The dream of sailing is above all else. Travelling with the wind, the scent of foreign harbours, a life on the water. Yes, the temptation is great to make this existence your main profession. In our individualised society, the motto "Live your dream!" has almost become an imperative. By contrast, Instagram, Tiktok and YouTube usually ignore the less colourful moments.
This is especially true for the profession that Anna Sult has dedicated herself to. She only discovered sailing late in life, during her studies. But she quickly realised: "This is it." She now earns her living as a professional skipper - one of only a few women in Germany who don't do it on the side or part-time, but exclusively. A profession that is by no means all champagne sailing.
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This is because the field of charter and transfer cruises is barely regulated. Those involved here operate in a grey area - without professional representation, without regulated working hours and sometimes with at best casual compliance with applicable safety regulations.
Wanted: Skippers with more than just licences
Rainer Holtorff, who has been in the business for many years and makes a living from sailing, puts it this way: "Basically, we lead a shadowy existence. The scene is almost impossible to quantify. It ranges from holidaying university lecturers who occasionally work as skippers to professionals with a captain's licence and an engineering degree who look after a superyacht on a permanent basis for months or even years."
The clients are as diverse as the sailors themselves. Customers include sailing schools, shipyards, charter companies, travel agencies and owners who want to get their boats from A to B. It is not uncommon for yachts to be crewed spontaneously, with crews having to be thrown together in a hurry.
The duration of the trip also varies: from a few days to months. The stages are correspondingly different. Sometimes you do Bornholm-Kiel, sometimes Martinique-Mallorca. Sailors who do not shy away from the responsibility of such trips are increasingly in demand. Skippers who not only have all the necessary licences, but also the relevant experience.
Psychologists could carry out interesting field research here and there. After all, a wide variety of characters come together on board: adventurers and normal people, millionaires and students, enthusiastic beginners and veteran saltbuckets. And then a trip like this can end in an experiment. Because even if there are countless wonderful moments at sea and these usually outweigh the others: Time and again, there are also rumours of trouble on board, mutinies and interpersonal tensions.
Many journeys are recorded in the logbooks without comment
There are other reasons why this unconventional branch of professional sailing is a kind of Wild West of water sports. The skippers often have to take over boats that are completely unknown to them. The systems are unfamiliar, the radio equipment is new, the signalling equipment stowed in the back of the back box is untraceable. Not infrequently, the professionals also have to contend with technical problems before they even set off.
And they have to adapt to every vessel - from small second-hand yachts to luxury catamarans worth millions. There are other factors that make things even more difficult on many trips: time pressure, tight weather windows, staff cancellations and disputes over payment. Because here, too, there are neither rules nor fixed rates. Not to mention the general logistics: spontaneous flight bookings, procuring spare parts or even just provisioning in foreign countries.
There's no doubt about it: life as a professional skipper is never boring. What really happens on board is usually only known to the crews themselves. Many trips go uncommented in the logbooks. And yet there are now countless yachts travelling somewhere between the Caribbean and the Baltic Sea - steered by hired skippers who are more or less acting on their own initiative.
It is all the more remarkable when a young woman feels at home in this rustic environment. Someone like Anna Sult, who not only holds her own in wind and weather, but also in a loose community of mostly male fellow sailors.
While women have long since arrived in the Olympic classes as well as in ocean sports, professional female skippers are the big exception when it comes to transfers and long-distance cruises. Why do so few realise this dream of a life on the water? We talked about this with the 36-year-old from Cologne, who has learnt to deal with difficult co-sailors and challenging moments. She has not only somehow managed to get by in her dream job, but has also learnt to assert herself.
Professional skipper Anna Sult
The Rhinelander is a late bloomer. She only really got into sailing during her studies in Berlin, first on dinghies and then on yachts. From 2011 onwards, she obtained all licences up to the recreational sailing licence, which is required for training and professional skippers. The 36-year-old counts the North Sea and the Atlantic as her favourite areas. However, she has also skippered many trips in the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean. Contact: annasult@hotmail.com
YACHT: Anna, you've made a pretty radical career move - from excavation specialist to full-blooded sailor. How did you do that?
