tinkering, fixing, or figuring things out on the fly, the learning curve can feel impossibly steep. Part of what makes it daunting isn’t just the skills themselves — it’s the unfamiliar culture that comes with them, with differing expectations and language barriers. Learning to sail is also in and of itself learning a new language, where a “galley” is a kitchen, a “head” (I know, a head!) is a toilet, a “portlight” a window, etc. It can be confusing, but it’s not rocket science. Whatever your background, with a bit of work and persistence, you can do it!

My hope is that this book helps demystify the cruising life. I hope to show you that sailing can be learned, enjoyed, and owned — by anyone. In addition, my intention is to motivate by imparting knowledge. What I write in the book is based on what I have been formally taught, what I have read, what I have gleaned by talking to other sailors, as well as my own experience.

There is no one right way to do things and I do not pretend to have all the right answers, but hopefully my mental models are of use to some of you.

“She Sails” is available in both paperback and Kindle versions, and can be purchased from all Amazon Marketplaces:

… and more!

If you find any of it useful, please do leave a review on Amazon, on Goodreads , or simply tell someone you know about the book 📖!

Fair winds to you all ⛵️💨

Inês