Youngest Circumnavigator

[imagine2frolic]

Zac Sunderland

His schooling is much more than regular high school can offer, or most any school for that matter.......i2f

[TaoJones]

Excellent story in today's Los Angeles Times on Zac, now about a week from completing his epic voyage. It details some of the adversities he has faced, and dealt with in a seamanlike manner, as he has pushed on.

From the Times story:

"Sunderland, 17, is more than 100 miles offshore [off Puerto Vallarta, at the time] on the final leg of a 13-month, around-the-world odyssey. He holds course but is interrupted by a jarring thud and what sounds like a gunshot.

"His boat, Intrepid, has launched from a 10-foot wave and its port-side bulkhead has buckled on impact. The deck flexes and chain plates with lines supporting the mast have ripped loose. Wind hisses loudly, menacingly."

To read the entire article, go to:

Southland teen nears the finish of his global sea odyssey - Los Angeles Times

TaoJones

[s/v Beth]

I am a fan. Zac and his family has pulled off something special. Kudos to him as he makes his final approach.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

"His boat, Intrepid, has launched from a 10-foot wave and its port-side bulkhead has buckled on impact. The deck flexes and chain plates with lines supporting the mast have ripped loose. Wind hisses loudly, menacingly."

Shows what fools people are letting this child to sea.

The next girl following in these pathetic footsteps is only 15.

What age after that? 10?

Till it gets down to a 6 year old like the fools who let that 6 year old child pilot kill herself in the USA a few years ago?

These are not coconut run circumnavigations, they go round the 3 stormy capes.



Mark

[swagman]

Mark,
I can understand your concerns. One tends to read about a new record being set and the next day some father pushing his child to go set a new one - and that is always a worry. Plus most people I read about completing solo circumnavigations have not come out of it a better balanced people - even if they do become better sailors.
But let's face it, seventeen years old is not a child and if the stories are right, Zac seems to have a good handle on what he is doing.
My gandfather went off to war when he was two years younger than Zac, and there are plenty of 17 year olds still serving now overseas today.
So if he is old enough to die for his country, pay taxes, even marry or have kids, then surely he's old enough to go sailing?

My view is well done Zac!

Cheers
JOHN

[imagine2frolic]

To ad to Swagman's comment. Zac probably has more time at sea than most of us here. He has delivered, fixed, and sailed boats for his whole life. Sure it's not all of that 17 years, but he grew up on a boat cruising......i2f

[scook1]

I get so jealous when I read Zac's story. I wish that I had the childhood that he had! Still he has an incredible adventure under his belt. Way to go Zac and good luck bringing her in.

[sailorboy1]

We talk about the youngest alot, I wonder who holds the record as the oldest?

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

We talk about the youngest alot, I wonder who holds the record as the oldest?

According to Wikipedia, Don, the oldest such circumnavigator is Minoru Saito: Minoru Saito - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also see:

YouTube - Legendary Solo Sailor Minoru Saito

Edit: Incidentally, Saito-san is currently engaged in his eighth solo circumnavigation, this time doing a "wrong-way" circ. around the Great Capes. His last obstacle was Cape Horn, a couple of months ago, but his vessel was badly damaged and a Chilean commercial fishing vessel came to his aid and towed him some 400 miles to Punta Arenas.

Just recently, a settlement was reached on the fishing company's salvage claim, and Saito-san's insurance company will take care of the cost of repairs to his vessel. Once completed over this winter (Southern Hemisphere, remember), he will leave Punta Arenas, return to the point where he was taken in tow, and resume his voyage from that point.

His website estimates it will take a couple of months to complete the remainder of the voyage (about the last third of the circ.), arriving back in Yokohama around November or December.

TaoJones

[byro77]

I wonder what the smallest size boat one could use to circumnavigate safely? Of course safely is a relative term.. I have heard of some ocean passages on 25' but what about 22' or smaller?

[San Juan Sailor]

Jon Guzzwell did it in the 60's in a 20' boat named Trekka.

[James S]

There was a guy passing through Aden Yemen about 3 weeks ago on a 19 footer....he was heading up the Red Sea and back to Hungary, I think, to complete his.
I read about it in the Yemen Today magazine.
http://yemen-today.com/pages/specialreport.htm

[Hampus]

Welcome to Sven Yrvind- the official website

Swedish guy who circumnavigated and rounded Kap Horn against prevailing winds in a 20' boat he built himself in his mother's basement. This was in the 70s and 80s. He's now working on an even smaller boat to go cruising and he's past 70. There's LOTS of interesting reading on the webpage. What characterises his boats is that they have always been extremely seaworthy and in the 70's he set new standars around here for tiny pocket cruisers, exploring new materials and designs, working by himself or with renowned yacht designers. It's recommended readin!

/Hampus

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by Hampus

Welcome to Sven Yrvind- the official website

Swedish guy who circumnavigated and rounded Kap Horn against prevailing winds in a 20' boat he built himself in his mother's basement. This was in the 70s and 80s. He's now working on an even smaller boat to go cruising and he's past 70. There's LOTS of interesting reading on the webpage. What characterises his boats is that they have always been extremely seaworthy and in the 70's he set new standars around here for tiny pocket cruisers, exploring new materials and designs, working by himself or with renowned yacht designers. It's recommended readin!

/Hampus

The "Italian girl" in the photo was no doubt a real inspiration. . "Happy days," indeed!

[imagine2frolic]

He seems a wee bit partial to rope with knots tied around the ladies waists? Gee I wonder what the meaning of that is?......lololololol......i2f