Articles Women of Inspiration™ Spotlight – Melodie Schaffer
Women of Inspiration™ Spotlight – Melodie Schaffer – Offshore Sailor, Whisky Jack 128 | Women of Inspiration™ Women in Sport Award | @Whiskeyjack128
Melodie Schaffer’s first career was in biomedical engineering, where she developed a product that later became the gold standard in dialysis. Her second career was as a mom raising three children, which she did with the same dedication and focus. Her third career was to regain her childhood dream of Ocean racing. She started by scrubbing decks on race boats without pay. Following her dream to race around the world, she bought a used 40-foot boat, entering the Globe 40 inaugural race. As the only female skipper, she earned the respect of her male colleagues. Dealing with extremes of weather, winds, seas and gear breakage she completed the eight legs setting speed records and showing her indomitable spirit. Melodie loves offshore racing, but more, she loves inspiring other women and girls to see they can do anything they choose if they work hard and focus on their goal.
Definition of a Woman of Inspiration
A Woman of Inspiration sparks curiosity in others, kindling the bravery needed to try something new. Inspiring others happens sometimes with a word or a sentence, maybe an article or an interview. It can also be seeing a person like you, doing something amazing and that cracks open a door, and you realize that you too can slip through. Inspiration opens the minds and hearts of others and ignites a passion to chase a dream.
How does it feel to be recognized as a Woman of Inspiration?
I am truly honoured and humbled to be recognized as a woman of inspiration. I have had individuals in the sailing world approach me and tell me that I am a star for what I have done. I have random people, far away from the sailing world, approach me as well. Quite honestly I still find it surprising.
It delights me to see the faces of young kids light up when I share my sailing stories. It makes me remember being young and having big dreams. What surprises me and warms my heart the most is hearing from women like me, and my impact on their thoughts and reflections. The sailing feat I have accomplished is huge, but it never occurred to me that my whole story of reinvention and determination would be inspiring.
Everyone at every age deserves to be inspired and to chase dreams. I am truly honoured and humbled to be recognized as a woman of inspiration. I have had individuals in the sailing world approach me and tell me that I am a star for what I have done. I have random people, far away from the sailing world, approach me as well. Quite honestly I still find it surprising. It delights me to see the faces of young kids light up when I share my sailing stories. It makes me remember being young and having big dreams. What surprises me and warms my heart the most is hearing from women like me, and my impact on their thoughts and reflections. The sailing feat I have accomplished is huge, but it never occurred to me that my whole story of reinvention and determination would be inspiring. Everyone at every age deserves to be inspired and to thrive.
Who are your biggest SupportHERS?
My Dad was my biggest supporter when I was young, with my Olympic aspirations. He would be so proud to know what I have done, and in my heart he was a part of the race.
Manfred Ramspache, founder and CEO of Globe 40, provided enormous practical support and public promotion of me as a competitor. It was Manfred who said I am “a truly iconic sailor”, saying that I am “the living embodiment of all the values that represent this first edition of the GLOBE40 race”. I met Mike Grasely recently and he came aboard with enthusiasm. He built my website and has continued to help with sponsorship and speaking engagements. This is all because he was excited by what I have done, and is keen to put his talents to work to help me build my next campaign.
Melodies Definition of Success
Success is not only defined by crossing a finish line, be that a physical or metaphorical line. Success is also in the battle through the small tough moments, often alone, unsure sometimes of the way forward, yet battling on. Success is accomplishing something that you didn’t have before.
Success acknowledges the achievement but also recognizes and the respect of sheer brutal work that is required to do so.
Inspiring Change to advance women?
Both in my current career in offshore sailing and previously as a professional engineer I know the rewards and challenges of these paths. Acceptance of females in both these fields is improving but women still face times when their gender is seen before their skills and accomplishments. I aim to be an example of grit and determination and perseverance in achieving your goals.
My story
Life is an evolution, a collection of experiences and challenges. You spiral upwards and outwards and with the knowledge you gain, you build higher.
