Laura Dekker, 13, must wait before trying to sail around the world alone

As expected, a court in The Netherlands has decided that Laura Dekker, 13, is too young to try to sail around the world by herself. She can continue living with her father, who supported a controversial journey she had planned to begin next week, but under the scrutiny of a social services agency pending another hearing in two months.

Most people probably would agree that the court ruled properly. Dekker, despite her vast sailing background, has not fully developed physically or mentally; she cannot be suitably prepared for the types of situations she'd likely face.

Or so the thinking goes. Her planned voyage has been criticized by the media from the outset. Dekker was not present during the ruling but in a television interview she said, “All the media are horrible."

This isn't over yet. There is a mandated psychological review, and the next hearing. Dekker believes she can do this; it has been her dream since she was 6. She and her father have planned a two-year voyage that would not have her at sea for longer than three weeks at a time.

Dekker, in all likelihood, will ultimately embark on her quest to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world, and with plenty of time to spare.

That record belongs to British sailor Mike Perham, 17, who this week replaced Thousand Oaks sailor Zac Sunderland, also 17, in the record book.

Australia's Jessica Watson, 16, plans to leave in a few weeks on what she hopes will be a nonstop journey; and Zac's sister Abby Sunderland, who will turn 16 in October, is planning to set sail in November for a nonstop odyssey.

Sunderland and Perham, who both left when they were 16, proved up to the task, but both sailors overcame several harrowing situations.

Can the girls do what they did, only faster? That will be for Mother Nature to decide.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Laura Dekker and her father (left) are seen at the court house in Utrecht, The Netherlands, before a second hearing determined she cannot tackle the world in a sailboat by herself--just yet. Credit: EPA/Valerie Kuypers

Comments

[Robert]

We have a 3 year old daughter and she can comfortably handle the helm of the family vessel (a 12 meter Trimaran) in and out of crowded anchorages. As write this she is presently on the helm while her mother is asleep and I down herein the navigation suite, we are in a confused sea with gusting winds. We have been at sea now for more than 2 months and will not be back in port for another 4 months. The only really vocal critics of this girl are the armchair sailors who have probably never been out here in the ocean. So let this girl go her dream.
We wish her the very best in her endeavors.

[Shanie]

Hi. It is Shanie. I am happy that you are tring to make your dream come ture.

[Joe]

Prove herself? She already crashed her first night out.

[Robert]

The only people who should be making any decisions in this case are sailors who've done what she is seeking to do for only they know what really lays ahead of her and what it really takes. By the way where was the courts when she successfully took her 7 week trip to Britain by herself?

[Katie]

I do agree that 13 is a very young age to be sailing around the world by herself. But i also think that adults often misjudge how mature teenagers can be.

[Evelynn Bennett]

At the age of 14, I sailed down the East Coast of North America alone. I believe that she should be permitted to follow through with this journey if she can prove that she is prepared.

[Jason Parker]

Surely there would be another boat following her that would house her father and other responsible people?
I think its stupid that other people interfere and stick their noses into others business. Let her do it, do these busy bodies think that ther father is going to stand on the pier and say to his daughter, see you in 6 months, if you make it back.

[Bruce Kuehn]

I work with kids ages 11 to 17 on a 19th century tall ship. I don't believe any of our 13 year olds would be capable of a round-the-world sail but none of them grew up around boats. I do know that the adult crew regularly underestimate them based on their ages.

It is unfair to judge Laura based on other 13 year olds we know. It's just a number. She has more sailing experience than many adults who embark on an around the world cruise do. It is not up to you or I or some busybody psychobabbler to determine if she's ready, her parents are more than qualified to make that call. 13 is not too young if she's been in training for this for 13 years.

[patricia]

It has nothing to do with religion, politics, the system or living in a "cookiecutter" world! At 13, she's too young to sail around the world by herself. In five years, I hope she does it.

[ken]

I think its amazing the father supporting his young daughter in this way. Religious affiliations and feelings aside, if this is it, and there is no afterlife, she should do whatever she wants in her heart, she should follow her dreams, no matter at what age these dreams manifest themselves. Let the lawyers, the laws, and the ones who pass those laws, let them sit in their own personal stink of life, their own cookiecutter world of rules and doctrines.

I hope she gets to go, I hope she says no to the system and stick it to the man, and makes her life extraordinary. Here's to making it count. Make the impossible a success, make the impossible an effort at doing something else that no one will ever do.

[H. Malette Poole]

She is, I suspect, a unique case. She has spent her whole life on boats, is much more comfortable on them than on land, and IS equipped, mentally for the task. Sadly, if a boy under the same circumstance was asking, more consideration would be given.

I know people who have a "tall ship", whose children have spent most of their lives aboard. Those kids were capable at an extremely young age of things I can never learn.

My wife rode horses (not ponys) from the age of four. Tiger Woods started golf at age two.

People who do things from infancy are capable of more than their peers. Too bad ignorance, "the good of the child" and sexism is going to stop this girl from fulfilling her dream.

[manjeet singh]

I think 'Laura Dekker', 13, is too young to travel around the world by herself.