Stars to Steer By: Celebrating the 20th century women who went to sea

(Hardback)

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The extraordinary stories of the fearless women who set their sights on the sea in an all-male world, paving the way for the female sailing superstars of today.

Gender issues are stark at sea. Historically a ships crew is all male, and although vessels are referred to as she, womens contributions to sailing have been largely ignored, if not actively opposed. Todays sailing legends such as Tracey Edwards and Ellen MacArthur compete with men on equal terms, but they stand on the shoulders of many women before them, who had to challenge preconceptions, prejudice and even the law in their wish to sail.

Spanning the 19th century to today, Julia Jones dives into the lives of an array of incredible and unconventional women: we meet single-handed sailors, wealthy explorers, long-suffering wives and penniless chancers with a thirst for adventure. Each had to face down barriers of official exclusion, family-imposed restriction, social disapproval and often a resulting lack of self-belief.

In the 21st-century, British women wear Admirals uniforms and break global yachting records, yet their journey to professional sailing remains challenging, and the public face of sailing remains mostly male evident in the lack of female Commodores in prestigious yacht clubs. Even as sailing becomes more accessible, the remarkable contributions within these stories are a precious source of inspiration to all women facing their own challenges today.

Reviews

Stars to Steer By is a long overdue celebration of the spirit of women's independence through sailing, shining a spotlight on achievements which, all too often, have been wiped from the sailing record; it advocates what all women sailors want - normalisation and a sense of fairness on the water. Julia's writing brings each of her subjects vividly to life, giving a voice to many pioneers whose success and trailblazing have been overshadowed by the achievements of men, just on the basis of gender. This book is the start of the correction of the record. * Katy Stickland, PBO Magazine *
Stars to Steer By is an entertaining and inspiring cruise through the lives of women sailors: adventurers, racers, travellers, workers, pootlers, rich and poor, happy and sad. Its a lovely portrait gallery as much as a history, and deserves a place on every sea-lovers bookcase, whether youre a real sailor or an arch fantasist. * Louisa Young *
Jones has carved a fine reputation for herself as a nautical author * Sailing Today *

Author Bio

Julia Jones is a writer, editor and classic yacht owner, whose father served in the RNVSR. She is Literary Contributor for Yachting Monthly magazine.
When she was a small girl, Julias parents bought Arthur Ransomes yacht Peter Duck. She found that her berth on board was the snuggest place in the world for reading, writing and dreaming too. Years later she discovered her special reading place was where Ransome stored his typewriter. This inspired her Strong Winds series of sailing adventures.