What to say...

[RickLaPaz]

It's not a solo endeavor. If the other 3 are capable seamen and are willing to teach this kid the ropes near shore prior to the Big Leave, then he should go.

Or wax the hood of his Firebird some more. Uhhmmnn..............

[sailingfool]

So I took the consensus advice and said nothing.

When I got home today, the neighbor kid sat in the kitchen, now a smiling young sailor. He is just back from the airport, having just finished his first sailing cruise, a three month trip from Antigua to Raiatea in the Society Islands. He said it was a great adventure, he was glad to have gone, but would never take so long a trip at sea again. The high point was a two week stay-over in the Galapagos. The low point was the only storm, a 55 knot gale that developed the last day before their arrival at Raiatea. He related the storm jib to be rigged to an inner forestay never came out of the bag. The scariest point was the night he and a mate were on the bow wrestling with the cruising chute and the mate went overboard, to be quickly hauled back on by his lanyard....

Good for him.

[CharlieCobra]

Nice, simply nice.

[jrd22]

Glad to hear everything turned out well, it's difficult to keep your worries to yourself. My own son had the opportunity to crew on a 19teens 50' schooner from Victoria to San Francisco when he was in his mid twenties. I looked at the boat, and met the captain and had serious doubts about the whole thing. One of the hardest things I've done is not try to talk him out of it (they did have good safety gear, liferaft, radios, and I got him the best inflatable with harness and tether). They battled storms most of the way (owner decided to leave with a gale predicted) there and ended up with cracked masts so they had to motor the last couple hundred miles, but it was a great experience for him. He and his fiance are shopping for their first boat (catamaran) and plan to take off for at least two years within the next year or so (when they can sell their house).

John

[JohnRPollard]

Hey, a happy ending, that's great! Thanks for the post ******.

[chucklesR]

Thanks for the update. Glad to know this time the consensus opinion was right.

[sailingdog]

Thanks for the update sailingfool. Sounds like a great experience for the kid...

[kwaltersmi]

Sailingfool - What would you tell him if you did speak up?

I agree with the others. His safety will largely depend on the other crew members and the boat. My guess is that he'll have an outstanding growth experience.

[CKDK08]

Tell him to stay home in the strongest terms possible.
No sense in a 20 year old learning something that most of us wish we had done.
Wrap him in bubble wrap and feed him strained food. Make sure to keep him inside. You can get hurt outdoors. And the sun causes cancer too.
Then he can grow up to believe that everything should be handed to him and don't take any chances.
Most of us learned our memorable lessons the hard way and a lot of times without someone else there to help us.
I say give the kid a big pat on the back for having the stones to go on the trip. Give him any advice you can and a roll of stamps to send postcards.
Sooner or later you grow up and leave the nest and learning that you can take on a challenge goes a long way toward being a contributing member of society.

Sunny Days and Fair Breezes Kid

[sailingfool]

Originally Posted by CKDK08

Tell him to stay home in the strongest terms possible.
......

Sunny Days and Fair Breezes Kid
__________________
"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo

To recent posters - note the kid has completed the trip and returned - sunny days and fair breezes he had! But I gotta love the Pogo quote, my boat isn't named POGO for no reason.

SF