# The Circumnavigating Newborn Countdown



## smackdaddy

Since it's apparently all the rage right now - and since it's getting hard to keep up with all the wee tots clamoring for a circ, I thought we might as well start this thread to keep up with the countdown to the ultimate "young sailor around the world" contestant.










His name is Bucky Blythe. He's in the third trimester. And as you can tell, he's totally stoked for the trip.

Both his parents are avid sailors - so he's obviously well prepared. The moment he's born his parents will put him on a fully outfitted Open 60 and push him southward away from their private dock in the Seychelles. What an adventure!

Glenda, his mom, says that he's been dreaming of this since gestation. Asked how she knew this she replied "Oh, you can always tell by the severity of the morning sickness. I was hurling like a penguin for 4 months straight. So he's definitely ready for the 60. He's not like most fetuses." Well there you have it.

Go the Bucky!


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## smackdaddy

Seriously, I ran across this LA Times article taking a shot at Abby Sunderland. And I'm sure they'll be others besides Jessica, Laura, et al. So why start another kid-specific thread.

Anyway, here's the story...

+++++++++++++++++++

latimes.com

T.J. SIMERS

Parents should just say no to teen girl's solo-sailing trip

Abby Sunderland's mother and father are abdicating their responsibility to keep their 16-year-old daughter out of harm's way.

T.J. Simers

December 15, 2009


I was scheduled to be off Monday, eating breakfast at the Mini Gourmet in Yorba Linda, relaxed and reading the paper before spitting out my pancakes.

Why am I reading about a 16-year-old girl about to sail around the world all by herself when I should be reading about her parents being hauled off to counseling or jail?

Did you see the story in Monday's sports section?

It was outrageous. Ridiculous. Incomprehensible insanity. And Plaschke didn't write it.

We've got four pictures and this huge ode to Abby Sunderland,the child's preparations to put her life on the line, and so now we celebrate child abuse in the paper?

She has parents, and I wouldn't know it either if it hadn't been mentioned in the story.

These so-called parents are repeat offenders too, their 17-year-old son Zac recently becoming the youngest American sailor to circle the globe, as the newspaper story goes, surviving "merciless gales, a run-in with pirates and a near-collision with a gargantuan freighter near the Panama Canal."

We don't have enough to worry about when it comes to raising our children that we now have to take into account pirates?

I don't let my daughter walk to her car by herself at night, and it's parked in our driveway and she's 33.

But these folks are going to let their 16-year-old become a human bobber day and night on the ocean because it's been the child's dream since she was 13.

My daughter dreamed she would marry Prince Charming one day.

She ended up with a Grocery Store Bagger, and amazingly is both happy and pregnant.

Children are supposed to dream and parents are supposed to be parents. Their primary task, along with loving them, is to keep them safe, if necessary, safe from their own dreams, whims or immature choices early in life.

How mature is a 16-year-old girl, who makes the choice to spend months on the water instead of in the mall with her friends?

Most youngsters would probably like to sail away from home at one time or another, but almost all of them know how stupid that would be.

So why am I reading a story about a 16-year-old girl who will be taking "a direct but dangerous route around the world?"

Why is any 16-year-old allowed to place herself in harm's way? Why would any parent allow such a thing?

Right now I'd try to stop my daughter from crossing the ocean by herself on a cruise ship.

Another 16-year-old child, Australia's Jessica Watson,is 6,000 miles into her solo trip -- her collision with a Chinese freighter just one of those silly mistakes made earlier in practice.

In discussing Watson's trek, The Times' story offers this input from Don McIntyre, a "renowned Australian sailor," who obviously lost his land legs.

"I know Jessica and she has the correct head space," he says. "I don't know Abby, but it is pretty obvious that she has not been playing with Barbie dolls for the past 16 years."

Why not? Barbie and Ken don't bother me nearly as much as Marianne and Laurence Sunderland, who have seven children, one more on the way, and I wonder which one will swim around the world to top brother and sister.

A PR contact for the Sunderlands said he would relay my child endangerment criticism and an offer for their rebuttal, but there was no response.

The Times' story says the father has tons of experience as a sailor, but I don't care.

He won't be on the boat, and for him to tell The Times, "I have no doubt in my mind that this boat is going to get totally knocked around out there," and then let her go -- I think I saw something like this on an episode of "Law & Order."

I don't care if the child has been sailing since she was 3 months old, she's still a child. I don't care if she's packing a gun like her brother did on his trip -- what's a child doing with a gun?

