Jessica Watson's Round-the-World Voyage

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by hoppy

......... Are you afraid because she is just a "sweet 16" who is doing something that many of you wouldn't have the balls to do?

Originally Posted by surfingminniwinni

......... and this old guy admits that I have not the balls to do what Jessica is doing.

Tsk tsk Gentlemen - the fact that JW, Kay Cottee, Lisa Clayton and many other woman have done (or are doing in JW's case) a RTW solo voyage sort proves that balls are not a necessary for such a trip so I fail to see the significant of these posts .

Originally Posted by 04 Marine

........ Currently, I'm reading Lisa Clayton's book "AT THE MERCY OF THE SEA". She received honors for being the first woman to make the solo...non-stop...unassisted circumnavigation.....

A small but significant correction if I may; I think you will find she was the first British woman - her trip was in 94 / 95. Kay Cottee was the first woman around in 87 / 88.

Originally Posted by 04 Marine

.....As I read many of the comment, I see a bunch of jelous old guys who actually hope that she fails so as to keep their male pride in place......

With respect, I think you may be seeing something that isn't there; I might have missed some posts on this thread but I don't recall anyone actually saying anything about hoping she will fail. My reading of the posts to date (on this thread) seem to be in support of her efforts. Yes there has been questions raised (and answered) and differing opinions expressed on several aspects of her voyage but in general this thread supports JW's enterprise (IMO).

[mt gay rum]

Amazing to me how quiet this forum has been and all of a sudden a mod comes on and up dates us on her progress and makes a statement about "team" and spelling or how to spell a island and by the way ,,,was just giving us a brief history on grammer and the islands...etc) ... And low and behold Look who shows up on the forum.... go figure... !!!!!

Name me one sailor that has done a RTW with no help what so ever,,,, period in the last 20 years.. no anything period...?????

And I'm sure they will "luff her sails" when she gets closer to the Cape to take advantage of the best window for this passage... So F--- what thats what they are suppose to do ..

What have you all done in the past 30 days??? go sailing out in the bay or 1 mile off shore,,, please....and I'm sure with a crew also..... Grab the bow line,, grab the stern line,, raise the main all while you were at the helm barking out orders... Thinking your all that... Oh i forgot you had 6 hrs of sleep the night before...

[Ex-Calif]

Let's stow the egos in the forepeak locker and discuss facts, not who is or is not using quotation marks appropriately.

Facts:

Jessica is getting weather info from a radio
Jessica's blog is being cleaned up before posting

I personally don't know how either one of these can be construed as getting outside assistance but then I don't have 20 years of armchair lawyering under my belt.

Fact:

She is on a sailboat alone somewhere near "Kirabati Island" (LOL) - Ultimately she decides what to do with information she receives on the radio and she decides when to eat the cheese - if she can find where mum packed it.

If she is anything like my 12 year old, if I told her to round Kiribati before heading back to the equator I would get a one liner back - "Why?"

[mt gay rum]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Let's stow the egos in the forepeak locker and discuss facts, not who is or is not using quotation marks appropriately.

Facts:

Jessica is getting weather info from a radio
Jessica's blog is being cleaned up before posting

I personally don't know how either one of these can be construed as getting outside assistance but then I don't have 20 years of armchair lawyering under my belt.

Fact:

She is on a sailboat alone somewhere near "Kirabati Island" (LOL) - Ultimately she decides what to do with information she receives on the radio and she decides when to eat the cheese - if she can find where mum packed it.

If she is anything like my 12 year old, if I told her to round Kiribati before heading back to the equator I would get a one liner back - "Why?"

I see no matter where in the world you are kids are all the same LOL

[Red Mantis]

I, for one, appreciate the occasional skeptic voicing his or her concerns here, and I think it unfair to paint all such skeptics as jealous old men insecure in their manhood. Having been treated to any number of publicity stunts in the past, I can't blame anyone for having suspicions this time 'round, especially after the cosmetic aspects of the effort are taken into account.

