On September 14, 2023, 3 ocean racers and adventurers joined our online community of women sailors to share their She Sailor Sea Stories! Our host is Debbie Huntsman (NWSA Vice President) and our guests, Yosh Han, Sheila McCurdy and Dr. Anne Kolker
Yosh Han, is an ocean adventurer and enjoys sailboat deliveries. She’s sailed along the entire Pacific Coast of the United States and Mexico, westward and beyond. Yosh has logged thousands of miles on a wide array of boats. Yosh is a water person. Besides being a blue water sailor, she’s a professional PADI MSDT open water scuba instructor and wild swimmer. She’s swum the “Golden Gate Bridge swim” and the swim from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park’s South End Rowing Club (twice!) — each swim being 1.5 miles in 60F (COLD) water! While Yosh logged many miles at sea on passages, cruises and deliveries, the 2023 TransPac Hawaii Race aboard Good Trouble was her first major offshore race. She learn an incredible amount about boat racing strategy, sailing to polaris and using expedition software.
Sheila McCurdy has been sailing since she was three months old. Now she has sailed over 125,000 offshore miles on all kinds of boats with some of the great—and not so great—sailors in the world. She has had her share of trophies and awards including finishing second overall, twice, in the Newport Bermuda Race on her boat Selkie which her father Jim McCurdy designed for himself. She has volunteered for leadership roles for many organizations including the Cruising Club of America for which she is a past commodore and is presently writing the history of the 100-year-old club. She continues to be instrumental in the training and safety at sea programs at US Sailing. Sheila received the 2018 NWSA / Boat US Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award.
Anne Kolker began sailing with her aunt and uncle when she was about eight-years old. However, she didn’t really get involved until she met her husband and they began to sail together. They bought their boat, Etoile together with plans to retire and sail everywhere. They did some offshore trips from Massachusetts to Maine. When her husband died, she was determined to keep Etoile. She learned of a team of women who were doing the Marion Bermuda race. She was accepted as crew even though she had no race experience. Being a doctor was a big plus. They practiced and started the race but dropped out due to concerns about weather. Anne decided that the next race would be on her boat. Since that, she has done eight all-female crew races on Etoile. Anne’s other sailing adventures include an English Channel crossing, delivery from Grenada to Trinidad and return, a delivery from St Joh’s Newfoundland across the Cabot Strait to Baddeck Nova Scotia, and a transatlantic crossing from the Canaries to Grenada. Anne received the 2023 NWSA / Boat US Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award.
For previous episodes of She Sailor Sea Story CLICK below