I don't care if this is something she really wants to do. Children want to do a whole lot of things -- sometimes just for fun, sometimes because their friends are doing it and sometimes because they just want attention.

It's our job as parents to say, "No." Simple as that, "No. You want to go sailing -- OK, where are we going?"

I didn't let my daughters drive when they were 16, telling them it was my job to keep them alive. You want to tell your friends you have a jerk for a father, they probably already heard that from their parents. But you're alive.

I think gymnastics, figure skating and swimming should be banned from the Olympics so parents don't get the idea of trying to win a medal through their youngsters.

Is there any reason to justify depriving a youngster a chunk of childhood? What's wrong with children just being children -- this year G.P. Santa having already bought Barbie's playhouse?

Maybe Zac and Abby Sunderland are gifted sailors, but is it necessary to put their lives on the line to prove it? Where is the parent in the Sunderland home saying just that?

Whatever is at work here, I lost it at breakfast. I'm showing the story to waiter John Hernandez and he shocks me, while losing his tip. He says, "It's OK with me if that's what the girl wants."

This from a guy who has a daughter who will soon be turning 16, someone who recently took her and friends to something in Long Beach and then waited outside in the rain in his car for 3 1/2 hours so he'd be there when she was ready to leave.

"No way I let my own daughter do something like that," Hernandez says. "But if someone else's daughter wants to do it. . . ."

You would hope she would be told to start texting all her friends to let them know: "My parents never let me have any fun."


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## tdw

I'm sorry but its people like that who make me very supportive of dimwitted sixteen year olds who want to sail around the world.

I mean really. Who would you rather be or have as a daughter? The Sunderland girl or whatshername from Australia Versus that over protective anal retentive wanker with a 33 year old pregnant daughter, married to a bag filler at the local Walmart and unable at age 33 to go out and play in the driveway by herself ? 

ps - do you really have professional bag fillers in the US ? Down here the checkout chicks perform both functions.


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## CharlieCobra

I can't say that I disagree with him... and I raised eight kids...


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## smackdaddy

tdw said:


> ps - do you really have professional bag fillers in the US ? Down here the checkout chicks perform both functions.


My uncle makes $216,000 a year baggin' snacks. It's a great gig here in the States.


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## tdw

CharlieCobra said:


> I can't say that I disagree with him... and I raised eight kids...


The irony is Charlie that so do I. Previous posts on the subject will show I am one of those who finds this business of a bunch of teenager tromping around the world's oceans to be utterly absurd. Trouble is that this fella's ' keep 'em in bubble wrap' attitude disturbs me.

At 16 I was working in a supermarket stocking shelves and the like. Now that I come to think of it I probably bagged the odd haul myslef when things got really busy. Today I'd rather be able to say I was out sailing round the world even if it was a foolhardy venture.

I've always been concerned that these kids are being pushed by parents with there own selfish agenda but at the same time there is such a thing as too much protection. This guy seems to want to keep his daughter wrapped in cotton wool. Still and all maybe I was being a bit harsh on him.


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## Dirtboy

> How mature is a 16-year-old girl, who makes the choice to spend months on the water instead of in the mall with her friends?


I stopped here! 'Nuff said. He's an idiot. I think I'd rather have my 16 yo doing anything but being a mall rat.

DB


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## CharlieCobra

Andrew, it's like football, little league and many other things. The parents have or had a dream and when THEY couldn't do it, they pointed their kids at it and tried to live vicariously through the kids. You see it at any youth league game, only this is infinitely more dangerous. I consider m'self strong, adaptable and self reliant as well as a pretty good sailor and I'm NOT ready for something like this... I hear ya on working at a young age. I was making more $$$ than my Father at age 12, working full time rebuilding mobile homes with a neighbor. Been working ever since.


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## smackdaddy

To me it's not the individual in question - it's the concept. Like Charlie says, there's a force behind these kids that's doing a lot of the driving. And that's what I think the writer was facetiously hammering on.

When Jessica's committee was making the decision on her departure, instead of her, that behind-the-scenes force showed its face. I'm sorry, but this is a girl that's blogging about making seat belts for her stuffed animals and snapping pics of her cosmetics collection in the cockpit. And now you've got Abby painting shoes, etc.

To me, it's the fame-before-accomplishment thing that's creating the danger. Ginning up PR and sponsorships based on "the record" creates a tremendous amount of pressure on anyone - much less a kid that is still worried about the well-being of stuff animals.

