13 year old wants to sail around Earth

My name is URL

Would you let her do it?

I think it'd be an awesome achievement and would make some great TV

Dutch judges Friday called a 13-year-old girl's plan to sail solo around the world "undeniably daring and risky," but refused to scupper it completely, in a high profile clash between child care authorities and liberal Dutch parenting.

A panel of three judges at Utrecht District court ordered authorities to take temporary guardianship of Laura Dekker, delaying her plan to set sail next week on her 26-foot (8-meter) yacht Guppy and become the youngest person to sail solo around the world.

In her first reaction, Laura appeared unconcerned by the ruling.

"I wouldn't go if I or my boat wasn't up to it, so things have stayed the same, except it is going to take a little longer," Laura told Dutch national broadcaster NOS.

The court appointed a child psychologist to report on her capacity to cope with the risks she faces and the possible harm of two years of isolation.

The ruling came a day after 17-year-old Mike Perham of Britain grabbed the crown Laura covets.

After crossing the finish line, the teenage sailor listed some of the physical skills Laura will need to complete her trip.

"It's whether she's got the physical strength, the mental strength and the technical ability," he said. "You know, can she strip an engine blindfolded? You know, can she build boats, is she an electrician, is she a mechanic as well — because you can't just be a sailor to do a trip like this."

The Utrecht court will make a final decision in Dekker's case on Oct. 26.

Laura ignored the legal storm swirling around her and took advantage of fresh winds whipping across the Netherlands Friday to — what else? — go sailing.

Her lawyer, Peter de Lange, said friends told her about the court's decision and "she accepted it very positively."

He said that if Laura gets the green light in two months her record bid would still be on track, although she may have to take her boat to Portugal to avoid autumn storms that regularly lash the Bay of Biscay.

De Lange likened Laura's quest to the "Dutch East India Company mentality," a reference to the trading company whose ships plied the world's oceans in the 17th and 18th centuries, an era considered the Golden Age of Dutch sea travel and still a source of national pride.

While the judges ordered child care workers to take responsibility for Laura, they stopped short of removing from her father's home.

They acknowledged he had tried to stop the trip and then to make it as safe as possible.

"This case is about whether the government ... can restrict the broad freedom parents have in bringing up and caring for their children," said presiding judge M. Oostendorp.

"The court does not believe (Laura's father) can be ... accused of serious neglect," she added.

But Prof. Micha de Winter, a child psychologist at Utrecht University, warned that Laura's parents are underestimating the impact of two years alone at sea on a 13-year-old girl as she matures physically and emotionally.

He said the court had taken a "wise decision" in ordering a psychologist's report.

"It's a big risk and an experiment with a child in which you don't know what the result could be," he said.

Richard Bakker, spokesman for the Council for Child Protection, welcomed the ruling.

"We are satisfied with this decision," he said, appealing to the father "to cooperate with the investigation and ensure Laura's safety."

Laura's father, Dick Dekker, was in court for Friday's decision but said nothing to a scrum of reporters following the case. He is divorced from Laura's German mother, who has made no public comment.

Laura was born on a boat in New Zealand and spent the first four years of her life sailing around the world with her parents. She also spends her holidays sailing off the Dutch coast. In May, British authorities briefly detained her after she arrived alone in the eastern port of Lowestoft and said she planned to sail home alone, De Lange said.

Psychologist De Winter, who is not involved in the case, said children need parents and peers around them as they mature.

Authorities "have to look at the development risks for the child," he told The Associated Press.

Perham sailed into record books as the world's youngest round-the-world solo sailor by covering 28,000 miles (45,000 kilometers) in just nine months before crossing the finish line off the coast of Cornwall, in southwestern England, on Thursday. A celebration was planned for his arrival Saturday in Portsmouth, England.

Perham is a few months younger than Zac Sunderland, from Thousand Oaks, California, who claimed the youngest solo crown in July when he completed a similar trip in 13 months.

Perham's boat, a 50-foot (15-meter) racing yacht called Totallymoney.com in honor of his sponsor, is much larger than Laura's. But he also had significant seafaring adventures at a tender age.

"Thirteen is a young, young age," he said Thursday. "But then I sailed across the Atlantic on my own when I was 14 and if I could do that when I was 14 then in theory she could do it when she was 13. But, yes, for me age is only a number."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090828/ap_on_re_eu/eu_netherlands_young_sailor

brummytom

I wasn't allowed to walk up to Tesco until I was 13.

