I've always thought that Mary Ann Patten was one of the most hardcore seafaring women. I mean:
Her husband had fallen ill so she took command of his ship
Stopped a mutiny and made everyone accept her commands
Navigated the treacherous waters of Cape Horn and safely reached her destination
However, I just finished reading Joan Druett's Hen Frigates and found some serious contenders.
(Hen Frigate: c.1785 traditionally any ship with the captain's wife on board. Yes, there was a term for that)
1879, the ship Templar arrived in San Francisco. Everyone though the ship had been lost
However, the captain’s fifteen-year-old daughter, Emma Armstrong, had taken command
The ship had been caught through a gale and sickness spread on board
The captain’s wife died and the captain himself was terribly ill
The ship was without a navigator. Luckily, Emma had the requisite navigation skills because her father had taught her
Emma herself was ill. She had to be brought on deck in a litter to give directions and instructions
She brought the ship safely into port along with the valuable cargo
1850, the ship Rainbow, having departed from England, reached Aden, South Africa
The ship was commanded by…Ms Arnold, the captain's sixteen-year-old daughter whose father had died
The untrustworthy second mate tried to deceive her and to run away with the ship. So she appealed to the crew and placed herself under their protection, a task they took very seriously
She then made them throw all the alcohol overboard
She kept the crew under control for the rest of the journey
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