With a Maltese sea captain for an ancestor, you could say that sailing was always in Dee Caffari’s blood. She didn’t immediately go into sailing, and instead spent five years as a PE teacher.

Once she decided to go into sailing, she trained in the Isle of Wight, completing her Yachtmaster course and a range of other ocean qualifications. She then worked for Formula 1 Sailing as a skipper and then a manager. And she hasn’t looked back.

Dee Caffari has led diverse, international teams in challenging environments. As a skipper, she led an international youth team with a 50-50 male/female split in the 17/18 Volvo Ocean Race;

Her first round-the-world voyage came as the skipper of ‘Imagine It. Done’. Called “the world’s toughest yacht race”, the Global Challenge sees sailors going ‘the wrong way’ round the early, against the windy conditions. In 2005, she set off on her attempt to single-handedly circumnavigate the world in this direction, finishing after 178 days. Then in 2009, she completed the Vendée Globe, another single-handed trip around the world. And then in 2011, she returned from sailing around the world in the Barcelona World Race, becoming the first woman to have circumnavigated the world, non-stop, three times.

Dee Caffari continues to challenge herself and historical records. Her current campaigns include being co-skipper of The Famous Project, an all-woman crew who will contest the Jules Verne Trophy in 2025. No woman has so far been part of any crew to conquer the legendary prize for the fastest time around the planet.

Dee Caffari other achievements include:

– 2006: Leading an all-female team in the Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge, covering 6,500km of rugged terrain

– 2007: Completing the Flora London Marathon

– 2009: Speed Record for circumnavigating Britain and Ireland, shaving 17 hours off the existing time

– 2012: Led the pioneering initiative – Oman Sail Womens Programme – to empower Omani women

– 2013: Sailed to victory in the Rolex Fastnet Race

– 2018: Joined the Ocean Respect Racting team in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race, finishing second overall

– 2019: Claimed a division win in the Transpac Race from LA to Hawaii

– 2019: Solo sail around Lake Geneva

– 2022: 1,800 nautical mile race around Britain and Ireland

DEE CAFFARI | OTHER WORK

Dee Caffari is the Chair of the British Keelboat Academy, and Ambassador for Fauna & Flora International, Sunsail, Ocean Safety, The National Oceanography Centre, and UKSA. She sits on the advisory board of A Plastic Planet, and is a patron for Sail 4 Cancer.

As a skipper of Turn the Tide on Plastic, she promoted the United Nations’ Environment’s Clean Seas campaign, raising awareness of plastic pollution in our oceans. Alongside that sustainability route, messages around gender inclusivity and inspiring the next generation were also part of the campaign.

Dee Caffari has been a supporter of charities including Toe in the Water, Sport Relief, Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Services, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and St Mary’s Junior Sailing Club. In 2018 she became the first chair of the World Sailing Trust’s World Sailing initiative, looking at marine health, and in 2021 she was a BRIT ambassador championing the BRIT 2021 Challenge, a mental health charity.

In 2016, she took on the role of performance coach to nurture offshore British sailing talent to help reach their goal of competing in the Vendee Globe 2020.

In 2007, Dee published her autobiography, Against the Flow: The Inspiring Story of a Teacher Turned Record-Breaking Yachtswoman; it was re-released in 2009. In 2022, From Coast to Canal – a fly-on-the-wall documentary – was released. The documentary follows Dee’s maiden narrowboat voyage on the Grand Union Canal in Leicestershire.

DEE CAFFARI | AWARDS

After her first world record, Dee Caffari was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday honours list, and became an Honorary Commander in the British Royal Navy.

In 2006 she was a runner up for BBC South Sports Personality of the Year, but did win the Tenon Yachtsperson of the Year award; then in 2011 she was shortlisted for the World Sailing Rolex World Sailing of the Year Award.

DEE CAFFARI | SPEAKING

In 2021, Dee was invited to give a TED talk entitled “The Power of What Is Not Said”, which as now had over 5,000 views on YouTube.

Dee is undoubtedly one of Britain’s most inspirational women, and it is this inspiration that makes her a highly sought-after speaker, telling her motivational story with great insight and humour.

She tailors each presentation to her audience and client, drawing on her solo and team challenges in extreme environments.

DEE CAFFARI | SPEAKING TOPICS

– Leadership

– Good Communication

– Assessing Risk

– Solo Challenges

– Achieving Under Pressure

– High Performance

– Resilience

– Diversity and Inclusion

– Navigating Tough Environments

– Team Success

– Self-Belief

– Change, Challenge, and Competition

– Sustainability

– Creating Gender Balanced Teams

– Staying Motivated

Dee is also available for keynote talks, client events, large galas, award ceremonies, and live hosting and presenting jobs. She has the ability to deliver engaging content to a variety of audiences in a relaxed, spontaneous, and inspiring way.

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book female sailor and inspirational speaker Dee Caffari for your next live event.

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