Anna Sult: There was no plan. It just developed that way. I completed my archaeology degree in 2015, specialising in conservation, restoration and excavation technology. That's more the practical side of archaeology. The work is mostly outside. Exactly my thing.
How did you get into sailing?
After my bachelor's degree, I thought about whether I really wanted to continue with archaeology - or whether sailing would appeal to me more in the end. I had already done a lot of sailing trips. I ended up doing a Master's degree in landscape archaeology. After that, however, I had to earn money and look for a job. So I spontaneously applied to a sailing school. I already had all the necessary licences and had clocked up a lot of nautical miles.
When did you start sailing?
My father gave me an affinity for boats and a longing for the sea. He always took us children to boot Düsseldorf. Shortly before leaving school, I sailed with friends on the IJsselmeer - and was absolutely thrilled. When I started studying in Berlin, I saw that you could get a boating licence as part of the university sports programme. So off I went.
Most people leave it at that at some point. What brought you to yachting?
The director of the sailing school in Berlin saw that I was committed to the cause. I sailed on my first sea voyages and the school soon got me actively involved. I was supposed to teach newcomers the material and the basics. After that, there were more and more trips. The head of the school encouraged me to get more licences, the SKS, the SSS and the LRC. So I was constantly learning and collecting nautical miles. But at that time I always asked myself: Why do I actually need all these licences? I never dreamed of skippering a boat myself, let alone ferrying larger yachts. I was 23, I was a student.
When did you take the step from crew member to skipper?
After graduating, I taught dinghy sailing and surfing at another school and helped in the office. Because I had sailed many long-distance trips, I was appointed co-skipper at some point. One day, my employer finally asked me to skipper a trip myself. A colleague had cancelled and a replacement was urgently needed. I was asked to take over the briefing on board and sail the first leg. This time as the main person in charge, from Kiel to Maasholm. It wasn't a long distance, but as a young skipper it was quite an experience. Everything went well - and I was soon to take over the next trips.
Where did these journeys take you?
I initially skippered a lot in the Danish South Sea, with Kiel as my starting and finishing harbour. The boat was usually a Bavaria 36, without an autopilot, anemometer or chart plotter. We had to practise chart navigation. They were marvellous trips. There were mostly young people on board, including many students. I remember many great people and moments.
As the skipper, were you the only woman on board?
No, other women often sailed with us too. Many of them got their licences on these trips. That was nothing unusual. However, things thinned out when it came to the examination for the recreational sailing licence. You don't get this licence for free. When the examiners saw me, they looked up: "Such a young woman here?" they said, puzzled. "We rarely see that!"
In the meantime, you have led several dozen trips, including crossings on the Atlantic coast and in the Mediterranean, as well as one transatlantic trip. These are no longer training voyages on the Baltic Sea.
Indeed. In addition to training cruises and berth charters, transfers are a completely different world. There, many things take place beyond fixed boundaries and regulations. Let's put it this way: there is no defined framework. I wouldn't call it a shark tank. But you have to assert yourself on such trips.
How did you get into it?
I was part of the crew on a longer transfer and got to know a professional skipper in Vigo. That was in 2015, straight after my studies. We were in the wind on our boats, exchanged our contacts and soon afterwards he asked me to co-skipper a yacht from Holland to the Baltic Sea. As a result, I was hired more often, including by private owners - no longer as crew, but increasingly as a co-skipper.
Why not come on board as a boss?
At that time, I was still afraid to take on a job as a skipper. That's even more responsibility. The boats are often bigger and more expensive, they are no longer second-hand school boats. The owners are also often on board, often older men. When I, as a young woman, have to be the captain, it can sometimes lead to disputes over authority. Instead, another job came my way at the time: my first Atlantic crossing from Nantucket to Portimão, on which I was part of the paid crew.
