Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 27-05-2008, 10:45   #1
Registered User

Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 60
16 year old planning on sailing around the world alone

I read about this guy in this weekends Los Angeles Times newspaper which has a link to his website. He's 16 years old and is hoping to become the youngest ever to complete a circumnavigation. He starts his journey May 31. He starts off from Southern California, then to Micronesia, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Thursday Island, Australia, Cocos Island, Durban, South Africa, Panama Canal, and then the Galapagos Islands. The boat he has is a customized 36 foot Islander.

Here's his website..........Zac Sunderland
watersofdiego is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-05-2008, 15:36   #2
Eternal Member
 
imagine2frolic's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Las Brisas Panama AGAIN!
Boat: Simpson, Catamaran, 46ft. IMAGINE
Posts: 4,507
Images: 123
This young man is light years ahead of people 4 times his age....HE'LL MAKE IT!!
imagine2frolic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-05-2008, 16:13   #3
Registered User

Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 2
I admire his guts..
Texto is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-05-2008, 05:40   #4
Registered User
 
Fishspearit's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: FL
Posts: 646
I too am impressed with the young man. I wish I had the knowledge and experience at 16 to have been able to do something like that. I suspect he'll succeed as well.

But can I still poke fun at him?... From his (very well done) website:
Quote:
I have invested my own life savings into purchasing a suitable boat, an Islander 36
Ha,Ha!! You're 16, I think you'll get the chance to recoup your life savings!

Best of luck to you Zac, and Fair winds.
__________________
www.BestMarineSurveyor.com
Fishspearit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-05-2008, 00:58   #5
Registered User

Join Date: May 2008
Location: Brisbane Australia
Boat: Compass 29 length 29ft North Point
Posts: 16
If you guys would like to google scuttlebutt.com there is a story with video at the top of the list.

Seems like a nice kid who knows where he is at.
You just gotta wish him luck.

Jim.
sailor jim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-06-2008, 09:28   #6
cruiser
 
Trim50's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: West of SE Asia & North of Indonesia
Boat: Crealock Del Rey 50 Cutter
Posts: 492
Images: 23
TV Interview
http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=892A55CB3DD7BDC18AB0D6CD4DC2B6D5 ?contentId=6630402&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1!
Trim50 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-06-2008, 10:55   #7
Long Range Cruiser
 
MarkJ's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England.
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"
Posts: 12,822
Images: 25
Oh, give it a break! Its his Mothers ambition! And daddys money.

IMHO its a sickeningly stupid idea taking a child away from his friends and comforts a teen needs at a cruitial time. I've seen many 'stage mums' and this is exactly the same.
I feel sorry for him.

Mark
__________________
Notes on a Circumnavigation.
OurLifeAtSea.com

Somalia Pirates and our Convoy
MarkJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-06-2008, 11:27   #8
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: St. Augustine, Fl
Boat: Allied Princess, 36-Scallywag
Posts: 693
Images: 8
watersofdiego, Thanks for the link to the web site. I enjoyed Robin Lee Graham and Tania's around the world cruises. Their books and subsequent life experiences. MarkJ, I am also enjoying your adventure.
John
scallywag is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-06-2008, 16:33   #9
cruiser
 
Trim50's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: West of SE Asia & North of Indonesia
Boat: Crealock Del Rey 50 Cutter
Posts: 492
Images: 23
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkJ View Post
Oh, give it a break! Its his Mothers ambition! And daddys money.

IMHO its a sickeningly stupid idea taking a child away from his friends and comforts a teen needs at a cruitial time. I've seen many 'stage mums' and this is exactly the same.
I feel sorry for him.

Mark
Wow..strong opinion there. I believe you are wrong though as I knew these guys when I lived in MDR several years ago. He has been sailing since he was born and I'm quite sure this one will make it around.

This is not Ken Barns...yes it is most likely his fathers money for the boat...but not his parents dream.

If I had a boat like that at 16 y/o, I would have been doing the same thing.
Trim50 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-06-2008, 16:47   #10
Registered User
 
Vasco's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Toronto
Boat: CS36Merlin, "La Belle Aurore"
Posts: 7,557
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkJ View Post
Oh, give it a break! Its his Mothers ambition! And daddys money.

