14 Year Old Girl Wants to Attempt Solo Circumnavigation

Hi,

She has wasted no time in getting underway to the start line.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10864858

Sorry, but I do not wish her well and it makes me feel horrible to think that way. I'd rather see something bad (but hopefully survivable) happen to a 14 year old than a 10 year old, which will surely be next. I hope the world and their neighbors treat these parents like pariahs as they deserve.
I also hope that all ports insist on all transactions being in cash since a 14 year old can't sign a binding agreement.

So, are you saying that you hope she fails so that it will prove that your preconception of people who set sail without a 5th issue of a baby boat license are not worthy of success?

That is really sick and sad, man. It's hard to believe anyone would publicly admit even having such thoughts. At first you were claiming great concern for her well being, now you hope she fails and while you don't neccessarily hope she dies trying, if she does you are OK with it.

That is totally perverse ... shame on you.

I, among many others, sincerely wish her the best of luck, and the greatest adventure of her lifetime followed by all the benefits such a trip might accrue.

No. More like I hope she falls overboard 3 miles out (and gets picked up) and her boat sails on to never-never land without her. Let it be an huge/embarrassing failure that will deter these stupid greedy parents. Whatever befalls this girl or the next after her lays squarely on the shoulders of the parents.

Marmot, if she does die, it will be a bit of a shame, no dought about it. Unfortunately in this situation it will a bit of a "well I told you so".

It's a bit like that legend Nascar driver who died because he didn't wear a HANS devise, guess how he died....

It is really sick and sad that anyone can support her action....

Far

NYCAP123 has a point. I don’t believe he wishes this girl any ill will, I think he feels like she needs to be brought to reality and that a good life lesson might make her think more clearly. I was fourteen once and I’ve since raised three teenagers. At fourteen everyone feels immortal. Nothing bad will ever happen to us and we know everything and let’s face it throughout history teenagers have performed amazing things. We’ve had teenage Popes, Kings and leaders of armies. How many fifteen year olds went to war for what they believed in, only to cry for their mommies as the cold reality of destruction and gruesome carnage lay all around them? There was no glory in this, no million dollar deals, no accolades, only the faint sense of adventure that every young person yearns for at that age and then cold, hard realization that they were wrong.

One could argue both sides of this story. On one hand, this girl has every chance of success, given the technology available to us today. On the other, one can ask does she have the right to endanger her life and possibly the lives of any potential rescuers, for something as frivolous as setting a record that will only result in being challenged by someone even younger.

I say leave her to her own devices. If she has the resources to accomplish what she wants to do without endangering innocent bystanders, then let her do it. If not, then arrest her and her parents for criminal endangerment of a minor the very moment she returns. If she suffers physical and or emotional harm in the attempt then so be it. Just don’t ask anyone else to pick up any part of the tab.

Close, but what happens to this girl will happen now and she is but a victim of her parents shirking their responsibility. She bears no blame for pushing the envelope. She's simply doing what 14 year olds do. It's the ones that follow her that I worry for. If she is successful there will surely be a 12 or 10 year old doing it next. This is nothing less than parents trying to live vicariously through their children without concern for the damage it may cause. Years ago a stage mother had her 11 year old play a part of an 11 year old prostitute including nude scenes with old men. It was legal. The only thing that got that movie banned was a public outcry. All of a sudden the stage mother (who was notorious, but I'm intentionally omitting names because the actress now has children) grew a bit of a conscience because the trouble then landed on her doorstep. Without it she would undoubtedly have allowed her daughter to be hurt in any way as long as it brought the mother money and fame.

Hi,

It bangs on about no support from NZ Not even a flag to fly on her boat - she should do like anyone else from NZ who is sailing the 7 seas -- Buy one.

Yeah, like any person or country wants their flag displayed on the nightly new next to the body of a little girl that nobody was responsible enough to stop. If she's successful maybe they'll all clamor around her and then we can send the 12 year olds out. BTW, anybody talk with a 13 year old recently? They're full of confidence and bravado. Any you'd feel comfortable about sending out to sea alone of 2 years to sail the southern ocean? Shameful! Her parents should be in jail.

Much better. They're so much more mature, responsible and experienced. And at 15 then I guess she'll no longer set a record. So the whole point of this is that somone wanted to get rid of their kid, and found a novel way. If something happens to her (shall we list the catastrophies that could befall her?), I hope nobody gives these parents one ounce of sympathy. Maybe some tar and feathers instead.

I have had a friend of mines daughter on board from time to time since she was just 16, she is now 17, to train and act as a stew. She has taken her STCW, Silver Service and Tender Handling courses. And would be taking her AEC engineering course now but they will not let her in till she is 18. To say she is mature for her age is an understatement.

I would have no qualms about her sailing off on her own if that is what she wished to do.

As with any age group, all young people are not cut from the same cloth.

Looks like the roughest part of her trip was getting away from the Dutch social workers...

Teenage Dutch sailor Laura Dekker vows never to return home - Telegraph

O.K. guys, so, when you were a kid, you did not make a raft and try to sail it on the local ocean water ???....what the hell is the difference, just hope the trip is longer....

Yes, an over-regulated system that doesn't provide for high flyers.

Laura Dekker will not be included in the Guinness Book of Records because Guinness decided that the categorie "The youngest..." will not be included any longer. Their argumentation is that they won't penalise nor support inaproppriate record attempts from under aged persons anymore.

Problem solved.

The difference is that my parents explained that they weren't ready to let me get killed yet. God bless this remarkable young lady, and congratulations on her accomplishment. Of course, now that her venture is complete, the protective agencies should drop any actions and welcome her home. But they should leave no doubt that parents may not be able to stop their Huck Finns from drifting down the Mississippi on logs tied together, but they're not supposed to lend them the paddle.

Guppy

So this is Guppy, Laura's yacht.

Good looking vessel. Is that wing on the stern a solar collector?

Here are pictures of Laura on her yacht.

Lots of pictures of Laura's trip.