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Teenage sailor

MarkB_MI

MarkB_MI

Well-known Member
Location
Motown USA
Anyone following the story of the teenage girl trying to break the record for youngest sailor to circumnavigate the earth? It seems that at the first sign of trouble she fires off her emergency beacon and immediately no expense is spared to rescue her.

In the '60's, Robin Lee Graham sailed around the world. He was 16 when he left port, and it took him five years to complete his voyage. No GPS, no EPIRB. Just him, his boat, sextant and compass. Along the way he was dismasted, but he managed to get his boat into port under a jury rig, where he replaced the mast and continued on. To me, that was a heroic accomplishment. I do not see the point of sending young sailors out today to break that record: there's no way you can compare what Graham did with what they are doing.
Robin Lee Graham
 
During the golden age of sail losing a mast was like getting a flat tire, they just hove to and put up the spare. Of course most people call for help now to change a tire, and swapping out a mast always took a crew of 25 or so.
 
The way I read the story is she was in 60 knot winds and capsized and broke her sails off.
 
"It seems that at the first sign of trouble she fires off her emergency beacon and immediately no expense is spared to rescue her."


Yep, JUST LIKE Robin Lee Graham did when he lost his mast. Riding wind and waters that break a mast are not "the first sign of trouble".
 
Absolutly should get a bill for the rescue as should anyone who engages in risky behavior. I admire the girls courage skill and pluck for what she is doing,but no taxpayer from any country should bear the cost for anything like this. If you want to climb mountains explore volcanos caves fly or sail the world you should have to post bond or buy insurance sufficent to pay the cost of rescue if needed.
 
By that logic, no tax payer dollars should go to protect private companies interest from pirates while sailing near Somolia.
 
I agree with Pitch if people want to put themselves in danger for fun and profit they ought to have the means to pay any rescue/recovery costs bond or insurance.so if some kid is all alone in mid ocean its ok but if the same kid is home alone for a few days its child abuse??
 
From what the news reports are saying, the aircraft used to locate her was chartered, meaning it was paid by someone other than the gov't. The parents are wealthy enough to hire rescue and not depend on the Indian gov't to fund it.

Personally I was glad to see a young person actually do something outstanding rather than sit around playing video games. I was also glad and proud that an American is doing something that requires a lot of skill and bravery.

I hope Americans never lose the spirit to be the best in the world at anything.
 
I heard this AM that the mast of her boat was busted. That would be a pretty good reason to call for help.

I couldnt imagine having my 16 year old daughter
(if I had one) sail the world by herself. Too many pirates and whack jobs out there to do her real harm.
 
Not true its in our National interest not to have commercial ships carring cargo not to be hijacked,no national interest in some screwball kid on a publicity stunt to get paid to get on a few talk shows.Of course this rescue thing also gets lots of free publicity for them sort of like the Balloon Boy awhile back
 
I remember reading "Dove" when I was in high school, 25 years ago or more now.
I also remember in the book that in the central Pacific SW of Mexico he was given a motor to troll out of the Doldrums, (no air to sail).

Lots of guts to sail the world like that, for anyone. I am told that you find God while you are alone at sea for months. (He is the only one to talk to)
 
Mark you are right. It looks to me that this was well planned by the family. Much better than buying a car for your child and letting them run, I to am glad to see some USA spunk.
gitrib
 
Well, I just evicted a guy from an apartment for selling drugs- Been trying for years to get rid of him, and he finally got busted.

Its guvment subsidized housing- rent was $965/mo: he paid $38, taxpayers paid $927. And he wasn't "disabled"- just too useless to work, made his living selling meth.

Guess I'd rather throw my tax money at rescuing someone who was trying to accomplish something.
 
When was the last time you heard of a HS football player needing 2 ships and a plane to go a couple hundred miles to rescue them? Multiple that times all the players on a team at that cost I'd doubt there'd be many HS teams.PLus the USA is broke and cutting out rescuing publicity seekers is a good place to cut spending.
 
My parents thankfully were never afraid to say no to me about something, some folks are afraid they might supress their kids creativity. They should absolutely send along a bill for the rescue.
 
Well, you need to use taxpayer money to build football fields, taxpayer money to bus the kids to games, and taxpayer money to buy uniforms. There's how many tens of thousands of high schools? I'm just saying that if you're going to be consistent, you gotta be opposed to high school sports, which are for the glorification of the kids, not really for education or any other economic interest, which one poster implied is the standard by which we decide whether taxes should be spent.
 