IMHO its a sickeningly stupid idea taking a child away from his friends and comforts a teen needs at a cruitial time. I've seen many 'stage mums' and this is exactly the same.
I feel sorry for him.

Mark
Mark,

Have you forgotten how you felt at sixteen? This is a great adventure for the kid and he's well equipped to handle it. I wish him well. I would have loved a chance to do it at that age if I'd had a boat. Of course I didn't have half the skills required but youth doesn't think that way.
__________________
Rick I
Toronto in summer, Bahamas in winter.
Vasco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-06-2008, 19:58   #11
Registered User
 
eyschulman's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: seattle
Boat: Devlin 48 Moon River & Marshal Catboat
Posts: 639
Is he superman or a AH- there is a very thin line between the two here.( the vast majority of 16 yo fall into the later category) If he makes it he is a hero for 15 min. if not a dumb fool.
eyschulman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-06-2008, 20:02   #12
Long Range Cruiser
 
MarkJ's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England.
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"
Posts: 12,822
Images: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vasco View Post
This is a great adventure for the kid and he's well equipped to handle it. I wish him well. .
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trim50 View Post
Wow..strong opinion there. I believe you are wrong though as I knew these guys when I lived in MDR several years ago. He has been sailing since he was born and I'm quite sure this one will make it around.

I hope he is doing it for himself and has the capacity to undersatnd the implications. Its a tender age to have to deal with a storm by yourself.... scary.

I remember a few years ago a spate of younger and younger pilots all trying to get into the Guinness Book of Records. Till a 4 year old was granted a 747 license. After that it got stupid...

Quote:
INVESTIGATION OF a small-plane crash that killed three persons Thursday morning must focus on the circumstance that a 7-year-old Pescadero girl was trying to become the youngest pilot to cross the continent. In that generously publicized stunt, little Jessica Dubross....
Quote:
Vicki Van Meter, who rose to fame in the early 90’s for being the youngest pilot to ever fly across the United States, has died of an apparent suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Van Meter had been battling depression and refused to take her medications according to published reports.
She flew across the United States when she was 11-years-old and across the Atlantic Ocean when she was 12-years-old.
Mark
__________________
Notes on a Circumnavigation.
OurLifeAtSea.com

Somalia Pirates and our Convoy
MarkJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-06-2008, 20:36   #13
Registered User
 
Kiwikat's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New Zealand
Boat: Fountaine Pajot Bahia 46 Maestro
Posts: 302
The record is currently held by David Dicks, an Australian yachtsman, Zac said. Dicks set sail for his round-the-world journey from western Australia in 1996 at age 17. When he got back nine months later, Dicks was 18 years and 41 days old.

David Dicks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kiwikat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-06-2008, 00:33   #14
Senior Cruiser
 
Alan Wheeler's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Marlborough Sounds. New Zealand
Boat: Hartley Tahitian 45ft. Leisure Lady
Posts: 8,038
Images: 102
So what record did Dame Ellen McArthur first set then? I thought she set the youngest record.
__________________
Wheels

For God so loved the world..........He didn't send a committee.
Alan Wheeler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-06-2008, 00:59   #15
Registered User
 
Kiwikat's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New Zealand
Boat: Fountaine Pajot Bahia 46 Maestro
Posts: 302
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler View Post
So what record did Dame Ellen McArthur first set then? I thought she set the youngest record.
Check out the following link - all you need to know and more. Isn't the net a wonderful thing

Ellen MacArthur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cheers
Kiwikat is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
round the world

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Trip Planning AnotherSailorman General Sailing Forum 7 27-05-2009 12:16
2 years planning, 2 years sailing...was it worth it? ABSOLUTLY!!! kingfish General Sailing Forum 14 19-04-2009 16:35
Passage Planning SV Someday Came Pacific & South China Sea 41 27-08-2008 03:41
sailing around the world at my own time. lajoie87 Boat Ownership & Making a Living 9 15-05-2008 19:58
new gal to sailing world ..help wynne Meets & Greets 19 04-01-2008 18:12

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 12:05.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.