Is 15 a tad young to be sailing around the world.

[Freak magnet]

Aussie girl Jessica Watson aiming to be youngest solo round-the-world sailor

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A 15-YEAR-old girl will attempt to become the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world just after her 16^th birthday next week.Jessica Watson, from Buderim on the Sunshine Coast, who turns 16 next week, will set out from Brisbane on her 10.4m sloop, Youngestround.com, soon after her birthday.

Jessica has been inspired by Kay Cottee, the first woman to sail solo non-stop unassisted around the world, and Jesse Martin, the youngest person so far to achieve the feat, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Jesse, who sailed from Port Phillip Bay to set the record in 1999, celebrated his 18^th birthday during his journey.

Jessica's aim is to return home before she turns 17, taking more than a year off Jesse's age record.

The trip will cover more than 40,000km and is expected to take her between seven and eight months.

Jessica will sail a Sparkman and Stephens 34, which became famous after Jon Sanders, David Dicks and Jesse Martin used the brand of yacht for their history-making solo circumnavigations.

Sparkman and Stephens yachts are popularly used in the classic Sydney to Hobart blue water classic.

Jessica will launch her bid in Brisbane today.

[Cynical Ninja]

I wonder how much it will cost to save the stupid bitch if she gets lost or in trouble?

[Freak magnet]

At least i know my daughter will never do anything like that ...she's far to fucking thick .

[Cynical Ninja]

Yourmother of the year award is in the post freak.

[SyberBitch]

Seriously, fuck that. Irresponsible parents!! Even if the girl is capable, she simply is not old enough to undertake that kind of affair on her own. The parents should get a visit from CPS for allowing it.

[D]

Seriously, fuck that. Irresponsible parents!! Even if the girl is capable, she simply is not old enough to undertake that kind of affair on her own. The parents should get a visit from CPS for allowing it.

I disagree. Many 16yos are more capable than many other adults. I think it should be judged solely on each persons' merit. If she is capable, and has the maturity to handle it, more power to her.

[SyberBitch]

Seriously, fuck that. Irresponsible parents!! Even if the girl is capable, she simply is not old enough to undertake that kind of affair on her own. The parents should get a visit from CPS for allowing it.

I disagree. Many 16yos are more capable than many other adults. I think it should be judged solely on each persons' merit. If she is capable, and has the maturity to handle it, more power to her.

It's not really a question of her capability, but of her maturity and her parents' responsibility. It's not like it would kill her to wait until she's a legal adult first.

[D]

Sure it would, because then she couldn't break the record and there wouldn't be as much reason to do it. I'm a big believer in individual merit. And if you'll re-read what I said, I included maturity as part of that. You can't say she isn't mature enough because you don't know her. And just as I already pointed out, many young people are very mature. And many adults are not.

[SyberBitch]

Sure it would, because then she couldn't break the record and there wouldn't be as much reason to do it. I'm a big believer in individual merit. And if you'll re-read what I said, I included maturity as part of that. You can't say she isn't mature enough because you don't know her. And just as I already pointed out, many young people are very mature. And many adults are not.

Regardless of emotional maturity, she is still a child. Even she will look back on herself at 15 when she is 18, and think she was immature then.

Edit: I was very mature as a child and probably more mature than many adults. I *thought* I was a grownup at 15, for sure. However, looking back, I do see how immature I actually was.

[LuMPyPussy]

Sure it would, because then she couldn't break the record and there wouldn't be as much reason to do it. I'm a big believer in individual merit. And if you'll re-read what I said, I included maturity as part of that. You can't say she isn't mature enough because you don't know her. And just as I already pointed out, many young people are very mature. And many adults are not.

Because breaking the record is pretty fucking important. ::nuts::

[sally]

I don't know, I was able to get married, pregnant, and support myself at 16. I suppose if I knew a damn thing about driving a boat and that was my passion than I probally could have done that too. I wouldn't allow my kid to do it though, I don't even allow them to walk to the corner store lol.

[D]

Maybe it is to her. Didn't you ever have dreams Lumps? Or have you forgotten what those are?

As for me, the only thing I'm more mature in now than I was at 16 is romantic relationships. And that has jack shit to do with sailing around the world.

[LuMPyPussy]

Maybe it is to her. Didn't you ever have dreams Lumps? Or have you forgotten what those are?

As for me, the only thing I'm more mature in now than I was at 16 is romantic relationships. And that has jack shit to do with sailing around the world.

I was pretty comfortable with myself without some meaningless bullshit attached to my name.

Did you dream of some ridiculous world's record?

[SyberBitch]

I don't know, I was able to get married, pregnant, and support myself at 16. I suppose if I knew a damn thing about driving a boat and that was my passion than I probally could have done that too. I wouldn't allow my kid to do it though, I don't even allow them to walk to the corner store lol.

That's a great example of 'can do' vs 'should do'

[SyberBitch]

As for me, the only thing I'm more mature in now than I was at 16 is romantic relationships. And that has jack shit to do with sailing around the world.

There's a lot more involved with sailing around the world solo than just being able to sail. There are so many variables... what if she runs into bad types during her journey? If anything were to happen to her, how would her parents be any less responsible than parents whose kids get hurt when they let them run wild?

15 is barely old enough to drive a car legally.

[D]

[smart ass]Stop saying 15, and the thread title is misleading :p She'll be 16 when she leaves.[/smart ass]