Not everyone’s career starts with a plan. For some, it begins with a leap — a decision to swap the predictable for the possible.
In this RYA 150 podcast episode, Dee Caffari meets three people whose working lives were transformed by the sea.
From the luxury decks of superyachts, to beach club instructing, to the high performance world of Olympic coaching, their stories reveal how sailing can open doors you might not have thought existed.
Liberty Nogueira left a steady London job and the security of the nine-to-five to chase adventure at sea. With few industry contacts and only determination to go on, she worked her way into the superyacht world to became a bosun — learning fast, grafting hard, and eventually travelling the globe. Now she’s turned that experience into something bigger, guiding others into the yachting industry through her mentoring platform and online community.
Gemma Hulbert took a different route, joining her first yacht at just 18. What began as a junior stewardess role became a decade-long career that took her across oceans and into leadership. Today, she runs her own recruitment company and training academy, helping new crew find their footing and raising professional standards across the industry.
And then there’s Sam Ross, whose own start came closer to home — on the beach at an RYA training centre. What began as a summer job as a watersports instructor became a lifelong vocation. Now one of Britain’s leading windsurfing coaches, Sam has guided Emma Wilson to Olympic bronze and a world title, and helped mentor the next generation of RYA instructors and coaches.
From Antarctic expeditions and overnight deck watches, to Olympic campaigns and life-changing friendships, this episode is an inspiring look at some of the many ways people build incredible, unconventional careers on and around the water.
The RYA 150 Podcast, hosted by record-breaking British yachtswoman Dee Caffari, marks 150 years of sailing heritage and future inspiration. You can listen to a new episode every week via your favourite podcast platform – including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music – or online at rya.org.uk/150-podcast
