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Teen girl attempting around the world sail is missing(update!!)


sideshow24

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I hope one day I can too exploit my kids for my financial gain ... ah I cannot wait!
You can't put a dollar figure on the publicity you get for your boat building business if both your teenagers sail solo around the world.

http://www.sunyachts.net/main/About%20SYM.html

Oh please.

Man, there's some serious Haterade being passed around in here.

No kidding dude.

Usually when kids grow up around something they have a tendency to take interest in it. Did my parents force pretty much all of their kids to go into health care because that's what they wanted? Hell no. We grew up around it and found a love for it, that's why we've done that.

I know solo trips around the world sailing are a much larger ballgame, but to say this is only the dream of the parents is absurd. Just like saying this is the dream of the parents for a 13 year old to climb Everest...lol, you don't do these things without wanting to, yourself. No kid makes it up everest because they are being forced by someone else.

I'm a pretty cynical person, but after watching interviews with these families and these kids (the everest kid, the aussie sailor chick, and the this girl who just got rescued, and her brother who sailed around the world last year), these kids do not have the demeanor of people their age. I work with lots of kids, coached, etc. and these kids are totally different than most any adolescent I've ever interacted with. They have much more maturity than their ages would indicate. In addition, these kids are accomplished in what they do. They've been doing this since they were practically babies, and the kid who just climbed Everest has climbed almost all the major peaks in the world. They showed a clip of him reaching the summit of one of the other major world peaks, and this kid's reaction of summiting seemed pretty genuine, he was balling like a baby that he had reached this goal.

I don't know, it just seems like these kids are a lot different than the normal teenager... I think it's a bit ridiculous to judge them and their families regarding something we really know nothing about and 99.9% of us will never be able to accomplish...

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If I read it incorrectly, I'm sorry. It sure seemed as though you were implying that the father pushed the kids to sail around the world for that reason.

It is certainly possible. But I don't know this family and don't presume it is the case.

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Thought this was interesting...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/06/abby-sunderlands-quiet-neighborhood-was-abuzz-friday-morning-with-media-from-around-the-world-news-trucks-lining-both-sid.html

Also to be decided is whether her boat will be sunk at its position or towed to dry land, Casher said. The boat's carbon fiber mast was heavily damaged and will cost an estimated $90,000 to replace, he said.

Under maritime law, rescue boats have a right to recoup the cost of a rescue up to and including possession of the boat, he said.

"It will cost more than the boat is worth to tow it to Reunion Island," he said. "And I don't even know if they’d want a sailing boat."

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Did my parents force pretty much all of their kids to go into health care because that's what they wanted? Hell no. We grew up around it and found a love for it, that's why we've done that.

...

Would you say that no parent has ever tried to live vicariously through their children and push them to great achievements? I'm not and I haven't claimed that these parents did, but to pretend that it is impossible is as absurd as claiming that it is in fact what happened. Especially since none of us know these people at all.

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Would you say that no parent has ever tried to live vicariously through their children and push them to great achievements? I'm not and I haven't claimed that these parents did, but to pretend that it is impossible is as absurd as claiming that it is in fact what happened. Especially since none of us know these people at all.

No, actually I'm not saying that at all. Please reread what I said.

I said there's no way a kid can accomplish these feats (climbing most of the tallest mountains in the world, most recently climbing everest, sailing around the world, etc.) without having the inner strength and will to do it themselves. They don't do this crap simply because their parents want them to.

I would say there are a lot of parents who live vicariously through their kids. And I'm sure these parents encourage their children and do everything possible to facilitate their expeditions, but you don't sail around the frickin world because your parents are pushing you to.

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I agree. I'm just glad that it doesn't happen here everyday.

Wait.

Nevermind.

No shizz. I'm fine being judgemental against parents who provably beat the crap out of their kids. I'm fine judging parents who put their children's health in danger by not getting them vaccinated. I'm fine being judgemental against parents who lock their children in a closet and starve them to death, or feel it's more important to play online gaming and raising a virtual child while they leave their infant at home to starve to death and die.

However, if a teenager wants to do something incredible, unless we know the teenager and the family personally and can judge all the intentions fully, I think people need to shut the hell up, personally.

But this is ES and that's par for the course here. So whatever.

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my first cousins who live in new zealand are hardcore sailors. My uncle sailed around the world from new zealand, with him and his wife-to-be, to DC to get married. His son is now an amazing sailor is almost ready to join the New Zealand national team or whatever, i dont know how sailing works but he is on the verge of being one of the best in NZ.