Selfish bitch.. what's wrong with canoeing in the park?

Four-Percent

brummytom wrote: »

Selfish bitch.. what's wrong with canoeing in the park?

ehhhh..... :pac:


Let her go for it i say. Sure if she gets into trouble we can watch her die slowly on a webcam!

galwayrush

Silly parents, don't they know there are cheaper and easier ways if they want to get rid of her.

procure11

While I disagree with the intervention of the Social services( for eff sake there are lots of jobs they could do in Amsterdam).
... but I think she is too young to understand the physical/emotional implications of her decision .

brummytom

Four-Percent wrote: »

ehhhh..... :pac:


Let her go for it i say. Sure if she gets into trouble we can watch her die slowly on a webcam!

Snuff, 13 year old girl, wet, maybe sharks.


Appeals to everyone tbh

MarkR

No mention of school for her in any of the articles?

Latchy

Why cant she just wait till she's 17 or 18 ...more expierence then ?

My name is URL

procure11 wrote: »

While I disagree with the intervention of the Social services( for eff sake there are lots of jobs they could do in Amsterdam).
... but I think she is too young to understand the physical/emotional implications of her decision .

That's what I thought at first, but she's being sailing all her life and already managed to sail to Britain alone

It's a once in a life time opportunity to break a record like that, and if she's determined to do it she should have the chance to, imo

brummytom

MarkR wrote: »

No mention of school for her in any of the articles?

Sure, she'll sail through her exams.

JohnCleary

Here was me thinkin I was hardcore going round Ireland last summer (23), then this b1tch nearly half my age comes along and steals me thunder :pac:

Saibh

Latchy wrote: »

Why cant she just wait till she's 17 or 18 ...more expierence then ?

I'm only guessing, the record was set already by a 17 year old this week (link) - maybe she is trying to become the youngest.

procure11

My name is URL wrote: »

That's what I thought at first, but she's being sailing all her life and already managed to sail to Britain alone

It's a once in a life time opportunity to break a record like that, and if she's determined to do it she should have the chance to, imo

Well...each to their own really!...I personally would not support my daughter/son at 13 to sail round the world all in the name of breaking some world record.I would definitely support their dream but at that age I would be pushing for them to break a world record in Science or math tbh..

In All Fairness

brummytom wrote: »

Sure, she'll sail through her exams.

Brilliant mate. Had actually typed "Take a bow sir" when I spotted the appalling pun just in time.

brummytom

In All Fairness wrote: »

Brilliant mate. Had actually typed "Take a bow sir" when I spotted the appalling pun just in time.

No need to praise me, that's going a bit overboard.



I'm sorry

Riddle101

Latchy wrote: »

Why cant she just wait till she's 17 or 18 ...more expierence then ?

Because she's stupid, that's why.

kids will say stupid things because they are too oblivious to reality so all of a sudden this girl thinks she's the next Bear Grylls. Anyway I would never let someone so young sail around the Earth.

Biggins

Would she be totally doing it on her own - or would there a another boat shadowing her own a distance away?

If she was totally on her own, at 13, no way would I let her.
She might have all the boat skills in the world but it just takes one strong wave and the strength of a 13 year old is useless in a storm of any strong kind fighting to stay afloat in the water - day or night!

Biggins

Saibh wrote: »

I'm only guessing, the record was set already by a 17 year old this week (link) - maybe she is trying to become the youngest.

She is, she said so herself on a TV interview.
Besides the fact she is extremely good looking and getting publicity out of it, if she makes it beyond the sailing career, she is a shoe-in to be a model in years to come.

Example small pic and news: http://www.harbourguides.com/news.php/LAURA-DEKKER-SAILOR

Her website: http://www.lauradekker.nl/

Royale with Cheese

She should set herself a smaller goal first before tackling something this big, like sailing the coast of Somalia.

Latchy

Saibh wrote: »

I'm only guessing, the record was set already by a 17 year old this week (link) - maybe she is trying to become the youngest.

Fair enough but what parent would want their 13 year old daughter out in for months on end in that no mans land called the sea ,regardless of what expierence or equipment she had ? .Mind you she is Dutch ,they by all acounts tend to want to do things differently

Riddle101 wrote: »

Because she's stupid, that's why.

kids will say stupid things because they are too oblivious to reality so all of a sudden this girl thinks she's the next Bear Grylls. Anyway I would never let someone so young sail around the Earth.

