13-year old girl wants to sail around the world...alone

[papaver]

I'm sad that she didn't get to go

Karen

She is way too immature to go on her own... her leaving for the Antilles without telling someone is just one example. She is just a spoiled brat who wants everything her way.

[crazycanuck]

Tuckervill beat me to it..Jessica Watson's journey is being followed by the Australian media as closely as they can..Her practice time didn't go well & she apparently fell asleep & rain into a tanker...

About this 13yr old chick...I'm agree with Papaver that the young un just shown she's an immature little $%*$*$ & doesn't deserve the chance.

[Tuckervill]

She is way too immature to go on her own... her leaving for the Antilles without telling someone is just one example. She is just a spoiled brat who wants everything her way.

When you set expectations for children, they meet them.

Karen

[Tuckervill]

I'm wondering if the naysayers would be so harsh if the child in question were a boy.

Karen

[shootingstar]

Some of us know responsible 16 & 13 yrs. old teens.

However as I said much earlier in this same thread, sailing solo in rough wide open seas is physically demanding even for experienced, physically stronger adults.

I personally knew a guy who sailed solo the Pacific from Vancouver to Asia for a full year. He left behind his wife & 2 sons at home. Yes, he said it was tough at times. He was your level headed type of guy..just a regular quiet engineer who wasn't as flamboyant as some of the other people I knew and worked with. He also is a highly experienced backcountry mountain cross-country skier in British Columbia. He also goes winter camping. Probably has a good sense of survival skills and common sense.

The 13-yr. old seems abit lost psychologically and that is now being manifested by running away. Responsible children (and many of us were, at that tender age ) do not run away from home base if they are loved for their intrinsic goodness.

[papaver]

I'm wondering if the naysayers would be so harsh if the child in question were a boy.

Karen

Of course I would.

[Cataboo]

When you set expectations for children, they meet them.

Karen

So... the adults forced her to be immature & run away by thinking she was too immature to sail around the world on her own?

[Jolt]

I'm wondering if the naysayers would be so harsh if the child in question were a boy.

Karen

Well, considering that if anything a boy at that age would be LESS mature than a girl...

[mhami]

This sort of reminds me of 10-15 years back where there was a 7 or 8 year old girl that was trying to be the first 7-8 year old to fly across the US (with her father & coach in the plane). But anyways, there was a crash and they all died...

This is what I thought of too.

Interesting, I just asked my 13 year old daughter if she thinks a 13 yo should be aloud to do this and she said "no". My 11 yo son said the same. I agree with my kids too.

[owlice]

When you set expectations for children, they meet them.

I can expect my kid to get straight As, mow the lawn, change lightbulbs, and not complain so much; history has demonstrated that he does not meet these expectations. (He is capable of getting straight As, mowing the lawn, and changing lightbulbs; not complaining so much.... not so sure about!)

Every parent I know has had to learn that sometimes, kids do things one doesn't expect at all. They are not little adults, nor are they clones of their parental units. They have their own ideas, some of which are boneheadedly stupid. (This is true of adults, too, of course, but one hopes that the ratio to good ideas/boneheaded ideas increases with age/gained wisdom.)

You can bet I'd be of the same opinion regarding this round-the-world venture regardless of whether the sailor were male or female.

[papaver]

There is one thing that really troubles me about her getting a plane to the Dutch Antilles. It is really impossible for a minor to travel by plane without parental consent. I'm betting her father knows a whole lot more about this.
It was the father who gave her the idea to do that world trip in the first place. The mother was strongly against this.


The Dutch government has already decided that she will be put into foster care.

[Ritamarie]

Following this with interest. By default, the solo sailor on a long passage (13 years old, or not) is breaking a cardinal rule of seamanship... that there should always be someone standing watch. We've had vessels on the ocean have close encounters with other vessels in which the crew were asleep. You might not think there are other vessels "out there" but there are plenty.

[Cataboo]

Following this with interest. By default, the solo sailor on a long passage (13 years old, or not) is breaking a cardinal rule of seamanship... that there should always be someone standing watch. We've had vessels on the ocean have close encounters with other vessels in which the crew were asleep. You might not think there are other vessels "out there" but there are plenty.

I don't even kayak in the ocean without another person there. And I'm a good kayaker who can self rescue and the rest of the rescue skills necessary, wear a pfd, carry safety gear and radios...

[Geonz]

Maybe she should just take a balloon ride or crash a white House party instead.

[Faster Pussycat]

Following this with interest. By default, the solo sailor on a long passage (13 years old, or not) is breaking a cardinal rule of seamanship... that there should always be someone standing watch. We've had vessels on the ocean have close encounters with other vessels in which the crew were asleep. You might not think there are other vessels "out there" but there are plenty.

As Jessica Watson found out as she was bringing Ella's Pink Lady to Sydney for the start of her voyage and failed to see an enormous tanker! I guess that is the reliance on technology.

I guess its the very challange of breaking this rule that appeals to so many. Although there is discussion in the australian media today about abolishing any "youngest" world records.

I think 13 is too young but I fully support Jessica Watson in her quest to break Jesse Martin's record as the youngest person to sail solo and unasssited around the world. He was 17 when he left and 18 when he returned.