Laura Dekker's Circumnavigation

[Astrid]

She is a very accomplished teenager; will she become an accomplished adult?

That is indeed the million dollar question, as the saying goes. One can have the potential and never tap into it. Even Lincoln needed a bit of guidance from others such as John Stuart, Stephen Logan, and William Herndon.

[deckofficer]

Astrid,

Your sure a student of history.

and medicine, sailing, flying, and..........

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by avb3

She is a very accomplished teenager; will she become an accomplished adult?

Does it matter , she's done what she has done, she may or may not ever appear in the public eye again it doesn't matter. It's her life and she decides how she lives it.


Dave

[avb3]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Does it matter , she's done what she has done, she may or may not ever appear in the public eye again it doesn't matter. It's her life and she decides how she lives it.


Dave

No, it does not matter except one hopes that she finds what she is looking for. If she stays out of the public light, that is irrelevant.

What is relevant is that one hopes she gets some more schooling, as her choices will be so much greater than if she stays at whatever academic level she is at now. What those choices are are certainly up to her, but she should make sure that she can make those choices, and not that they are restricted due to lack of a completed education, whatever that may be.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Astrid,

Your sure a student of history.

and medicine, sailing, flying, and..........

...and Wikipedia...

[Astrid]

Wiki's not the best source of info; actually at one time I was something of a Lincoln fanatic if you will excuse the hyperbole.

[Celestialsailor]

I was a John Diefenbaker fan, myself

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by Hammond

Not yet. First she has to lean how to drive (it's impossible to do that in one week) and then she can get her license.

She did get her driving permit right out of the box, passing her driving and written test. She needs to drive with a fully licensed driver and as I just told her, my friend will let her drive his car. The beauty of this is his car is a hot rod T-bucket like mine, so she should enjoy that.

I couldn't find a picture of Mark's car, but it is like this one.


If she visits California I'll ask her if she wants to drive my ride. Can scoot from a standstill to 132 mph in 10.8 seconds, a bit faster than Gup.

[Hammond]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

She did get her driving permit right out of the box, passing her driving and written test.

There is no driving test.

The official New Zealand road code - About driver licences

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Hammond

There is no driving test.

The official New Zealand road code - About driver licences

According to Hammond's link, there’s at least three tests; beginning with the “learner licence theory test”* , and then a “restricted licence practical driving test”**, and then a “full licence practical driving test”***.

* The official New Zealand road code - About driver licences

** The official New Zealand road code - About the practical driving tests

*** The official New Zealand road code - About the practical driving tests

[Hammond]

Originally Posted by GordMay

According to Hammond's link, there’s at least three tests; beginning with the “learner licence theory test”* , and then a “restricted licence practical driving test”**, and then a “full licence practical driving test”***.

Sure, but there is no practical driving test for the L-plate (I referred to Deckofficer's last post).

[deckofficer]

A slip in downtown Auckland for a year at the Maritime Museum. Boy does Laura have it sweet now. She says in an podcast that she will be going back to school to get her captain's license for (her words) the large ships. In the same interview she says that will take two years. I hate to burst her bubble, but unless things are different in NZ, it will be four years for her 3rd Mate's Unlimited Tonnage Open Ocean license, then the progression of sailing as a 3rd for two years to take her 2nd's license, two years on that license before sitting for her 1st Mates, and another two years before taking that Captain's license.

I do wish her the best, and hope she can tolerate some upperclassmen with a fraction of her seamanship skills, telling her that her belt buckle isn't shiny enough and giving her demerits. I speak from first hand experience, the way that the maritime academies are structured, is to give upperclassmen the responsibility they will face upon graduation.

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

A slip in downtown Auckland for a year at the Maritime Museum. Boy does Laura have it sweet now. She says in an podcast that she will be going back to school to get her captain's license for (her words) the large ships. In the same interview she says that will take two years. I hate to burst her bubble, but unless things are different in NZ, it will be four years for her 3rd Mate's Unlimited Tonnage Open Ocean license, then the progression of sailing as a 3rd for two years to take her 2nd's license, two years on that license before sitting for her 1st Mates, and another two years before taking that Captain's license.

I do wish her the best, and hope she can tolerate some upperclassmen with a fraction of her seamanship skills, telling her that her belt buckle isn't shiny enough and giving her demerits. I speak from first hand experience, the way that the maritime academies are structured, is to give upperclassmen the responsibility they will face upon graduation.

Dont worry, times have changed. She can go get a captain's ticket from various countries like Belize, Caymans, Cyprus, or Vanuatu as examples.
just pay fee, take tests, and exit with ticket. Might not get honored by some shippers, but sure will be accepted by many. Reminds me of a very young woman who was flying cargo between island nations in the South Pacific years ago. No pilot license nor much in the way of flight hours but most shippers did not care. Really depends on where she wants to sail. Plus her sea time will count to a real first class ticket eventually so she can drive big tankers and dry bulk cargo, assuming sea freight still exists by then.

[deckofficer]

reed1v,

Reminds me of the time I lived in Alaska. I had never met so many pilots that own their own plane, have a place to land at their cabin, but never bothered to get a license. The person they bought the plane from, taught them to fly it, and besides up there they say " a license is what the lower 48 want you to do".

I wish Laura luck, but a license she could get in two years is not going to place her on a container ship or tanker as a watch standing deck officer.

[reed1v]

Bob, Alaska has not changed. They still treat planes as cars with wings.

Best bet for her would be one of the maritime academies like Mass. Maritime Academy. You get a complete education, a seaman's ticket, and a berth. Well on your way to becoming a captain.