I grew up sailing. By 16 I was in Race Division and fortunate to train with talented people who pushed each other constantly. When you train with the best you become your best. I had dreams of racing in the Olympics and representing Canada but it was not meant to be.
I shifted gears and focused on university, graduating with a B.A.Sc in Chemical engineering and an M.A.Sc. in biomedical engineering, a new field. In my first job at a company that designed dialysis and angioplasty catheters I was given the biggest new product design to run. It was a long project and I saw it through to launch. At the time I had one child. She’s now a doctor and while studying spoke with a nephrologist explaining that I had designed dialysis catheters. When the nephrologist heard which catheter I had designed he told my daughter that it had changed the game for dialysis. Learning the value of my work from my daughter was a perfect full-circle moment.
When I chose to step away from my biomedical career, which I truly loved, to be a full-time stay-at-home mom it was a tough choice, but it was the right choice, and it was my choice. I went from running the top project in a company to having a whiteboard in the front hall, colour coded with the kids’ activities, but it paid off. I have three healthy, happy, and successful kids.
In 2017 I read an article about offshore racing and on a whim, joined an event. I enjoyed it so much I returned the following year. Once home from that regatta I told my family that, “I love being a mom, but I have been so focused on the family, I have forgotten about me and how much sailing means to me.
Offshore has given me a new challenge and I need to find a way to do more of it”. I signed up for offshore events to gain more experience, and in 2021 I bought a boat – a Class 40 – a double-handed sailboat and spent the summer training. Weekly I would call my daughter in tears, saying, “I don’t know if I’m good enough for this, strong enough, fit enough; and there is so much to learn.” She shared a song with me. I thought it was going to be inspiring and uplifting, but not quite. The chorus was “You signed up for this”.
She was right.
I dug down, gained experience, volunteered to work for free on passages and then entered the Trans Jacques Vabre race from France to Martinique. There were 180 skippers. 14 were women, and one of those 14 was me.
In the spring of 2022, just six weeks before the start of the Globe 40 double-handed round the world race my teammate had to drop out. I had a stark choice, quit the race or make it happen. I made it happen.
This race was formidable; 65,000 kilometers and rounding all three capes, the Cape of Good Hope at the bottom of Africa, Cape Leeuwin at the bottom of Australia and the mythically dangerous Cape Horn at the bottom of South America. In the end I had 6 different partners, often brand new to me at the start of the leg. I faced storms, dodged pirates, made sail repairs, damaged a rudder (steering), had smoke in the cabin, the main computer crashed, and I lost critical wind instruments repeatedly. One leg was so difficult that I decided that if I made the podium I would wear my torn sail to the awards night. I came third, and the sail was made into a skirt.
Despite the challenges there was always a laugh and a way to push forward.
Conditions on these races are hard; sleep is sparse, food is limited and every problem has to be fixed by you. The legs lasted between 7 to 38 days and the time between legs were long days of repairs and preparation, but also the chance to share my experiences. My favorite was talking to kids, especially girls, about what offshore racing is really like. As the only female skipper for the whole race, I was interviewed repeatedly, often asked what it was like to be a female skipper. I always answered, “I am smaller than my competitors and any physical aspect is harder for me, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be done, but it does mean I have to be smart about it, and use physics and logic, and be incredibly determined.”
Thirty years after my Olympic dreams did not come to fruition, I now represent Canada. I am the first Canadian woman to have raced around the world and I received Canada’s Rolex Sailor of the year for 2023. At the awards, they said “Melodie is made of pure grit, but she also dances to music on watch, is awed by the night skies, the ocean wildlife and delights in the people she connects with around the world.
She may be smaller, female and older, but it is her ability as an offshore sailor, her skill and her determination that define her. The message she shared is anyone can sail, girls and women can and should be skippers, and everyone can chase a dream! Unquestionably, Melodie opened the way for more female presence in major offshore racing and ocean racing and she carried the colors of the Canadian flag very high.”
I aim to continue offshore racing, to continue to inspire women and girls to know that they too can face up to challenges, and that even when it’s hard, there is always a laugh and a way forward.