My youngest son has sailed around much of the world, course he was on a Guided Missile Frigate.

The Navy flys him home from Germany next Saturday, he is done. Coming home to be a John Deere Technician.

Gene
 
there is no need to spend tax payers money on football feilds.Around here there built on fund raising and parents money and that is how it should be.If they can charge some one to watch a game(in that league)they can pay there own feilds or what have you.
 
No one has mentioned that her brother also sailed around the world setting a record a few years ago. The family understand well the risks and needs of such an adventure.

The girls mission to sail around the world nonstop had already been halted when she had to put into port for earlier repairs. She knew the record attempt she was making had ended and merely wanted to complete the trip.

Break down and prior repairs hardly indicates she hit an emergency beacon at the first sign of trouble.

Thirty foot waves were what she was facing when she finally did hit the beacon button.

Australians have reported that making a winter attempt as she was should never have been tried as the voyage would face the worst possible weather in the winter months.

I can"t imagine parents supporting their son nor daughter in those adventures but probably they both sail as easily as we drive tractors.

What seems absolutely senseless to some is an adventure for others. Ever hear of men walking on the moon? Apollo 13?
 
Thats is great, How long was he in for?
My dad was in the navy for 5 years, supposed to be 4 but the Cuban missle crisis extended it a year.

Tell your son thanks for serving.
 
Thats because people like to watch football,not many people will pay to hear about some Idiot trying to drown themselves in the Indian Ocean,if they do they can make a contribution to the rescue fund
 
Fund raisers might buy some uniforms or equipment yearly but it doesn't pay for stadiums. Here the school board decided whether to build a stadium or vocational complex, stadium won.
I live in a depressed area where the kids are more likely to make a living as a mechanic or electrician than a football star. Some years their record is 0- and whatever number of games they play.
 
My understanding is that her mast broke off literally, and that kind of presents a problem, especially since her father talked her through getting her engine running after it wouldn't fire, and then last heard, had quit again. No sail because of no mast, and no engine floating somewhere in the Indian Ocean, not our waters. My understanding also is that they haven't gotten to her yet because of the 30' waves in the area.

Besides...is in the Indian Ocean, not costing us a single penny. We've got folks over here spending every single penny that everyone here but them...made, but she sure as heck isn't one of them.

I'm proud of her.

I'm waiting for some abundant nitwit to go after her parents for child abuse...when her boat is broke in the Indian Ocean, not here. I'm waiting for some abundant nitwit to toss out that since we've elected...you know who...that is was just understood that he was to be President Of The World...No, that would be President of The Universe...oops, no that would be President Of ALL Universes, so therefore our laws extend to everywhere. Time. Give it time, and someone will make the suggestion, and someone's will believe its true.

Mark
 
I would like to give your son a big thank you for serving our country. It is nice that he has a job to look forward to.
 
It was chartered by the Australian Government since the beacon was in their Zone of Responsibility for rescues but they didn't have gov't aircraft capable of flying that far.
 
Update: She has been reported to have been rescued by french sailors. I'm sure her parents are comforted to have their 16 year old daughter safely in the hands of french sailors...
 
Yes, I understand. Whether it be a 16 year-old or a 45 year-old, there are plenty of dangerous places in the world with dangerous people. She could've taken a boat through the Chicago River, had it break down, and no one ever see her alive again.



Mark
 
Thanks everyone for your comments.

Just to clarify my point, I do have respect for a kid who takes on this kind of challenge. Not one in ten thousand young people would attempt to sail solo around the world, even if they could afford it. But there is a huge difference in what Robin Graham did and what the current teenage circumnavigators are doing. Graham had to pretty well understand that he was on his own once he left port; there would be no rescue if his boat failed him or if he got lost and ran aground. When he was dismasted, he had to get his boat into port by himself. He did get some help, notably from National Geographic, but he pretty much did everything on his own. Now when young Miss Sunderland was dismasted, she was able to quickly summon help. She activated her EPIRB and very soon an Airbus A330 was on its way to her location.
 
No but I do Oppose City Government building a stadium for Pro gammers to play in when they make millions to play.

Local guys back in the 50s wanted to play city league Baseball so they built the ball field them selves!

Most of them were farmers, and a couple were looked at by pro teams.
 
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