Celebrating Women in Yachting: Marlies Sanders CEO of a ‘sailing boutique hotel’

This month, Heesen honours International Women’s Day with portraits of inspiring Dutch women in yachting. Marlies Sanders holds an impressive career as a yacht captain — a title she’s earned through determination, resilience, and an unwavering love for life at sea.

Growing up in Drenthe, in the eastern part of the Netherlands, far from any sailing waters, a career as a captain didn’t seem the most obvious path for Marlies Sanders. “I was 12 when I first went sailing, in Friesland. I remember how happy I was to be allowed to take the helm for a while. Later, after my parents divorced, my father, my sister and me went to a sailing camp. We absolutely loved it.” Still, there was little to suggest that sailing would one day become her profession.

She went on to study Business Administration, moved to Paris, and worked as a trader in meat and livestock. Then, sailing unexpectedly re-entered her life.

“I was asked to join an Atlantic crossing on a 60-footer. I’m quite adventurous, but I had never sailed on the open sea and knew nothing about navigation, so I declined. But the seed had been planted.”

From Boardroom to Open Water

Marlies built a career in marketing at international companies, which she genuinely enjoyed. But after 12 years in the corporate world — with lots of business travel but little time to truly see the world — she felt the urge to take a break and go travelling for real. During a long sabbatical through Asia, the idea of embarking on a major sailing adventure began to stir again.

She got the opportunity to sail a Jeanneau 54 across the Atlantic with two others. “I had barely sailed offshore. Friends said, ‘Marlies, you’re mad! What if you get seasick?’ But I absolutely loved it. After the crossing, I was immediately asked to collect a boat in St Maarten. I ended up staying on that yacht for a month, taking care of everything on board and learning a great deal. I then worked for a very short 16 days stint as Chief Stewardess on a 118-footer, but that really wasn’t for me. What I loved most was the sailing life itself!”

A Foot in the Door

After taking part in numerous races on St Maarten, Marlies set her sights on becoming a raceboat captain. “That didn’t quite materialise. But one of those races — a transatlantic one from New York to England — led to my first job as captain, on a 56-footer owned by a Dutchman. I didn’t even have my qualifications at the time, but after that summer I knew for certain: I was going to get my ‘tickets’.”

Ambitious and eager to learn, Marlies has since been working towards certifications for increasingly larger yachts. Most recently, she became captain of a recently launched 37-metre Italian motor yacht. Over the past few months, she has been assembling her crew and making the yacht her own, with plans to charter in the Mediterranean this summer.

Leadership at Sea

What does Marlies believe makes a good captain? “Many people think it’s all about being good at handling a boat. Of course, that’s important — but it might only be five per cent of the job. I often say I’m the CEO of a small company. It’s mainly about working with people, so you need to enjoy that and be good at it. You work closely with your crew, and you’re also living together in a confined space.”

She considers herself a somewhat unconventional captain. “I’m perhaps a bit less hierarchical than many of my colleagues. I try to give people the space and the tools they need to do their jobs well.”

Still, there are times when she has to stand her ground — especially when dealing with ‘demanding’ guests. “Ultimately, I’m responsible for everyone’s safety, so I have to be able to say ‘no’ when necessary. But I always try to do so diplomatically and to manage expectations from the outset.”

Charting a Course Together

Marlies knows what it means to balance a professional and personal life in the demanding world of yachting. “It’s absolutely possible to have a relationship in this industry — even when you’re both on deck. It might have been easier if I’d married a Chief Steward or a chef instead of another captain, but it’s definitely doable. We’ve run boats together in the past — he was the one who taught me the finer points of docking and manoeuvring, and we’ve taken turns at the helm. Now that we both hold our Master 3000 certificates, we work on separate vessels. It’s not always easy, but we both love what we do and give each other the space to grow and follow our own paths.

A Man’s World

At present, only two per cent of all captains are women — something Marlies believes is due to a number of factors. “Many people — both women and men — don’t even realise this kind of career exists, and getting ‘on deck’ isn’t easy. It’s only in recent years that more attention has been paid to women in the yachting world, and now that more female captains are slowly coming through, you sometimes see a bit of resistance.”

In this male-dominated world, prejudice is still very much alive. “In some ports, they still ask if they can speak to the captain — and then look surprised when I say that’s me. You also notice it in the small things: job ads are often written with men in mind, manuals use only male pronouns, and cabin layouts sometimes don’t take women into account. The other day I had an applicant who only wanted to work for a male captain. You could get worked up about that, but it’s not really worth the energy.

“Luckily, there are also plenty of positive reactions. My previous employer actually thought it was pretty cool, and my current boss hadn’t specifically asked for a woman — but now says he really likes it!”

Know What you Want

Marlies would love to see more women follow in her footsteps and become captains. What advice would she give them? “Make sure you know exactly what you want. It’s a fantastic world, but it’s definitely not for everyone. The work is demanding, and you’re away a lot. If a close friend gets married while you’re in the middle of the charter season, you simply won’t be able to go. So really explore the profession — and then go for it. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s not for women. Choose your own path. Make sure you’re knowledgeable, capable, and always continue developing yourself.

“If I had to do it all over again, I might have gone to maritime school. Then again, my experience in the corporate world — working with teams, managing people — has been incredibly valuable. I sometimes see young captains who rise through the ranks quickly, but then suddenly find themselves responsible for a large yacht. That’s no small thing. It takes time to become good at sailing — and at leadership. I’m still learning every day, and I think that’s exactly how it should be.”

Full Circle

Marlies still believes she has the best job in the world. “Because you’re out at sea, sailing in the open air — but especially because you’re constantly working with new people. When you manage to build a great team around you, this job is so much fun! In a way, it’s come full circle for me. Before studying Business Administration, I actually applied to the Hotel School. So in the end, I did end up in hospitality after all — I often say I run a floating boutique hotel!”

And her ultimate experience as a captain? “It’s both the places and the people. Places like Arctic Canada and Greenland — seeing polar bears in the wild is simply magical. Antarctica is still on my list. The trip has fallen through twice at the last minute, so I’m hoping the third time’s the charm!

“But it’s also the people who make this job so special. When crew members tell me I’ve inspired them to make a career in yachting… how beautiful is that?”