girl solo sailor epibs went off this AM

[numbskull]

Question.

If this girl were really "qualified" to make this trip, wouldn't she set a sea anchor, ride out the storm, clear the mess, then rig an an A-frame, use her boom as a jury rig, then turn and head downwind for safety.

Dragging other people into danger to save your own skin from trouble of your own making hardly seems like a great life lesson. Isn't the real value of a solo circumnavigation to test one's self-sufficiency?

[likwid]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Dragging other people into danger to save your own skin from trouble of your own making hardly seems like a great life lesson. Isn't the real value of a solo circumnavigation to test one's self-sufficiency?

Nobody has been dragged into it, the fishing vessel VOLUNTEERED to divert to her location as did the other vessels. The Airbus was PRIVATELY chartered.

[Jim in CT]

Marshcappa, in the military, you're part of a team, and help is almost always minutes away. Not so in the case of what this girl and her parents exposed her to.

Furthermore, in my own experience, even in combat, we were able to control a lot of what took place, so that we could minimize the real danger. I'm not a sailor, but I'm guessing she is (or potentially is) exposed to a lot of things she casn't control.

Finally, even if you concede that being in the military is riskier than what this girl did (and I don't concede that), those risks are taken to ensure national security. This girl's motivation is irrefutably a lot more self-serving.

Likwid, you say the rescuers aren't "forced" to try to help her. True. Nor are rescuers forced to climb Mt McKinley to help folks who get stuck up there. But in my opinion, taking advantage of the bravery of those who work in rescue, in pursuit of a reckless, purely self-serving goal, is very selfish.

No one forced me to join the Marines. I felt that for a worthy mission, I'd take the risks. I would not have wanted to risk the lives of kids under my command, to save some teenager who went off half-cocked on some thrill ride.

[likwid]

Some people go to war, some people go to sea. Its as simple as that.

Btw, the Coast Guard will not render assistance unless its a life or death situation.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by likwid

Some people go to war, some people go to sea. Its as simple as that.

Btw, the Coast Guard will not render assistance unless its a life or death situation.

Agreed. But another simple concept is that parents are supposed to be wiser and more experienced than their teenage kids, and thus are in a better position to decide what's good for a kid and what's not. I'm sure you agree with that, we just disagree on the appropriateness of this particular adventure.

Thank God for the outcome...

[likwid]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

Agreed. But another simple concept is that parents are supposed to be wiser and more experienced than their teenage kids, and thus are in a better position to decide what's good for a kid and what's not. I'm sure you agree with that, we just disagree on the appropriateness of this particular adventure.

Thank God for the outcome...

Given the number of soldiers that have died the past few years in Iraq and Afghanistan, is it ignorant for parents to let their kids go into the military?

If the kid proved she could handle the boat then why would you deny her doing what she wanted?

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by likwid

Given the number of soldiers that have died the past few years in Iraq and Afghanistan, is it ignorant for parents to let their kids go into the military?

If the kid proved she could handle the boat then why would you deny her doing what she wanted?

Clueless. This saga has more in common with the "Balloon Boy" stunt than with a child deciding to serve his/her country. The country also recognizes that a 16 yo is not mature enough to make those sort of judgements.

Judgement, not boat handling, is what kids need to learn to survive. Tackling the S Indian Ocean alone in winter at age 16 is not good judgement. Gambling the life of your 16 yo to affirm your/their opinion that they are special isn't good judgement, either.

How'd a kid that age afford this boat anyways? Her parents buy it for her?

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by likwid

If the kid proved she could handle the boat then why would you deny her doing what she wanted?

Seriously? I deny my kids something they want, all the time. I don't let my 10 year old eat candy bars for dinner, I don't let him choose not to do his homework. I don't let my teenager buy a convertible with her college savings. You see, there's a reason why kids need parents.

As to your other point, you speculated that if more soldiers die in combat than kids drown who sail solo, military life is more dangerous? You can't compare it that way, because I assume many more folks are in the military.

In other words, more people will get killed today driving cars than by playing russian roulette. Does that mean driving is more dangerous? No, it means that there are a lot of drivers, and not many kooks playing russian roulette. You need to look at percentages.

In any event, 16 year olds can't join the military, for good reason. Nor can 16 year-olds drive a car by themselves (here in CT) also for very good reason.