Youngest Circumnavigator

[sneuman]

seems like a level-headed kid ... what do you think?

Zac Sunderland

[imagine2frolic]

What a great story. I am on another site for AC Cobras, and replicas. Home schooling really took a knock there. I just had to post this story there.......GO ZAC!!!!!

Very cool. Sometimes I sure wish I was that young again. If I only knew then what I know now

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by Kai Nui

Very cool. Sometimes I sure wish I was that young again. If I only knew then what I know now

That would be cheating!

True, but think of the possibilities

[Woodsong]

VERY cool!

[liberty16]

That is fantastic. He seems well prepared, very knowledgeable and capable.

[GordMay]

Zac has arrived at Cocos Keeling, with a broken Tiller & Boom.

From Zac Sunderland’s October 14 Blog, “Limping to Cocos Keeling”
Zac's Blog: Limping to Cocos Keeling

See also: “Miracle Repairs for Zac in Cocos Keeling”
Sail-World.com : Miracle Repairs for Zac in Cocos Keeling

[procrew4u]

A hacksaw, portable drill, rivet gun and a spare spinnaker pole that you shorten can be used as an internal splice for the boom, I've had to do it and it got me home with no problems. I think the boom is still like that to this day with the new owners, hope this helps.

[GordMay]

From the Sail-World article:

"... The wood worker (a local on Home Island), who normally works on the fine fishing boats which operate from the island, has been able to fashion a new tiller, and mend the broken boom. However, with the constant following winds, Zac can continue on headsail alone without much loss of speed on his way to Mauritius, where he may be able to obtain a new boom. He has also set up a daily 'sched' with the other cruising boats..."

[Stillraining]

Mikes dad will just air lift in a new one...It aint going to be a fair fight...hey he could still be the youngest unassisted circumnavigator.

[TaoJones]

Zac Sunderland will shove off from Panama today for the final leg of his record-breaking circumnavigation. Here's an update from today's Los Angeles Times:

Zac Sunderland, 17, begins final leg of around-the-world odyssey | Outposts | Los Angeles Times

TaoJones

[imagine2frolic]

They are looking at the 25th of June as a possible coming home. It will be fun to watch him. He seems very real, and humble........i2f

[Ocean Girl]

I have been following/ praying for him since he left Ca. What sailor couldn't cheer for a kid like that. Check out his website Zac Sunderland you can sign up for his newsletter. He is also coming out with a DVD about his adventure. Good job Zac!

[BigDreams]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

They are looking at the 25th of June as a possible coming home. It will be fun to watch him. He seems very real, and humble........i2f

I'd like to swoop down from SF Bay to see him come in.

You should keep us all posted on his event.

I seem to recall that when the lad in the 1960's, about his age, came home to Los Angeles on his boat "Dove," there were only a couple of dozen well wishers. I was surprised at that given the effort and the love of boating that so many have. By the way, the youth who did that in the 1960's, Robin Grahm, emailed the current lad, Zac, to wish him well.

The huge difference that shouldn't be overlooked is that Robin Grahm, at a similar age in the 1960's, accomplished his feat without the benefit of electronics. No GPS, no weather expert sending daily advice, no email. In fact, if I remember correctly, the current lad (ZAC), admitted to not even knowing how to use a sextant!

Just the same, Zac will have accomplished so much. What a life time memory! Some of the critics said his parents shouldn't have let him escape high school training. My theory was that he learned ten times what he would have learned in a high school classroom. His boating "education" will never be forgotten... world geography, self sufficiency, ability to handle loneliness and fear alone, an understanding of the ocean and weather, cultural differences among all the populations he encountered, small boat handling skills (27'), public relations in dealing with the world media, etc. He'll be rusty on math and science, but with some brief effort, he can catch up. He IS ahead of his peers as of his return.