He plans to sail around the world by himself one day so I can believe this story because I have never met a kid as passionate about anything at 15 as he was about sailing.

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I'm very happy they found her alive and well. Her boats SOL but the fact that she's safe is awesome.

Question for the folks supporting the super kids, do you feel the dutch court is evil in not allowing this girl to attempt to set the record? This is a year old article but I wanted to get thoughts about it as it does pertain to the discussion here.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/netherlands/6106182/Dutch-court-stops-girl-13-sailing-round-world.html

Laura Dekker, who was reported to be out sailing on Friday while her parents awaited the ruling from a court in Utrecht, was placed under the supervision of child protection officers for two months, while psychologists assess her capacity to undertake the risky voyage.

The world record-breaking journey, which had her parents' approval, would have taken Laura out of the classroom next week and through some of the world's most dangerous waters for the next two years.

Is 13 to young or do you think that as long as she has the support to attempt it that it is alright?

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I'm very happy they found her alive and well. Her boats SOL but the fact that she's safe is awesome.

Question for the folks supporting the super kids, do you feel the dutch court is evil in not allowing this girl to attempt to set the record? This is a year old article but I wanted to get thoughts about it as it does pertain to the discussion here.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/netherlands/6106182/Dutch-court-stops-girl-13-sailing-round-world.html

Is 13 to young or do you think that as long as she has the support to attempt it that it is alright?

I don't think it's a legal matter. I think she's too young for such an undertaking, but that's really based on how I veiw the capabilities of the average 13yr. old. I guess it really has to be viewed on a case by case basis.

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I don't think it's a legal matter. I think she's too young for such an undertaking, but that's really based on how I veiw the capabilities of the average 13yr. old. I guess it really has to be viewed on a case by case basis.
I don't know the kid involved, maybe there's one 13 year old on the planet capable of this but its hard to imagine. Even physically I don't see it. I suppose strength wise you might be a certain specimen, but the physical and mental endurance seems beyond the capacity of someone that young.
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A blog post from Abby-

http://soloround.blogspot.com/2010/06/note-from-abby.html

A Note from Abby

Hey everyone,

Sorry I haven't written in so long as you probably already know I had a pretty rough couple of days. I can't write much now as I am typing on a french key pad as well as trying to stay seated in a bouncy fishing boat.

The long and the short of it is, well, one long wave, and one short mast (short meaning two inch stub.) I'll write a more detailed blog later, just wanted to let every one know I am safe and sound on a great big fishing boat headed I am not exactly sure where.

Crazy is the word that really describes everything that has happened best.

Within a few minutes of being on board the fishing boat, I was already getting calls from the press. I don't know how they got the number but it seems everybody is eager to pounce on my story now that something bad has happened.

There are plenty of things people can think of to blame for my situation; my age, the time of year and many more. The truth is, I was in a storm and you don't sail through the Indian Ocean without getting in at least one storm. It wasn't the time of year it was just a Southern Ocean storm. Storms are part of the deal when you set out to sail around the world.

As for age, since when does age create gigantic waves and storms?

I keep hitting the wrong keys and am still trying to get over the fact that I will never see my Wild Eyes again. So Ill write more later.

Abby

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I don't think it's about press wanting to press b/c something bad happened. I think it's why this thread took off. Concern, worry, and drama. Glad it turned out all right. She was lucky and she's probably right, the fact that she was young didn't cause her to be in a precarious situation, but that she was young AND in a precarious situation added to the story. We'd care less if it was a 35 year old daredevil who was always doing crazy stunts.

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I don't know the kid involved, maybe there's one 13 year old on the planet capable of this but its hard to imagine. Even physically I don't see it. I suppose strength wise you might be a certain specimen, but the physical and mental endurance seems beyond the capacity of someone that young.

I think your right. I've tried to be open minded about this, but the reality is there is no way in the world I'd let even a 16 year old do this regardless of time on the water. I've given it some more thought, and I just don't think it's possible for anyone at that age to get the kind of experience that truly qualifies them to make that journey. For instance, why was the rigging left attached to the boat after the demasting? There should have been provisions made in advance for cutting any cable needed to free the rigging. Demasting is not an uncommon event in the types of seas she could face, and you never drag rigging. That's a death sentence for a sailboat.

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