Buying Your First Boat! Sadie Johnson

Welcome to the first SheHelms Sailing Podcast.

Today I’m delighted to be talking with Sadie Johnson, a sailor from California who shares the honest reality of buying her first boat and learning to skipper it along the way.

Sadie tells the story of how a sailing club opened the door to a life on the water, why she eventually bought a 1976 Cal 34, and the steep learning curve that followed.

We talk about:

* buying your first boat

* overcoming the anxiety of boat ownership

* manoeuvring in marinas and learning from mistakes

* the value of supportive sailing communities

* women in sailing and the allies helping to create change

* solo sailing, Catalina Island, and future adventures

* why engineering, curiosity and asking questions make better sailors

It’s an honest conversation about confidence, resilience and discovering that every sailor, no matter how experienced, has something new to learn.

Whether you’re dreaming of owning your first boat or already navigating the challenges of life afloat, I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation.

My name is JoJo Pickering. I’m a professional skipper, RYA Yachtmaster Instructor, and founder of SheHelms Sailing.

Through these conversations I’ll be sharing interviews with women sailors from different backgrounds and experiences, creating space for thoughtful discussion, shared learning, and honest conversations about sailing life.

I hope you’ll tune in and enjoy.

If these conversations resonate with you, please do share them with others, subscribe to the SheHelms Newsletter, and explore the wider SheHelms community.

Very welcome aboard

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About SheHelms

SheHelms is a women-centred sailing community helping women build skills, confidence and connections on the water. Through podcasts, articles, live online events, monthly zooms and our free community, we share practical knowledge, inspiring stories and honest conversations to support women at every stage of their sailing journey.

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shehelms.substack.com