Dutch Teenage Sailor Laura Dekker 'Missing'

[goboatingnow]

That girl probably has more sailing experience then most of the people here. In lots of places 14 is regarded as alomost adulthood, you can be married have babies etc. Nature never intended adult hood to start at 18.

I say you go girl, The dutch,german and Kiwi heritage will stand to you, all good nautical nations. Nelsons navy was full of 14 year old midshipmen.

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Having a passport is understandable. Having it in her posession is not. Having access to 5,000 bucks is not.

And the point about, "Here she is take care of her" is taken which means someone would have had to deliver her to the airport.

In actuality airlines have a bit more complicated process than, "Keep an eye on her." Especially a minor travelling internationally.

Maybe it is a bit unusual but my daughter has her own bank account. She could withdraw $5k and still have enough money left over though not alot. Oh yeah my daughter could have done it at age 12. People mature differently and at different times.

[s/v Jedi]

I think in Holland 99% of all 14 year olds have their own bank account. Most will have jobs besides school to earn money to add to their allowance. Some even pay tax on that income. 99% of Dutch people travel abroad (small country) so passports are everywhere.

A Dutch captain that flew in to Panama a few days ago told me there was a 12 year old Indian boy on his flight who first traveled from Bombay to Amsterdam, transferred to the KLM flight Amsterdam -> Panama City to fly back to his home here after visiting family in India. It's pretty normal apparently.

cheers,
Nick.

[Randyonr3]

There is probably more to the story than any of us really know.. And I'd be the first to say a 14 year old out on her own is crazy..BUT..
Almost 20 years ago, my son at age 13 rode his Bicycle from San Francisco to New York.... But behind the headlines, the story was that he planned the trip for over a year, he had been training for long distance riding, He was raising money for the American Lung Association, Had a number of sponcers including AT&T and KOA for camping, and I followed him on another bicycle about 200 yards behind, with all our gear.. He raised over 30k for ALA..
And the same stories were roumered about a 13 year old riding his bike across the US..
we traveled about 50 to 60 miles per day and his school was conected by internet about the trip so they could follow along,
But I still caught hell from people for years to follow for letting him do the trip, and most from people that didnt know the whole story..

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by Livia

I'm thinking we just strap a baby to the mast and snag the record for good.

Yeah, an autonomous trimaran with a newborn strapped to it (the day they are born) The trouble is, later with a more advanced faster boat another newborn might break it.

I think the record itself is silly, but she should be allowed to do whatever she wants.

[GordMay]

Even Moses* wasn't left alone**.

*First recorded "youngest" (3 months old) boatman.

** Now a man from the house of Levi went and took to wife a daughter of Levi.
The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
And when she could hide him no longer she took for him a basket made of bulrushes, and daubed it with bitumen and pitch; and she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds at the river's brink.
And his sister stood at a distance, to know what would be done to him.

[bengtinge]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

That girl probably has more sailing experience then most of the people here. In lots of places 14 is regarded as alomost adulthood, you can be married have babies etc. Nature never intended adult hood to start at 18.

The reason 18 is a limit is that many 16-17 year old are not trusted to take care of their own money and themselves and to drive.

But it varies a lot between individuals, and many older people are not really trustworthy to care for themselves either. There is a TV show in my country, called "Luxury Trap", showing people (above 18) who waste too much money thoughtlessly.

I am sure Laura would be able to drive a car well if she trained for it and was allowed.

[Stillraining]

I don't even let my girls date or have a boy friend until their 17..... But I still don't see an issue with a 14 year old setting out like this....IF they are qualified.

Mine certainly are not and either am I yet at 52

We all mature differently and our circumstances train us differently.....Just being around girls soccer for so long has reinforced that there are girls at 13 with more strength, endurance, power, brains, moxy and physical ability then a lot of 18 year olds...BOOBS TOO!..
Its not a one stamp age fits all thing...Boys are the same way.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Stillraining

I don't even let my girls date or have a boy friend until their 17..... But I still don't see an issue with a 14 year old setting out like this....IF they are qualified.

.

What????????? Your daughters are qualified to go out with a bloke???????? What the hell are the qualifications, Dad?


I'll bet you have a contract with these poor girls with an Exclusion clause against Australians!!

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

What????????? Your daughters are arnt qualified to go out with a bloke???????? What the hell are the qualifications, Dad?


I'll bet you have a contract with these poor girls with an Exclusion clause against Australians!!

You were just about correct on that one mate...

[Gracias]

The man I used to be married to was orphaned at the age of five, in Hong Kong. While being transported to an orphanage, he and his infant brother somehow became separated from the other children and their chaperones. So, for the next TWO YEARS, this five-to-seven-year-old took care of himself and an infant on the streets of Hong Kong until they were somehow taken in by an agency who sent them to the US to their adoptive family.

How young is too young? Depends on the person, I guess. This particular fellow is quite amazing, naturally.

blessings,

R

[s/v Beth]

A lot of us were forced to grow up early. At 13 I was living on my own and holding down a job. Little did I know how much I would love sailing, as I was introduced to it at 30 years of age.
If I had been raised at a seaport, I would have gone at 13. The problem comes in that I probably would have made it to Australia and never come back...
(I later spent two years in Australia in my 20's)
Such is life...and the wind blows us to unlikely places...