Another Youngest Round

[GordMay]

Jessica Watson (15) is setting out to become the youngest person to sail solo non-stop and unassisted around the World.
To beat the current record, held by Jesse Martin, Jessie has 3 years to prepare for (she expects to depart 2010) and complete the voyage. It is a journey of approximately 27,000 nautical miles and can take 7 to 10 months to complete.
Goto:
Jessica Watson

[slomotion]

This girl seems to be smart and energetic. She has experience, a good boat, and a knowledgeable advisory team. So, it could be a great adventure. Good luck and fair winds.

Frankly, I have never quite comprehended the excitement generated when someone becomes the new 'youngest' to do these things. I suspect that some of it takes the form of "what were the parents thinking?" If one of my kids had come to me at the age of 15 with this idea, I would have told him to practice circumnavigating the back yard with the lawn mower. OTOH, if I had a 15 year old daughter and she had a creepy boyfriend, I might recommend that the boyfriend consider a solo circumnavigation.

[TaoJones]

I wish her only the best, but I have my doubts about her actually accomplishing this momentous feat.

In looking at Jessica Watson (the page from her site listing the rules and her route) I'm surprised by a few things:

1 - She will be primarily sailing south of the Roaring 40s, even venturing as far south as 60+ degrees south latitude, and

2 - Her vessel is only 34', and

3 - She will round both Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, and

4 - Between those two roundings she will divert north to "touch" the equator (crossing the equator is one of the rules), and

5 - She cannot accept any outside assistance to effect repairs, nor take on board any additional item (including food and water as well as anything with which to make a repair) that she didn't set out with, and

6 - Time passes much more slowly when you're young. Her team thinks the voyage will take her about eight months, and eight months alone in a fiberglass shell traveling slowly through some of the world's most inhospitable and coldest waters is going to seem infinitely long.

As capable as she may be, and I'm sure that she must be, the above list amounts to an incredible obstacle course to cope with for even, say, Bernard Moitessier. It all starts to look like a foolish stunt, to me, with numerous potential dangers.

I can't imagine gambling with the life of someone I love so that she can become "famous." Jessica has my profound respect, and if she succeeds, or even comes close, my hat's off to her.

TaoJones

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

I can't imagine gambling with the life of someone I love so that she can become "famous." Jessica has my profound respect, .

TaoJones

Her parents dont have my respect. They are fools. And I would like to tell them to their faces.

Remember the 7 year old 'pilot' who killed herself, her father and instructor? -> web Jessica Dubroff - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Don't we ever learn from fools?

15 is the age this year, 12 next year, 10 the year after?

fools!

How dare someone send a 15 year old girl into the southern ocean for 100 days.

[Nauticatarcher]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Her parents dont have my respect. They are fools. And I would like to tell them to their faces.

Remember the 7 year old 'pilot' who killed herself, her father and instructor? -> web Jessica Dubroff - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Don't we ever learn from fools?

15 is the age this year, 12 next year, 10 the year after?

fools!

How dare someone send a 15 year old girl into the southern ocean for 100 days.

Well I better add my two cents worth as the Young woman in question happens to be in the same Marina and only a few boats away.
1) she would have to be one of the most motivated and competent young Women Ive met in a long time, she has been planning this for quite a while, she grew up at sea living on a boat and is approaching this venture in a well thought out and reasoned manner, she also is getting help and support from some of Australia best eg Don Macintyre
2) I think the statement to do with her parents is belittling and offensive and with out knowing them and there daughter off the Mark so to speak
3) Jessica has already completed quite a few offshore passages in small boats and is well aware of the magnitude of the task she faces
4) her boat a SS34 built by Swarbrick in WA has been the boat of choice for this task before, (jesse Martin& Jon Sanders) and is more than up to the task
So too all the armchair naysayers, grab another beer and go and send your kids to the Mall so they can buy a playstation and maybe some drugs and leave this young woman alone

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Nauticatarcher

So too all the armchair naysayers, grab another beer and go and send your kids to the Mall so they can buy a playstation and maybe some drugs and leave this young woman alone

It might not be her, but the next one to try and emulate her. Thats my point. Its ends up with kiddies killed as per the link I gave.

There must be a nay-sayer before young children are sent off. Or all the drugs in the world wont make us a rosey looking society.




Mark

[anotherT34C]

Youngest "X" to ever "Y" have got to be among the most irresponsible types of "records" to go after.

Why not put a toddler in a sail-driven, gps-steered capsule, and call it another record?

[Nauticatarcher]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

It might not be her, but the next one to try and emulate her. Thats my point. Its ends up with kiddies killed as per the link I gave.

There must be a nay-sayer before young children are sent off. Or all the drugs in the world wont make us a rosey looking society.




Mark

Once again Jessica is not a young child but a highly motivated capable young woman with responsible caring and supportive Parents, a bit diiferent I think

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Nauticatarcher

Once again Jessica is not a young child but a highly motivated capable young woman with responsible caring and supportive Parents, a bit diiferent I think

I think you miss Mark's point, Nauticatarcher. Even if Miss Watson has a perfectly sailed voyage and sets the new standard at 16, those who come after her will have to be younger to eclipse her record. Each successive would-be record setter must be younger and younger, until it all ends tragically, most likely, as it did in flying.

TaoJones

[CSY Man]

Not sure I like the flavor is this one:

Anybody trying this stunt, whether it is Slocum or Miss Youngest to sail around the world is breaking the law and ignoring the Rules of the Road:

"Keep a lookout at all times."

They are endangering self and others just to go sailing on another ego-trip..Set a new record?

Hey why not, lets break the rules and ignore safety and see who can drink the most beer and then drive on the highway for 12 hours..?

Congrats, you won because you are alive and did not kill or get killed...

If this bimbo or some other "solo-sailor" wants to prove themselfes, then read up on the Rules of the Road and sail in style and comfort with at least 2 people on the boat..Do it right or drop it..

Fools...