On Sep 9, 1:39*am, Bruce wrote:
On Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:20:53 -0700, wrote:
On Sep 8, 8:22*pm, Bruce in Bangkok wrote: ...
This idea of "he's too young" seems to be a modern misconception as
history shows may instances of young people doing things that they
would be considered "too young" to do in this modern age. ...

Just to be clear I am not arguing that Zac is too young. *I don't
believe that competence and age are all that closely correlated. *I
don't know the person in question so I'm not able to judge his
abilities. *My beef isn't that they sent him off anyway. *The problem is
that they let him go but are demanding that he check in all the time.
Either he's competent or he isn't. *He can be supported but he can't be
sailed around the world over the sat phone. I'm quite familiar with
Iridium and HF comms and I can assure you that they will go wrong from
time to time. *There will be days when Zac will not be able to call home
and his folks either need to accept that or they shouldn't let him go at
all. *Calling the coast guard because he missed one position report is
just not right. *To quote that great telegram from _Swallows and
Amazons_ "better drowned than duffers, if not duffers won't drown."
Zac's folks have to decide if they think he's a duffer or not and then
live with that decision.

-- Tom.

I guess that is normal. A mate who is always going somewhere usually e-
mails me a daily position report and I know that if he misses one I begin
to wonder where/what he is. Since Roger mentioned the blog I did read the
panic portion and I thought they were a bit extreme calling everyone
under the sun when he failed to check in. On the other hand, he is not my
kid and perhaps if he were I'd feel different.

--
Cheers,

Bruce in Bangkok- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Zac, God love him, is not the first young person to try this.

Robin Lee Graham at age 16 departed San Pedro, CA in September 1965
aboard a 24 foot Lapworth sloop. Graham returned in January to San
Pedro in January 1970 after a solo circumnavigation. He made stops in
Hawaii, islands in the South Pacific, Australia, South Africa, the
Caribbean, and South America and Central Americas. He arrived back
with a spouse and a bigger boat (a 33-foot sloop rigged 33 foot Allied
Luders). I had been around boats all my life but fell in love with
boating, in part, reading accounts of his trip.

Was it risky? Heck Yeah. Was it worth it? Ask Graham, but I suspect
the answer would be swift and in the affirmative.

God Speed Zac and may the rest of you enjoy fair winds and a following
sea.

John