16-year-old sailing around world plans unassisted nonstop

[StevenP]

I haven't followed this story and I don't really have much of an opinion about it. To me if a person is prepared and experienced their age isn't a big deal. Obviously there must be a lower limit but what that is probably isn’t a set number and would be different for everyone.

However, it does not make sense to add batteries if your charging can't keep up. What makes sense is to either lower demand until it does or increase the charging. This statement in itself indicates to me that this person hasn't done sufficient homework for a 'non-stop' circumnavigation or any circumnavigation at all. It's a sure sign they are not prepared, and thus probably not experienced.

One would think that a person should spend a few days at sea working out the bugs and learning the routine before even mentioning their dream of a circumnavigation. Bring the boat back in for the changes needed based on the experience and go back out and test it again. In fact it’s probably wise to do an actual passage in the boat to test both boat and skipper. Something like to Hawaii and back would be appropriate since it would represent one of the longer passages.

For some reason people think a circumnavigation is a quick way to fame. And I guess it is when you're rolled off the coast of South America and your batteries and engine come loose and you have to call for rescue on your sat phone who's batteries are dying. But it's a short lived fame and it may not even be something the recipient can enjoy if that sat phone doesn't boot up and work.

This is Cruising World fever where all people see is the adulation from timid wannabees and glossy spreads in the mags. What they don’t see are the long cold nights alone trying to avoid getting run over by ships, the failure of autopilots requiring days of hand steering, lying upside down in the bilge in rough weather trying to find a leak in a hose, or any number of the other possible issues. To so casually set off on a non-stop circumnavigation without even knowing what your energy needs are does not bode well for success.

I'll second the 'Balloon Boy' nature of this episode, only fitting that it should start in Southern California.

[Steve Laume]

My son who is in his first year of college is holding onto the idea that he will only be a kid for so long that he feels he must enjoy it. My daughter in her third year seems to think that he is no longer a kid and should be working harder.

My question, is why would any healthy 16 year old girl want to give up the joys of her young life for the hardships of 6 months of sailing a race machine around the world? Is this really her idea of a good time?

I have seen young kids being pushed into sports such as baseball to fulfill their parents unfulfilled dreams. It can make for a pretty miserable childhood. I hope this is not the case for this young and I am sure accomplished sailor.

If she bags this thing it will be a life altering experience for better or worst. If things go horribly wrong it will also be life altering or ending. I hope her parents are willing to live with this as I am sure they had a great deal to do with the motivation. They definitely facilitated the endeavor.

Kids grow up way to fast these days even if they are not pushed.

At least it will keep her away from temtaions for 6 months or so.

I wish her all the best but have my doubts about her parents, Steve.

[StevenP]

Let me start by saying I don't think 16 is too young. 13 maybe but not sixteen, and I don't have a problem with this if the child is deeply prepared and spiritually driven to do it.

I have issues with a few things however:

First of all I'm not sure this is really the best boat for a first time solo circumnavigation. While I've never sailed one I can imagine they are a real handful and have to be kept moving at all times. There isn't any heaving too in a boat like that.

It seems that if you distill what Marchaj had to say in 'Seaworthiness' down it comes to the fact that some boats became very un-seaworthy when they stop moving. His attempt to smear fin keel 'skimming dishes' in general really isn't valid and was debunked shortly afterwards. It was true for the subject boat an IOR 1/4 tonner with all the weird IOR stuff of the day like pinchy transom internal ballast etc. But if you tried to apply his arguments to something like a late model Swan 48 you'd be very mistaken. However the takeaway is that some boats handle the sea just fine no matter what you do (Cape Dory's) but other boats require handling to be safe (Open 40's), and yet others (IOR 1/4 tonners) should never venture out to sea.

I would imagine that an open 40 at low speed is very difficult to control. With such narrow foils as soon as the waves come and the boat starts pitching and rolling they will spend much of their time in a stall if the boat isn't moving fast enough. This is the real lesson out of all those pages of Marchaj. A 16 year old girl may not be up to the physical demand of keeping a boat like that moving fast all the time, but I applaud her desire to try.

But once she's into the southern ocean the game changes to real life, and I'm not sure despite her brothers experience that she's really ready for it based on her early bail to Central America.

Really this has the look more of a publicity stunt than a well thought out plan. She should know exactly what her electricity use, water use, food requirements etc are. In addition she should have at least one significant passage in that boat alone in challenging conditions. As I said something like sailing to Hawaii would qualify. From what I see while she may have plenty of sailing experience she isn't keenly dialed into this boat and she's yet to get to the big demanding stuff. There's no mention of her sailing it down the California coast alone let alone doing a passage in it.

Seems to me a stunt like this would be better started from some place like Hawaii where you get a little bit of open ocean feel right off the couch and can develop skills and stamina. Do a little training, fly downwind in big waves a few nights alone. Then give it a go. From what I'm seeing this isn't how it was done.

Even so, all that said, I think she'll make it. I think the autopilots and roller furling and weather routing are gonna get her there. She's probably going to have a lot feedback on sail choices etc. After all from the resume posted on her site it's not clear where she'd get the skills to sail a boat like this. Her brother sailed an Islander 36 or something like that. One has to assume she's going to have ongoing advice.

But then that raises yet another question. How solo is solo these days?