How did you experience your first ocean passage?
Eventful! We rammed a sperm whale between the Azores and Portugal. The ship took on water and we joined forces to try and save the boat. The bilge pumps soon overheated and failed. Wearing a bikini and carrying a bucket, I climbed into the engine room and drained the water by hand. That's how we found the cause of the leak: a break in the laminate. Luckily, we made it to Portugal by the skin of our teeth and with all kinds of on-board equipment. Another experience.
At some point, I got my first transfer job as a skipper. Another big step. Where and when was that?
A transfer from Corfu to Novigrad in Croatia, for which I had applied. A couple of owners who wanted to bring a second-hand catamaran to Istria didn't want to make the trip alone. I sailed the trip as skipper and everything went very well. That was five years ago
What was and is the special attraction for you here?
I am now very happy to take on such transfers. They are better paid and - in addition to the role as a person in charge - you don't have to be constantly present and on top of that you don't have to entertain the crew from morning to night. They are also usually longer trips, which I particularly like. Today, I go on at least three such trips a year, each lasting three to six weeks.
That sounds like pure sailing. But surely there are also challenging moments on such journeys?
You are often simply "given" a boat, and then it's a case of: now get to grips with it. However, not all yachts are really fit and sufficiently equipped for the upcoming trips. There are always technical problems that I have to deal with as skipper - from a tear in the mainsail to leaking batteries. Things get exciting in strong winds and in situations where you have to prove yourself as the person in charge. Everyone looks at you and asks: What is she doing now?
Can you give an example?
We once had to go from the Schlei to Kiel for an SKS test when a heavy autumn storm came up. It was already the beginning of October and the water level in the harbour was slowly dropping. The mood on board also sank, because we had an appointment. You have to think about what you're going to do.
How did you react?
I asked the group what the mood was like and whether the crew was prepared to brave it. Sailing is not just about fair weather sailing. I then made the decision to set sail.
How did it end?
We sailed out of the Schlei against the wind and a small rescue cruiser was already coming towards us outside. It was raining and blowing hard. Of course, we were struggling with ourselves: was this the right decision? We only had a small foresail up, tacked carefully and made it quite well to Kiel in the end. It wasn't a great distance. But making decisions as the person in charge in situations like this, and without the backing of the sailing school - you have to get used to it. You're on your own, and under deadline pressure.
You were just in your early 30s when these trips started. Did you feel like an outsider as a young skipper? Were there moments when your authority was questioned?
It was usually relaxed on board in this respect. There was good co-operation. And of course there were many wonderful experiences: at sea and in the harbours. Things usually ran smoothly on a berth charter. And that's despite the fact that the crews are sometimes a very colourful mix. But of course, there were exceptions.
For example?
We were manoeuvring off Langeland. During the buoy overboard manoeuvre, a middle-aged man grabbed the rudder without being asked and promptly jibed the boat in a good wind. The boom flipped with force and we were all shocked. When I then sent someone else to take the helm, he reacted with extreme irritation. He obviously couldn't accept the fact that, as a younger woman, I told him to give up the helm. The man remained miffed for the rest of the journey. Accepting a command from a woman was obviously too much for him.
Yet women have long been sailing tough offshore races. Teenage girls have circumnavigated the world alone. Women at the helm - hasn't that become a matter of course in sailing today?
This may be the case in many areas of our sport, from regatta sailing to touring and recreational sailing. I also occasionally meet female skippers on training trips. But basically never those who live permanently and exclusively from sailing. However, I've never met another woman who really does this full-time, at least not during the transfers.
Are there any offers that you reject outright?