I'm just sayin'.


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## tdw

hmmm...of course someone with half an ounce of wit about them might have realised that Simers is taking the piss.....

OK...so I missed it......they don't call me fuzzy for nuffink.....but if newspaper journalists cannot use emoticons like the rest of do then I can't be held responsible for my dimness...


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## AdamLein

Is letting your kid solo circumnavigate the world irresponsible parenting? Probably.

Is T. J. Simers symptomatic of a world I don't want to live in? Definitely.


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## tdw

AdamLein said:


> Is letting your kid solo circumnavigate the world irresponsible parenting? Probably.
> 
> Is T. J. Simers symptomatic of a world I don't want to live in? Definitely.


So who the hell is he ? (other than a sports columnist for the LA Times ?)


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## smackdaddy

AdamLein said:


> Is letting your kid solo circumnavigate the world irresponsible parenting? Probably.
> 
> Is T. J. Simers symptomatic of a world I don't want to live in? Definitely.


+1.


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## smackdaddy

tdw said:


> So who the hell is he ? (other than a sports columnist for the LA Times ?)


Some chubby dude with quippy chops...from Illinois.

+++++

T.J. Simers

Bio
T.J. Simers' provocative sports commentary has been entertaining readers since 2000.

Named 2000 California Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, he has been with The Times since 1990.

He was formerly the professional football writer for The San Diego Union, the Denver Broncos beat writer for the Rocky Mountain News; a college football beat writer for The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn.; sports editor for the Morristown (N.J.) Daily Record, the Beloit (Wis.) Daily News and the Coeur d'Alene (Idaho) Press, and assistant sports editor for the DeKalb (Illinois) Chronicle.

He attended Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill.


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## Superpickle

Like the Mother of the DEAD 9 y o pilot said..
"She Died doing what she Loved Doing"

Bull Puckys.. Id rather have MY 9 yo, WELL and SAFE than to let her Die , doing what she Loves Doing.. what the hell does a 9 y o know , anyway.. 
Since When are the 9 and 16 yr olds, in charge , or have ANY Damb Sense.. :-0


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## ROSA

No person, at 16, 17, 18, etc., has been around long enough to acquire enough hands on experience and knowledge to make such an attempt. Of course one does not realize that untill they are at least in their 30's. In her parents case, the 30's rule apparently does not apply either.


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## tdw

ROSA said:


> No person, at 16, 17, 18, etc., has been around long enough to acquire enough hands on experience and knowledge to make such an attempt. Of course one does not realize that untill they are at least in their 30's. In her parents case, the 30's rule apparently does not apply either.


This is were it starts to get tricky though. More than one sub 18 year old have now completed solo circumnavigations and the Watson girl has thus far covered over 6,000 kilometres with only one itsy bitsy collision. . (Sorry that was a cheap jibe.)

Its pretty hard to tell someone who has done 6000k offshore single handed that they lack the necessary experience.


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## glassdad

Without getting involved in the discussion of 16 year olds sailing around the world, Simers is a blow hard columnist. He makes a living tearing down people in his column. His column is based on ridiculing and attacking atheletes he does not like.


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## Undine

OK, some folks set off to sail around the world without any real experience AND are LUCKY enough to survive long enough to get that necessary experience. ( Bumfuzzle and Slapdash pop into my head). BUT as a mother, I didn't go through pregnancy and childbirth to have the brat throw it all away in a quest for 5 min. of fame. Yeah, mine did stupid, risky stuff - but not if I was able to stop them. That's my idea of proper parenting.

Interesting side note: My oldest two have come over to the dark side since becoming mothers themselves. All that "I would let my kids do it" seems to be forgotten.

And yes the kids have more sailing experience than I do. So what. I KNOW I'm not ready for ocean sailing, let alone a circ. That's whats called maturity.


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## tdw

Undine..accept my point that I am not at all convinced that the 16 year old single handed sailor is a good idea, particularly the non stop circumnavigators. 

That said we have the situation where a number of youngsters have set out and as yet none of them have actually come to any harm. Going back in time we have as an example John Guzzwell, who went round in his early 20s in a 20'er. He's considered an icon not an immature fool. 

At the same time we have such emminently mature individuals as the wanker in the tin can catamaran, the 85 year old brim full of maturity who was rescued this month and many other 'mature' individuals who have come to grief. Sailing legends with all the experience in the world such as Alain Colas and Eric Tabarly both of whom died at sea, and even the grandaddy of them all Joshua Slocum, have suffered worse fates than e.g Zac Sunderland but then again Bernard Moitessier died in his bed at home in France. 

