DAMIANA CORRIAS
Woman captain
Damiana Corrias is one of the very few existing women super-yacht
masters and we managed to catch up with her through the grapevine
of her male counterparts. She is currently skippering a 22-metre
Farr Southern Wind, "Nessun Dorma", which was built in a Cape Town
boatyard in South Africa. Chance would have it that the owner of
"Nessun Dorma" is also a woman who obviously has no prejudices
about the seafaring skills of the fair sex. I meet Damiana in
Viareggio where we have a pleasant chat about her activities on
board the yacht berthed in the Arpeca dock, where it will spend
the winter, after a busy summer of magnificent sailing cruises in
the Mediterranean.
Damiana, tell me about your origins
I was born 36 years ago in the South of Sardinia, in a house by
the sea in Portoscuso, in the province of Cagliari. I am a woman
master who for nine years now has been skippering yachts, I
therefore have a job that has traditionally been almost always
exclusively male. Suffice to think that sailors have always
thought that having a woman on board brings bad luck, while they
are considered perfect in the role of the master's wife.
Tell us briefly how your life at sea started
I have had a passion for the sea since I was little. At the age of
14, together with a group of friends, I founded the Windsurf Vela
Club in my hometown. At the age of 18 I passed the exam for the
federal sailing and windsurf instructor's licence; despite the
fact that I was actually attending a technical high school for
accountants, my thoughts were always far from the greyness of
figures and always nearer to the blue of the sea. However, I then
worked with my mother in her flower shop and in my free time I
sailed with my friends. I would never have thought that my love
for the sea would have become my real job.
What marine training do you have?
I didn't go to the Technical Sailing school, because at that time
my family would never have agreed to such a choice. In the
beginning my training took place solely on boats, thanks to the
teaching of excellent sailors who took me to sea with them and
passed on to me their knowledge on the art of sailing. When four
years ago pleasure sailing was levelled with merchant sailing, I
had to take a series of courses to gain the maritime professional
title of 2nd class captain, which qualifies me to pilot boats up to
7,000 tonnes.
Atlantic crossings?
Yes, several, one with "Gael", then in the winter of 1997 on "Lady
Samanta" a 17-metre Ketch belonging to Ennio Nard of the Circolo
Velico d'Altura in Chioggia. A boat which sank last year in a
storm off New York, fortunately without victims. In 1998 together
with others on a 16-metre sailing catamaran and in 1999 on the
first Wally, the 25-metre "Mister Geco".
As a woman skipper have you had any special problems?
In the beginning I sensed a lack of consideration by others, then
as my self-confidence gradually increased I learnt to gain
respect.
Was it difficult to find work in your role as woman master?
Definitely. And if it hadn't been for help kindly given me by
Battista Borea d'Olmo, who has always believed in me, the owner of
"Naly" would never have chosen me as master, purely because I am a woman.
Do you know any other women masters?
There are many women sailing boats, but very few have professional
qualifications. I know that there are some among the English
masters.
How come there are so few women super yacht masters?
You need a strong spirit to put up with the prejudices in this
profession. I reckon I am very lucky, because a lot of people have
helped me and put their trust in me. To do this job women must be
very motivated.
What are the other typical female roles on board superyachts?
Cook and hostess. Until 10 years ago, owners didn't want hostesses
on board, today all the yachts that employ them are more than
satisfied. If a woman has a good preparation she is taken on for
the whole year, with all the necessary guarantees. Otherwise she
will only be offered seasonal work, temporary in other words.
Who is there in your current crew?
Apart from me there is a female cook and a sailor.
What effect does a woman skipper have on outsiders?
When we come into harbour I usually sense a certain admiration
from men, but sometimes seem slightly annoyed.
What would you say to a young woman intending to become a super-yacht master?
If she is willing, step by step, to work her way up and to be very
determined, she will definitely get there, not quickly to be sure
but she will also be paid well.
Captain of "Nessun Dorma"
Name: Damiana.
Surname: Corrias.
Age: 37
Nationality: Italian.
Training: Business High School.
Previous command experience: "Naly", for eight years.
Current command: master on "Nessun Dorma".
Flag: Italian.
Main characteristics of the boat, (design, interior layout, technological and structural systems):
Farr yacht design for the waterlines and the sails.
Interior architecture (colours, materials, decor, lights):
Design by the architect Antonio Minniti for
deck geometry and interior furnishings.
Favourite marine: Wintering in Viareggio.
Favourite route: Mediterranean routes.
What technological innovations in yachting do you think look interesting and why?
Innovations regarding safety at
sea (map GPS, radar, epirb) because they mean we can fully
enjoy the sea without running worthless risks.
The worst incident that has ever happened to you?:
An encounter with a shark in Australia, the time I
dived down to check the keel.
The event from your professional life that you remember with most pleasure:
When my first owner gave me the
job of sailing Naly in 1996, I was so happy and I felt so
proud to have made it, as a woman and a master. I remember
thinking that all the effort of getting there was over but
that now there would be even more effort involved with
more responsibility.
An opinion on her role of Master and the world she works in:
I am very happy and proud of my job, because
it allows me to stay in contact with the sea. It is hard
work but I really love it also because very peaceful
periods alternate with others that are much more frenetic.
I am a romantic, in love with sailing, but I think that
the world of yachting is changing fast and calls for
professional figures who know how to adapt to the new
technology. For this reason, although I have my
professional licence for mastering ships up to 7,000
tonnes, I have already planned to follow a course of
parallel skills in anti-terrorist safety regulations and
lots of other new, stimulating subjects.
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