I think questions about who's taking care of weather, navigation, communication, etc. are valid ones, and I think the answers to those questions help us keep things in perspective. Where it seems some read malice into such skepticism or questioning, I see people trying to get an honest assessment of what's going on. I don't think that getting radio-based assistance detracts one whit from her potential accomplishment, but I also don't think we should be encouraged to believe that she's doing all of this in isolation. I agree with those who advocate full disclosure on the part of Jessica's team, since I believe that's the best way to quiet people's suspicions.

I understand that things got pretty heated in some of the earlier threads on the subject, and I suspect that has people's hackles up. But I hope that people with sincere questions and concerns can continue to express them without the more defensive voices here trying to shout them down, insult them, or assume bad faith about their motives.

And yes, I am among the skeptics who initially chalked the whole thing up as a big publicity stunt. The media circus didn't help, nor did the team's encouragement of such a circus atmosphere. I admit that I had grave misgivings after the collision. That doesn't mean that I wanted her to fail; to the contrary, it means that I didn't want her to drown, or to put others in harm's way if she screwed up. Now that she's under way, and the media circus has quieted, I'm happy to follow her progress, and I sincerely wish her the best.

[SvenG]

Originally Posted by Red Mantis

I, for one, appreciate the occasional skeptic voicing his or her concerns here ...

Excellent post !


-Sven

[mt gay rum]

Skeptic on What is what i dont understand... Some of you question her every move... Why??? You dont like it... or should of been done this way or that way according to YOU ...

What proof are you really looking for???

You dont like the way its turned into a media event.. The second she or her Team got sponsors ,, The media event started,, part of the package!!

In all honesty If i was the "team" leader her position would be 3 days behind (and probably is ) or longer.. when making a media statement...

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by mt gay rum

Skeptic on What is what i dont understand... Some of you question her every move... Why??? You dont like it... or should of been done this way or that way according to YOU ...

What proof are you really looking for???

You dont like the way its turned into a media event.. The second she or her Team got sponsors ,, The media event started,, part of the package!!

In all honesty If i was the "team" leader her position would be 3 days behind (and probably is ) or longer.. when making a media statement...

Now that is an excellent post...

[mt gay rum]

Looks like the crossing will be this afternoon EST

Thie picture is from Grand Rapids Sailing Examiner,,, Thanks !!!!!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by mt gay rum

You dont like the way its turned into a media event.. The second she or her Team got sponsors ,, The media event started,, part of the package!!

Took me a little while to work out why I felt "off" about this challenge - nothing to do with her age, her ambition, her sex, her capabilities or even her use of sponsorship and the media......but simply that the media management side of things (part of """the team?""" ) is trying hard online to try and sustain a commercially desired narrative ("Miley Cyrus gets a boat - Yeeha!"?) but done in such a way as it feels like folks are being managed.........and that gets reacted against

My gut says that a few of our newer members should therefore have "Commercial Vendor" against their names..............

[paradix]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

My gut says that a few of our newer members should therefore have "Commercial Vendor" against their names..............

I have no idea whether you're counting me among those, but for the record I have absolutely no commercial interests related to Jess's trip whatsoever. Never have, never will.

[mt gay rum]

No its me I'm guessing,,,,Mt Gay Rum is a Rum made down island way in Barbados.

So thats why I guess..

[GMac]

Originally Posted by mt gay rum

Name me one sailor that has done a RTW with no help what so ever,,,, period in the last 20 years.. no anything period...?????

A bit pedantic I know but there has been a couple. Don't know their names off hand but I know one was a German dude in his 70's.

I think solo is what it is and Jess is undoubtedly 'solo'. The thrust is more 'assisted' or 'un-assisted'. 98% of boats out there would be getting a degree or 'assistance', some a lot. You seen the gear some of these Volvo boats have, looks like the same amount the Space Shuttle carries.

Go Jess, you good thing...... you're doing far better than your countries Rugby Team is at the moment

[paradix]

Originally Posted by GMac

Go Jess, you good thing...... you're doing far better than your countries Rugby Team is at the moment

Given her joint Australian and New Zealand heritage, I'm wondering whether she really is suffering light air recently, or is just deliberately putting the brakes on so she can be around South Africa when the Football World Cup is on (now they have BOTH qualified... )

[paradix]

Originally Posted by mt gay rum

Looks like the crossing will be this afternoon EST

Jess has crossed the Equator around 2017 GMT (15:17 EST?)