Oh and I should finish by saying that I'm assuming her parents are behind the cheesy and self serving website. To me that's disgusting, that's balloon boy stuff.

[The Patriot]

... this has the look more of a publicity stunt than a well thought out plan ...

If that's the case then I'd say it's working. Judging from this thread alone, folks can't seem to resist commenting, and that, I suppose, is what is meant by "there's no such thing as bad publicity." The sailor, her family, and others associated with this event are probably considering the stunt a success already. Personally I wish this child no ill, but neither will I fritter away much synapse activity on her. I'll probably just finish writing up my boat "to do" list this snowy February morning, and then head on down to the basement and continue working on Spring 2010. Oh yea, there's a little drywall patching left to do in the master bedroom also. And then ...

[drysuit2]

Meddler, I don’t want you to think that I am picking on you. But your answer to Policy = bad will help me to make my point clear. To read your statement with out understanding who, and how the rule will effect the various user groups, makes it seem like a harmless good thing.
This is how uninformed un-researched opinion becomes BAD Public policy. You are making the assumption that “wearing a PFDâ€

[Alan Holman]

Frank,
Why would I think you are picking on me? You disagree, that's fair. However, I do resent being lumped in with any group, well-meaning or otherwise that thinks a windsurfer is a boat. As far as what you wear on your sailboat, I doubt that wearing an automatic inflatable would hinder your movements very much. Falling off and being dragged along in your harness while your boat is underway ain't exactly going to be fun either. Even if you are completely uninjured dragging yourself back on board with all the warm clothes one would wear in the winter isn't going to be a piece of cake, even for someone as young a your picture indicates.
Sailing safe isn't really an impediment to having fun.

[drysuit2]

It seems to me you keep missing my original point.
Do what is best for you in your opinion. But do not assume that you know what is best for me.
You keep making assumptions about what is best for others.
If you can spend time in an inflatable chest harness and it works for you, that’s great.
If you think PFD’s make Search and Rescue faster and safer, then wear one.
If your jack lines are set up in a way that could cause you to fall overboard, and want to continue to use that method. That’s your choice.
If you think the State has the right to make a law because of 10 deaths…then you keep voting for those same politicians.
If you want to continue to make assumptions about what, or who, is smart, or risky; or what is dangerous or less. You keep at it.
If you want to make assumptions as to my age, and possibly my judgment. That is your right.
Do what is best for you in your opinion. But do not assume that you know what is best for me.
It reminds me of the old George Carlin Bit…Everyone who drives slower than me is a moron; everyone who drives faster than me is a maniac!

This board is a wonderful place. I have learned more than I ever expected. There are sailors here from such diverse backgrounds. And they are all willing to share. That is what is special about this board.

Looks like another good sailing weekend coming up.

[Neil Gordon]

Frank,

>>Looks like another good sailing weekend coming up.<<

That's what I was just saying to Mitch over in the other thread.

[Dick Barthel]

You have the face of a 20 year old and the wisdom of an ancient. What gives?

[drysuit2]

You have the face of a 20 year old and the wisdom of an ancient. What gives?

I guess I need to update my Avitar, to better reflect my age. This should help.

But some folks need to see the gray.

http://www.geocities.com/drysuit2/moreS ... 6045001500

[drysuit2]

16 Year Old Abby Sunderland Feared Lost At Sea

16 Year Old Lost At Sea, Abby Sunderland, Abby Sunderland Lost At Sea, Los Angeles News
Abby Sunderland, the 16 year old attempting to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world, is feared lost at sea according to an ABC report:


Jeff Casher, an engineer on Sunderland's support team, said two emergency beacons on her boat are now signaling she is in trouble.

Abby's mother, MaryAnne Sunderland, told ABC News that Abby manually activated two beacons around 6 a.m. Pacific Time Thursday.


According to the report, Sunderland was in 20-25 ft waves and 35 knot winds at the time of last contact, east of Madagascar and 400 miles away from the nearest ship.

DEVELOPING....


Get HuffPost Los Angeles On Twitter! Know something we don't? E-mail us at losangeles@huffingtonpost.com

[Stan W.]

Her communications have been knocked out and she activated two emergency beacons but that doesn't mean she's been "lost at sea."

[Warren Kaplan]

Also suffered 3 knockdowns in 60K winds yesterday. That's frightening! Hopefully it just knocked out her electronics but didn't break the boat. One report said she was in 60 foot seas! Ugh!

[StevenP]

I really thought the next thing I'd hear of this would be of it's success.

I've been horrified by the comments I read on Yahoo news. People can be so cruel.

The fact is that by the time she got to this point she was more experienced than most of us will ever be and her age isn't an issue.

Would a heavier boat have been better? I'm not sure. It's a subject that deserves better study. Something that was more of a compromise rather than a thoroughbred might have been the way to go.

The biggest concern now should be whether or not the boat is upright since this sort of boat stays upside down forever once it flips. If she's upside down then only a rescue will save her. If she's right side up then lets hope she has the physical strength to erect a jury rig and get back under way.

We know she's alive, so that's good. Let's hope for the best and keep all of our "I told you so's" for another time.

[Cathy Monaghan]

This article was posted by the LA Times today,June 10, at 1:45 p.m.: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outpost ... rland.html