For many transfers, the journey also becomes a berth charter. For example, a ship is to be brought from A to B on behalf of a charter company, and in order to recoup the costs, the berths on board are sold. I am the skipper, but the crew is provided. That happens quite often. You have to come to terms with that. You're confronted with a crew of complete strangers who also have a very heterogeneous level of performance and experience. That can work, but it doesn't have to. I'd say no to that. For example, a Lagoon 40 was supposed to sail from Mallorca to Tenerife, then on to the Caribbean. I did the first leg, but declined the second. Crossing the Atlantic with a crew I didn't know was too hot for me.
Were there other critical situations in which you were left to your own devices as a woman or had to fight particularly hard?
In some situations you do feel left alone. Although I have to say: With most men it works very well; there are no problems at all. As a woman, however, you should always expect exceptions. On a trip from Mallorca to Tenerife, I once had a man on board who undermined my authority right from the start. Along the lines of: I've been sailing much longer than you, girl - what are you trying to tell me? I hadn't chosen this fellow sailor, he had been assigned to me. However, I didn't have the nerve to deal with such vanity in addition to sailing, which was quite demanding. So at some point there was a dispute and the man got off in Gibraltar.
Under what circumstances?
There were four men on the boat. Plus me as the woman skipper - and the youngest on board. That alone is an exceptional situation. Then there was the weather: one low after another passed through and the wind blew strongly against us. It soon became clear that we would not be able to keep our appointment in Tenerife and would have to seek shelter in the harbours around Gibraltar. The crew became impatient. After all, people don't have forever; they want to make miles. I can understand that in principle. But then the weather deteriorated even more: we were supposed to get 50 knots of wind at the peak. I decided: No, we're not going out there. One of the crew took a different view. He looked at the reefing tables and said that the boat was designed for it, regardless of the upwind course. But I was adamant: "No! Of course that causes stress. If one of the men then shouts: She doesn't want to go any further, she'd rather have a good time in the harbour - despite all the professionalism and distance, that can really make your head spin.
What happened?
In the end, there were only three of us left because the crew ran out of time. So I had to find a new crew at Gibraltar and was still the only woman on board. But we made it to Tenerife safely.
Were there any other tricky constellations?
Another time, en route from Les Sables-d'Olonne via Mallorca to Croatia, the chemistry wasn't right. An older man, already in his late 60s, suddenly only wanted to communicate with my co-skipper. He had difficulty approaching me with questions, let alone accepting commands from me. That sort of thing does happen.
On another trip, the mooring manoeuvre was chaotic. I wanted to discuss the situation calmly afterwards. However, one of the sailors on board immediately shut down, started to rant and showed no understanding whatsoever. He didn't want to or couldn't understand that we were talking about a constructive analysis and not about apportioning blame. But the situation could no longer be salvaged.
What have you learnt from such situations?
You shouldn't let anyone dance around on your nose. There are rules on board. If I want to be woken up before reefing and sailing out, then that has to happen. Not everyone can do or not do what they want. And I've also learnt that if just one person in the crew thinks they have to do their own thing, then you have to assert yourself immediately and clearly. Otherwise it will quickly spill over to the others. That doesn't mean that you don't think things through together and weigh up situations. That's part of sailing. But in the end, one person calls the shots and bears the responsibility: me!
What does that look like in concrete terms?
As a rule, there is a good atmosphere on board. Discussions and alternative opinions are welcome. What could a plan B look like? What if we sail this or that course for two days? After all, that's how you learn when you're sailing: playing through situations, testing alternatives. But then I stick to my decision. That's it!
That doesn't always sound easy. Is sailing still your dream job?
Definitely! At the moment, I really want to continue skippering. Working independently can be tough. And that doesn't just apply to the sailing itself. You have to take care of jobs and get your life organised. But for now, one thing is clear to me: I want to sail!
What is the big attraction in the end?
It's all in the mix. Discovering other countries, other places. You also get to meet lots of new people - and in most cases that is a very enriching experience. As a rule, they are very nice crews who come together and with whom you share wonderful experiences.
But sailing comes before everything else. Standing alone at the helm on night watch and gazing at the stars. Feeling the boat running well. I like that. I just love being out there at sea.
