14yo sails Atlantic alone on trailer boat

[RayMetz100]

14 year old sails Atlantic alone on retractable keel trailer boat

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070103/...sailing_record
http://www.sailmike.com/YACHTS.htm
http://www.tide28.com/

[cockeyedbob]

I dunno ... pretty cool, but was he really alone?

[Cruisingdad]

Alone but his dad sailed behind him from what I understand.

[Giulietta]

still, when you were 14, would you have done it??

[Cruisingdad]

Hmm, you know, I think I would have - believe it or not... all modesty aside.

I did deep woods backpacking for most of my pre-adult and some post-adult life. I would venture to say that it is as dangerous as sailing... in some cases more dangerous and some cases less. Lots of stories and pictures. One time we ran into a black bear and her cubs in New Mexico. Damn bear tracked us all the way out. Went into another packers tent AFTER CHAPSTICK right beside one us one night. The old trick of peeing around the tent did not work with her. SHe didn't care. Never attacked anyone, but I could reach out and touch her a couple of the times (AND SHE WAS NOTTTTT TAME... Not with cubs). Litterally went into my backpack, sliced open anohter for food. I have pictures of a grizzly about 200 feet away scoping us out. For any of you Boy Scouts, did all of Philmont, tooth of time, Baldy, etc. Best hike ever was International Glacier State Park, across the face of a glacier, into Canada. You get lost up there, it is like the ocean - you don't get found.

I would let Chase do sail across and/or Glen... (maybe at 13) especially the way that 14 year old did it: his dad was right behind him, satellite phones, etc. I don't mean this to come across the wrong way, but there is a BIG difference to crossing the pond with sat phones and pops right behind you then doing it without any type of communication and nothing but a sextant and questionably accurate maps.
I am not playing down anything that kid did, just saying that the way the old sailors did it was more remarkable and newsworthy (even if they were older).

Just my opinion though. Nice to see young sailors getting into the sport.

- CD

And PS, GIU, I think that was a Catalina he crossed on!!

[Cruisingdad]

I thought you all might enjoy this: I asked Chase if he would like to sail from the BVI to ENgland with me following him. He said, "Well, YEAH!! I would love to do that... but Daddy, you go in front and I go behind." (As if to watch me).

Gotta love kids.

- CD

PS I think 6 years old might be pushing it a bit. He will have to wait.

[Giulietta]

"And PS, GIU, I think that was a Catalina he crossed on!!"

That explains why Dad had to go behind!!!!

[T34C]

Impresive, so far everyone has avoided jones2r's comment. Who will be the first to attack!!

[cockeyedbob]

G, Hell yes ... 14, 12, 10 ...you bet, if the nuns would have let me ... might have died but would have died trying ...

Got drug to a Madonna concert once (not impressed) but I suspect that because I was the only one in the seat, I must have been alone with her ...

Alone still means alone.

[cockeyedbob]

'course I'd use training wheels like a tri ... 'till I could reach the pedals ...