Meanwhile people like Tony Bullimore again brimming over with maturity make a complete hash of it time and time again.

As far as parental responsibility goes , the chances are that you will have no compunction in letting the fruit of your loins drive a car or catch an aeroplane despite the fact that both, particularly the driving, are far more hazardous (statistically speaking) than single handed sailing.

You say you know you are not ready for offshore sailing and that equates to maturity....it might equally equate to insecurity.

I'm not trying to be deliberately argumentative here. Playing devil's advocate perhaps.

Cheers

td


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## chall03

More devil's advocacy here as well..... 

To state the obvious...

Isn't letting a 16/17 year old drive a car also fairly risky??

Isn't allowing 18 year olds(yes I know it is 21 in the US) access to alcohol kinda crazy? Damn I have some alcohol related stories my mum will never hear....

Isn't also letting your 16 year old girl date guys in this time of STD's just darn irresponsible??

Hey here in OZ 16 year olds can also get a student pilot's license...

Basically isn't being young just dangerous?? 

Should we not then just lock all the little buggers up until their old and sensible like the rest of us??

Interestingly enough, the statistics say that the greatest threat facing the next generation isn't an unprecendented epidemic of solo single-handed seabound recklessness but rather obesity and diabetes...

Would it be a stretch to say then that what is the biggest threat to these guys is a culture of not giving anything a go, of not going outside, of not trying lest you fail, of not pushing yourself....and essentially of not taking risks??

So what are we saying?? Stay at home kids, just listen to Britney on your Ipod and watch cable. If you wanna sail do it on your Wii. Twitter yourself silly, Go hangout at the mall, and for heaven's sake whatever you do don't actually LIVE.......cause that living is darn risky business.


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## smackdaddy

Chall - you just brought a tear to my eye. +Freakin1 dude!

I recommend playing the following while reading the above post.


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## poopdeckpappy

> Why would any parent allow such a thing?


She's being stocked by a horny grocery store bagger at the local mall, that's why, ya f'n putz


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## AdamLein

chall03 said:


> Isn't letting a 16/17 year old drive a car also fairly risky??
> 
> Isn't allowing 18 year olds(yes I know it is 21 in the US) access to alcohol kinda crazy? Damn I have some alcohol related stories my mum will never hear....
> 
> Isn't also letting your 16 year old girl date guys in this time of STD's just darn irresponsible??
> 
> Hey here in OZ 16 year olds can also get a student pilot's license...
> 
> Basically isn't being young just dangerous??


Holy crap I forgot why it's so awesome to be young! I miss those days...

Not that I would ever let my kid circumnavigate alone. Or date.


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## LaGringa

I agree with Chall... when I was 16, 17 and 18, I was climbing mountains and glaciers and trekking the back woods - you know the ones full of bears, snakes, avalanches and a myriad of other dangers. I was doing solo survivals for days and surviving. Maybe these activities are not as dangerous as piloting an airplane or sailing around the world, but one messed up knot or faulty bit of hardware can end a climber's career in a heartbeat. These experiences taught me a lot about myself and what I was capable of and at a young age. I had (have) a lot more confidence than most girls my age and even a lot of adults I knew. 

I have three sons now who are 22, 20 and 17, and I like that they are not afraid to try new things. I encourage them to seek new adventures that interest them. I express my concerns and have a time or two put my foot down but boy, I really would rather be putting my foot down than having them sitting around like a bunch of bumps on a log!

It's kind of like the difference between someone who sells everything lock, stock and barrel and moves to the Caribbean and those that say I've always dreamed about doing something like that and never do it.  

No risk - no reward!


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## Dirtboy

People dont all mature at the same rate. Sometimes very young people have a much clearer vision of themselves. Humans are very self-centered until around 10/12, it's when we start listening to others that we start to loose focus on who we really are. Once we start listening to parents, peers, teachers, etc. we tend to get defused. 

I love to watch the "Pee Wee" races at the local motocross track. Kids 10 and younger. The look on their faces afterwards is just priceless; the sense of accomplishment, the physical work-out and the respect they feel for themselves and they give to others ......... And one or two of them may be future stars, the rest have a great hobby and family activity they can do their whole life. Yet there is pressure to outlaw motorcycle racing for anyone under 16!

This young lady has her head in the right place, is doing the proper research and training, is physically fit and prolly has a better chance of making it than many of the "adults" who attempted in the past.