Exactly like who does she thing she is ..Sir Edmund Hillary

WeeBushy

Biggins wrote: »

She is, she said so herself on a TV interview.
Besides the fact she is extremely good looking and getting publicity out of it, if she makes it beyond the sailing career, she is a shoe-in to be a model in years to come.

You'd make a crap pedo, she's average at best.

In All Fairness

brummytom wrote: »

No need to praise me, that's going a bit overboard.



I'm sorry

/ issues astern warning

/then gets both coats

Biggins

WeeBushy wrote: »

You'd make a crap pedo, she's average at best.

I hope I never make that category.
Her publicity shots for the event (now cancelled) show future potential:

As a parent of 4 kids, I'd woory like hell if they were older doing this.
13 and no one nearby at ALL times? Not a hope in hell would we let her.

My name is URL

Biggins wrote: »

she is extremely good looking

Where safer a place for her to be than alone in a sailboat thousands of miles away from anyone then? :pac:

Saibh

Latchy wrote: »

Fair enough but what parent would want their 13 year old daughter out in for months on end in that no mans land called the sea ,regardless of what expierence or equipment she had ? .Mind you she is Dutch ,they by all acounts tend to want to do things differently

Know nothing about sailing, but even sailors with 10-20 years experience would find it hard to do this trip.

Heard on the news if she was not allowed by Dutch authorities, she is going to use her New Zealand passport, but that mightn't work now if reports are true.

Ms Dekker, whose parents support her trip, had warned prior to the ruling she would emigrate to New Zealand, where she can also claim citizenship, if the court prevented her from attempting the voyage.
But Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant reported her New Zealand passport had expired.

link

WeeBushy

Biggins wrote: »

I hope I never make that category.
Her publicity shots for the event (now cancelled) show future potential:

Look at other photos and she has a HUGE nose. Maybe she'll grow into it though... if not it does allow for nasal sex*

* in 5 years time of course

stovelid

She's pregnant and wants to split the country.

Good cover story though.

Latchy

Saibh wrote: »

Know nothing about sailing, but even sailors with 10-20 years experience would find it hard to do this trip.

Heard on the news if she was not allowed by Dutch authorities, she is going to use her New Zealand passport, but that mightn't work now if reports are true.

I have a dutch brother in law and some of his ideas about stuff ie medicine ,alternative living ,were at times , bizzare to say the least .He was very arrogant like there was nothing he couldn't do ( of course he soon woke up to fact that like rest of us , he had his limatations ) So seeing this news report about yong dutch girl reminds me a bit of him although she is young which explains a lot and may not be so much arrogance .

phasers

I wish I had a yacht when I was 13... I would have gotten so much poon

jumpguy

Depends, how much experience does she have with sailing? What sort of charector is she, mature and brave, or an annoying little teenage girl with silly dreams? That's how it should be decided.

TBH, I nearly stopped reading when I saw "liberal Dutch parenting". Sometimes liberals piss me off.

galwayrush

galwayrush wrote: »

Silly parents, don't they know there are cheaper and easier ways if they want to get rid of her.

They could get advice off the McCanns.

Biggins

Deleted User wrote: »

They could get advice off the McCanns.

Sorry, not good.

Banter Joe

phasers wrote: »

I wish I had a yacht when I was 13... I would have gotten so much poon

Seriously though, you're definitely a guy :pac:

Back OT, there's no way a thirteen year old girl should be let sail around the world on her own. No matter how good she is, it's just way too young.

Latchy

jumpguy wrote: »

TBH, I nearly stopped reading when I saw "liberal Dutch parenting". Sometimes liberals piss me off.

Indeed , Sometimes lacking in plain common sense .

Mmcd

In All Fairness wrote: »

/ issues astern warning

/then gets boat coats

FYP

Biggins

Biggins wrote: »

Sorry, not good.

You weren't at an open mic the other night and wouldn't happen to be the individual who threw a glass bottle at me for making a Maddie joke?

Biggins

Deleted User wrote: »

You weren't at an open mic the other night and wouldn't happen to be the individual who threw a glass bottle at me for making a Maddie joke?

Heavens no. :eek:
Hope you got the sod for chucking it!

Funbags Freddie

She can sail around my Girth Anytime!


Snyper/

Biggins

Biggins wrote: »

Heavens no. :eek:
Hope you got the sod for chucking it!

