[pct-l] Sorta OT - Reaction to Abby Sunderland's Rescue

[Ken Murray]

I respectfully disagree with the concept of this girl doing this journey.

I speak as a professional sailing instructor, who sails out of the same marina as Abby, and has met the Sunderland family. I supervise 4 kids sailing programs.

Yes, Abby has been sailing since age 3. However, sailing in the mild climate of Marina del Rey does not prepare one for the rigors of the Southern Ocean, even with *A* trip to the Point Conception area to expose her to (mild in comparison) "severe" conditions.

Abby crossed the Southern Ocean about two months later than she should have.  Her boat was not ready (BTW, the value was about $450,000, plus upgrades)
http://performance.boatshed.com/open_40_-boat-106633.html

Crossing this late is like starting a thru-hike of the northbound PCT in October.  Can it be done, probably.  Should a 16 y/o, who has never hiked the trail do so.....no.
Why would she not wait for 9 months to start, in the best weather possible.  Answer:  THE RECORD.  This was about the record!  Record Chasing in dangerous activities MUST eventually result in tragedy, and when it involves children, who are lacking in the experiences in life that result in JUDGEMENT, they will choose to do things they oughtn't, because they can't conceive that something can go wrong.  Uhhh---it can.  Nature has a way of rewarding hubris with expensive lessons.  

There are thousands of teens in sailing programs across the US.  You might want to consider the fact that of all those, the only two in the US who have attempted this in the last two years are siblings.
But don't worry, they have 6 younger siblings, so you haven't heard the last of them. 

As to whether she was adequately prepared, (I followed her blog every day), this really seemed to be a case of trying to compensate for lack of experience with electronics (and how often do we see that on the PCT with GPS's????), and electronic backups of electronic backups.  Not once did she write about using traditional methods of ocean navigation.  She seemed to have no joy in the environment, but rather the joy of conquest over the environment.  I don't like to see that in mountaineers, I don't like to see it in sailors.  It seems disrespectful and arrogant.  However, it is TOTALLY NORMAL for a 16 y/o.  I can see people talking to her about the danger, and her response: whatever......

I've met a lot of phenomenal youth sailors, including world champions.  I would NOT have any of them do this, and Abby in not in their class.  I've never understood the argument that because you CAN do something, you SHOULD do it.