I have a gift. I am good at something. If I had been introduced correctly, at an early age, I could have gone far ...... even been a pioneer. I'm not crying about it, it's just a small fact in my life; one of many "if's" that most of us have.

Unlike myself, this girl knows her gift. She's an exceptional individual who's born to challenge herself and she may be doomed to "dying doing what she loved." Could happen at 16, 18, 59, 68, 75, 81?

DB


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## ROSA

Maturity does not always equal experience and knowledge. So far we seem to have 6000k of day sailing. Not much need for good luck yet, and pure good luck is what is necessary to circ safely and successfully without enough experience and knowledge. Just basic common sense.

Even with total maturity, mega experience, knowledge, and good luck this is no playground, according to Hal Roth, Bernard Moitessier, and the Smeetons. Their experience and knowledge carried them through to survival after the s___ hit the fan. Luck has two sides.


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## smackdaddy

Well - it looks like Jess is rockin':

JESSICA CONQUERS CAPE HORN!

Wednesday, 13 January 2010 (10.00pm AEDT)

We are incredibly proud to announce that Jessica Watson has conquered the Mount Everest of the maritime world by rounding Cape Horn this evening at 8.40pm (AEDT), doing so in 40 knot winds, mist, drizzle and a bumpy 4 metre sea.

However, the miserable conditions have not dampened the spirits of this inspirational 16 year old who is having the time of her life out there!

The predicted gales hit as scheduled today and Jessica has been sailing in 30-40 knot winds for the past 24 hours, but they are expected to abate soon as she heads north east towards the Falklands.

Jessica has now sailed 9,800nm on day 88 of her solo circumnavigation as she approaches the half way mark of her journey. Whilst there is much work still to do for Jessica, this day is one she will never forget.

Fnally, a huge thank you to all the loyal bloggers for your wonderful contributions to Jessica’s journey to date. The image below is a tribute to Jessica and her team on behalf of all the bloggers, from blogger Samurai (Sam).

More detailed updates on Jessica’s rounding will be posted tomorrow (AEDT).


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## sailingdog

I'd point out that any generalized statement based on age is going to be wrong a majority of the time. I know some teens that are very mature and level headed and some that shouldn't be allowed out without supervision. I can say the same about some middle-aged people I know as well as some elders.

Whether a specific teen is mature enough and experienced enough to circumnavigate the globe needs to be taken on a case-by-case basis. Doing anything else is just stupid...


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## smackdaddy

Yeah, but then you have the whole law thing - as in the case of Laura Dekker. Case-by-case sounds good, but works only if it doesn't interfere with the legality of the situation. Hence the debate.


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## Dulcitea

Just in: Abby Sunderland leaves this Saturday. To top Zac, Abby's is making a nonstop circumnavigation. The remaining six siblings will solo circumnavigate in increasingly smaller boats. It is planned that the youngest will set out at the age of four in a Laser. 

The only way I would let my 16-year old leave on a solo circumnavigation if I flew the entire time overhead in an airplane. 

I don't doubt these are GREAT kids; special kids; but they are kids. (Have you read Jessica Watson's blog? She sounds absolutely charming.) But, isn't there value anymore to just being a kid? What's wrong with the high school sailing team? Can't they wait until they are a wee bit older or is it a matter of sponsorship? Will they disappear if they are paid no attention? 

I hate to be so negative, but one of these days one of these children is going to get hurt. Will that be child abuse? One definition of child abuse in California is: "The child has suffered, or there is a substantial risk that the child will suffer, seriour physical harm or illness, as a result of the failure . . . of his or her parent . . . to adequately supervise or protect the child . . . ." (Welf. & Inst. Code, section 300, subd. (b).) How are the Sunderlands going to protect Abby in the Roaring 40s? I know they all have gone to great lengths to help ensure that Abby will be safe. The boat is equiped to the nines. But, the Titanic was no rubber boat either. 

I hope one of these kids will not have to be sacraficed to stop this trend. 
God bless and keep watch over these children in the sea.


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## sailingdog

One real question is how much of this is actually being driven by the child's desire to do it versus how much is the parent's wish for them to do it. In the case of Zac Sunderland, where he owned his own boat, and has been sailing by himself for a number of years, IMHO, it was pretty clear that he was doing it for his own reasons. 

