Kelly Gordon is among the few female captains in the yachting industry, and she's paying it forward.
For a farm girl from Indiana to become a superyacht captain is an Everest goal, a dedicated pursuit of an extraordinary achievement. When Kelly Gordon stepped on board an 80-foot Sanlorenzo in Beaufort, North Carolina, for a party—her first time on a boat larger than an 18-foot runabout—she knew instantly that she’d found her life’s calling.
That boat’s name: Everest.
Thirteen years after earning her license, Gordon, 40, is captain of an even grander 2017 Sanlorenzo: the 106-foot Freddy, which charters out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Gordon credits years of hard work, determination and the mentorship she received from Everest’s captain for her standing as one of the few female captains in the industry. She now aspires to inspire other women to not just join the crew but to lead it.