Laura Dekker's Circumnavigation

[goboatingnow]

I applaud Laura Dekker's perspective and I regard the chasing of pseduo-RTW records by increasingly young people as very dubious indeed.

dave

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

Laura was not interested in a non-stop record. She was making her plans at 13 years old right about the time Zac was doing it. She did want to get a record, but only because that was still a possibility back then. Once the possibility of a record disappeared, she didn't hesitate for a moment to continue with her plans. I believe Laura is in it for the love of sailing and adventure, not for any type of competition. I think her attitude and determination are unique to this particular group of sailors, and I don't think it's unfair to consider her the 'wisest' of the bunch, but not because of her choice of route, because of her level of maturity and mode of thinking.

Bingo, the "winning" answer. Laura fought with her government for a year. The same government she watched over her young life take away certain rights and privligies of its young citizens due to world pressure. I'm sure most all of you know what it is I am referring to.

[zeehag]

i think laura is awesome--i wish her well and i hope she accpmplishes HER goal. it IS her goal, not someone else's goal, and is good for her.

[s/v Jedi]

Of course Laura is the smartest of the bunch... she's Dutch ! What can I say.. you ain't much if you aren't Dutch

ciao!
Nick.

[hummingway]

Tania Aebi shouldn't be forgotten in the rush to praise these youngsters.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Of course Laura is the smartest of the bunch... she's Dutch ! What can I say.. you ain't much if you aren't Dutch

ciao!
Nick.

ROFL.... Good one Nick.
Nothing like borrowing from Italian when Dutch doesn't quite do it!

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Of course Laura is the smartest of the bunch... she's Dutch ! What can I say.. you ain't much if you aren't Dutch

ciao!
Nick.

You have no idea how many times I've heard that phrase sailing over the years in the Merchant Marine.

[boatman61]

What...? 'She's Dutch...??'

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by hummingway

Tania Aebi shouldn't be forgotten in the rush to praise these youngsters.

I won't forget her figuring out on her own that her favorite sextant, a cheap plastic one was warped, giving her bogus readings. Aw, the good old days before GPS. Nowdays for passage makers, the 2 biggest unknowns, where am I, and where is the weather, is just a pushbottom away.

[Zanshin]

I saw her go through the Dutch drawbridge at St. Maarten two weeks ago:

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

I won't forget her figuring out on her own that her favorite sextant, a cheap plastic one was warped, giving her bogus readings. Aw, the good old days before GPS. Nowdays for passage makers, the 2 biggest unknowns, where am I, and where is the weather, is just a pushbottom away.

My favorite part of that story is that she made it all the way from New York, to Panama, via Bermuda, before she figured it out 3 good passages using nothing but DR and asking passing ships to relay their position. Still one of the best sailing books ever...

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

My favorite part of that story is that she made it all the way from New York, to Panama, via Bermuda, before she figured it out 3 good passages using nothing but DR and asking passing ships to relay their position. Still one of the best sailing books ever...

Yep her VHF got a good work out in the beginning.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

Laura was not interested in a non-stop record. She was making her plans at 13 years old right about the time Zac was doing it. She did want to get a record, but only because that was still a possibility back then. Once the possibility of a record disappeared, she didn't hesitate for a moment to continue with her plans. I believe Laura is in it for the love of sailing and adventure, not for any type of competition. I think her attitude and determination are unique to this particular group of sailors, and I don't think it's unfair to consider her the 'wisest' of the bunch, but not because of her choice of route, because of her level of maturity and mode of thinking.

Callmecrazy... I didn't pick your name here, but I couldn't have done a better job.

I really think it is wrong to compare 2 great kids, both with great achievements BUT DIFFERENT GOALS, and say the one is better than the other.

Also, I must put the record straight because the inference is that Jessica did her circum for the glory and not the love of sailing. Nothing could be further from the truth.
She said quite categorically before and after her voyage, that she loves sailing first and foremost. In fact that is all she wanted to do. Setting the goal to sail around the world was the excuse to be out there doing what she loves, ie sailing.

And to put things in perspective, she knew before she left that she wouldn't
be recognised as a record holder if she succeded because she was under age. Hardly the attitude of a record chaser.

The ridiculous thing is, they all have the wisdom and maturity to recognise and celebrate eachothers achievements for what they are, without meaningless, ill-concieved comparisons.

[callmecrazy]

I don't believe my comparison is ill-conceived... I followed each of these young sailors right from the beginning of Zac leaving Cali. I've read every blog entry to date for each of them.

I have great respect for all of them, and any other circumnavigator, for that matter. It's a relative perspective... If this thread was about Jessica I'd give her the props she deserves, but it's not. I will maintain that Jessica was 'competing', whether she loves the sport or not is irrelevant. Laura is not competing with anybody at all.

Zac set out to beat Jessie Martins record, He too loved sailing and adventure, and did a great job... but the intention was to beat the record. Then Mike Perham took the record. It was only right that an Australian step up and get Jessie's Martins back... But the Sunderlands weren't finished yet....

Out of the four, I liked Jessica the best, she wasn't being pushed by her parents like the other three. She has my respect. But my point is solid and well founded. Laura is more akin to Tania Aebi, or Robin Lee Graham... doing it just to be doing it... It's like comparing a soul surfer to a competition surfer, of course you can't judge who is the better surfer, but i'd still consider the soul surfer to be the 'wiser' of the two based on my perspective of the world.

Talk about meaningless and ill-conceived...

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

I don't believe my comparison is ill-conceived... I followed each of these young sailors right from the beginning of Zac leaving Cali. I've read every blog entry to date for each of them.

I have great respect for all of them, and any other circumnavigator, for that matter. It's a relative perspective... If this thread was about Jessica I'd give her the props she deserves, but it's not. I will maintain that Jessica was 'competing', whether she loves the sport or not is irrelevant. Laura is not competing with anybody at all.

Zac set out to beat Jessie Martins record, He too loved sailing and adventure, and did a great job... but the intention was to beat the record. Then Mike Perham took the record. It was only right that an Australian step up and get Jessie's Martins back... But the Sunderlands weren't finished yet....

Out of the four, I liked Jessica the best, she wasn't being pushed by her parents like the other three. She has my respect. But my point is solid and well founded. Laura is more akin to Tania Aebi, or Robin Lee Graham... doing it just to be doing it... It's like comparing a soul surfer to a competition surfer, of course you can't judge who is the better surfer, but i'd still consider the soul surfer to be the 'wiser' of the two based on my perspective of the world.

Talk about meaningless and ill-conceived...

I think our concepts of 'wisdom' may differ... and that's fair enough.
If our paths cross remind me to buy you a beer. We'll probably never see eye to eye... but the conversation will be lively