In the case of Mike Perham, that isn't so clear. After all, he didn't own the boat he made the voyage in—his father chartered it; he wasn't sailing on his own for years before doing this—his only passage of significant note prior to his circumnavigation was crossing the Atlantic buddy boating with his father in two identical Tide 28 sailboats; he was "tutored" by a french professional sailor and she and two others did most of the boat prep for him IIRC. 

I don't think it should be considered "abuse" if the kid is injured—if it was the kid's own idea to make the voyage... however, if the voyage was pushed on the kid by his parents, then they should clearly be held responsible. Just remember, it wasn't all that long ago that a 16 year old was considered old enough to marry, raise a family, be recruited for the local militia, etc. It has only been in the last 100 years or so where the age of adulthood has slowly been raised to 21.


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## smackdaddy

I hear Bucky should be droppin' in a month or so. He's ready to push off!

Somebody call CNN.



smackdaddy said:


> Since it's apparently all the rage right now - and since it's getting hard to keep up with all the wee tots clamoring for a circ, I thought we might as well start this thread to keep up with the countdown to the ultimate "young sailor around the world" contestant.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> His name is Bucky Blythe. He's in the third trimester. And as you can tell, he's totally stoked for the trip.
> 
> Both his parents are avid sailors - so he's obviously well prepared. The moment he's born his parents will put him on a fully outfitted Open 60 and push him southward away from their private dock in the Seychelles. What an adventure!
> 
> Glenda, his mom, says that he's been dreaming of this since gestation. Asked how she knew this she replied "Oh, you can always tell by the severity of the morning sickness. I was hurling like a penguin for 4 months straight. So he's definitely ready for the 60. He's not like most fetuses." Well there you have it.
> 
> Go the Bucky!


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## smackdaddy

So now that the Sunderland family has pushed itself through the wringer and come out the other side truly soiled (man what a head shaker)...who's the next babe to take to the Horns?

Is Laura D still determined to hoist and go?

Kids and records...gotta love it.


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## msl

smackdaddy said:


> So now that the Sunderland family has pushed itself through the wringer and come out the other side truly soiled (man what a head shaker)...who's the next babe to take to the Horns?
> 
> Is Laura D still determined to hoist and go?
> 
> Kids and records...gotta love it.


Here is your answer smackdaddy - it will be interesting.

Dutch teenage sailor gets green light from mother - World news - Europe - msnbc.com

Cheers


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## leland515

I would much rather be sailing around the world than trying to recore my entire foredeck so I can sail around a 400 acre lake. Btw, smack, I'm back..


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## smackdaddy

LELO!!!!! Great to see you dude!

What have you been up to?


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## leland515

I've been great, in the spring I obtained my level one sailing instructor certification, but then by summer circumstances forced me to have to move away from the coast.. 
so now I'm in Tennessee, missing the ocean but there are plenty of lakesxD
After I'm finished refinishing the interior and doing a few other jobs I'll be off to sharpen my light wind sailing
How have you been? 

And because I'm not a thread hijacker, you have to ask yourself if you deny someone the freedom to sail somewhere, where do you draw the line?


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## smackdaddy

I've been great. Truly great.

I'm trying to get hooked up crewing on some ocean races. I'm making some progress on some Gulf racing - and I'm even making some progress on a much bigger race...but I'll have to tell you more if and when it happens.

Also I'm in the market for a spin for the Smacktanic. So life is great.

Honestly, lelo, I draw the youthful solo-sailing line at 18 (at least here in the US). I do that because I think it's any parent's responsibility to watch out for their kid until they are a a legal adult.

I love my kids too much to send them off into a seriously dangerous situation alone for more than a year by themselves...regardless of how talented and confident they are. And regardless of how much they want it.

That said, I'll go _with them_ in a heartbeat.


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## leland515

What should the restrictions be until they're 18 though? I'd be very ticked if I could be hailed at any moment for sailing alone on my lake.. I love singlehanding, it's an entirely different sport.. I'm not doing any ocean crossings, but what would you say would be a good way to enforce it? Or would it lay unenforced until someone plans something stupid?


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## smackdaddy

Being hailed. That's the kicker isn't it? Is that what it's really about?

Get the world to push the age of "majority" down - and I'm in.

At the end of the day...I've only got a case as long as the legal structure supports it.

BUT - as far as me wanting to protect and hang out with my kids on gnarly adventures until the end? Nobody is stopping me. I love 'em. And I don't need laws for that.


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## leland515

I'm just happy that right now boating laws are fairly lax enough to let me do whatever I want to do.. I think that very soon local governments will want to stop handling this issue on a case by case system.


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