Sailing Story: Dawn Rae

Until the summer of 2025, Dawn had never been sailing. 

“I’ve been on dive trips and river trips but I’d never been on sailboats until a couple weeks ago,” she said. “I ran the helm– it was cool learning how to steer the boat to get the wind in the sails the way we wanted it.”

The highlight of Dawn’s first sailing trip, and what often captivates many first-time sailors, was the tranquility.

“I really enjoyed the quiet moving through the water,” she said. “I’ve been on a jetboat once on the Salmon River and I hated it because it was so loud.”

Yet some things about sailing felt very familiar to Dawn, who has spent her whole life involved in male-dominated hobbies and professions.

“Similar to being on a river trip, you are pretty self contained and you have your tasks and have to work as a team,” she said. “There’s not a lot of gender difference when you are all trying to get something done and are on the same page.”

Dawn has worked 22 years as a paramedic, played rugby in college, and spent time as a wildland firefighter. She imagines the same aspects that intimidate women from getting involved in those activities, may also be what holds women back from learning to sail. 

“The good ol’ boys club stops people from getting involved,” she said. “If you don’t see someone doing something that looks like you, you don’t always imagine that you can.”

Now that Dawn has her start in sailing, she is excited to encourage more women into joining the sport with her. As she prepares for an all-women’s sailing trip in the Abaco Islands with Go Sail Bahamas she imagines the outcome of the trip being similar to an all-women sea kayaking trip she took in the San Juans. 

“It feels more collaborative when you are with a group of women,” she said. “Especially when you are trying something new, you need to feel like if you do something wrong it isn’t eye rolls.”

As a beginner sailor herself, Dawn knows she may make mistakes as she learns to sail but for her, it’s all about getting out there, trying new things, and finding a supportive group of people that encourage her on the journey. 

“I’m always up for a new adventure,” she said.