I would have gotten him but he was rather big and had 4 rather big friends with him. It was just me, my girlfriend and another friend. Security made them leave but they were waiting for us outside.

We tried to ignore them and leave but they wanted a fight and seeing as one of them appeared to be carrying a screwdriver we left as fast as possible and told a passing guard outside what was happening. Normally I would just have let it go but with my gf there and a bunch of drunken assholes carrying weapons I felt that informing the guards was the right thing to do.

Biggins

Deleted User wrote: »

...I felt that informing the guards was the right thing to do.

It was. Possible too many beers and fellow possible thugs, not an invitation to go wandering up to.
Anyway, you live to tell the tale and jokes even if some are crap!
(Glad your ok)

Back on topic...

Looking at the 13 year old in these videos, just further reinforces me that the court did the right thing.
Site here: http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/artikelen/2009/8/28/280809_laura_interview.html

Biggins

Biggins wrote: »

It was. Possible too many beers and fellow possible thugs, not an invitation to go wandering up to.
Anyway, you live to tell the tale and jokes even if some are crap!
(Glad your ok)

Back on topic...

Looking at the 13 year old in these videos, just further reinforces me that the court did the right thing.
Site here: http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/artikelen/2009/8/28/280809_laura_interview.html

Watching them myself and have to agree.

There's no telling how anyone will react in a dangerous situation and I really don't think that if the worst was to happen she is mature or level headed enough to get through it.

I admire her for wanting to do it but at the same time feel that it's a tragedy waiting to happen.

Mossy Monk

She's not my daughter so I am all for her to sail around the world

Biggins

For all the maturity and level-headedness she might have, what would really primarily concern me is that all it would take, is a force 5 to 10 gale, etc and over the side she and/or the boat goes.
The lack of strength, more chance of panicking and not calm thinking alone would be a frightening thought for any parent who was more invested in keeping their child alive.

I too admire her for her age but all the charm and calm water skills are no match for an instant or series of instances of extreme rough weather around the Cape of Good Hope for example. Scary at the best of times for the best skilled in the world.

mrs moneypenny

Has anyone noticed her surname .................... I'd deck her if she was mine. :D

Overheal

I say let her push some boundaries. Too many people are over protective of their young. Goes back to my Nut allergies rant. I say give her a challenege early and she'll be an amazing person for the rest of her life

Overheal

Overheal wrote: »

I say let her push some boundaries. Too many people are over protective of their young. Goes back to my Nut allergies rant. I say give her a challenege early and she'll be an amazing person for the rest of her life

That is as long as she doesn't die in the process.

Overheal

Deleted User wrote: »

That is as long as she doesn't die in the process.

Again, I point you to my Population Counter.

Natural selection would do us some good. In another 300 years, everybody will be able to wrestle a bear and fly their own spaceship by the time they're 12.

Overheal

Overheal wrote: »

Again, I point you to my Population Counter.

Natural selection would do us some good. In another 300 years, everybody will be able to wrestle a bear and fly their own spaceship by the time they're 12.

While I have no problem with her heading off and getting killed the ensuing tabloid frenzy over it will go on and on, it'll be like Maddie mark 2.

Overheal

Deleted User wrote: »

While I have no problem with her heading off and getting killed the ensuing tabloid frenzy over it will go on and on, it'll be like Maddie mark 2.

But see, then we will drug the paparazzi.

When they wake up they will each be on their own craft, scattered about the Bermuda Triangle, and forced to make their way back in order to sell their story to the Sun for a tenner.

The owners of the Sun will be placed on an Island somewhere in Oceana as well. They will call it Sun Island. And they will starve to death after they waste too much time fabricating stories to keep themselves entertained, when they should have been foraging for food or making sure that wild boar didnt find their fridge. Why didnt they kill the boar? Because like good Tabloid journalists, they had no investigative skills whatsoever. The Boar stalked them for days.

Overheal

Overheal wrote: »

But see, then we will drug the paparazzi.

When they wake up they will each be on their own craft, scattered about the Bermuda Triangle, and forced to make their way back in order to sell their story to the Sun for a tenner.

We can only hope and dream. If we were to drop them in shark infested water it would be all the better.

Overheal

Deleted User wrote: »

We can only hope and dream. If we were to drop them in shark infested water it would be all the better.

Unfortunately they'll probably come home safely in a Flotilla commanded by Laura Dekker.