Emergency rescue effort is launched for teen sailor Abby Sunderland *Found alive*

[Hoofbite]

So if a 10 year old parents allowed them to sail around the world that would be ok? I do agree there are 18 years olds who are very immature but they are of legal age to make the choices they choose to make.

Now you're just stretching the argument to a ridiculous level.

 

[Cythim]

Babies are dying right now because of neglectful parents and you want to argue about this? The girl knew what she was doing and is okay. You should step down from your soapbox now.

 

[Hostile]

Sorry sailing around the world alone is much different that a supervised activity. I do not doubt she is a very good sailor but it does not change the fact she is a 16 year old kid.

Dangerous is dangerous, period. Supervision or not.

I don't get this idea of protecting kids from everything. I rode bulls, jumped motorcycles, and drag raced cars as a teenager. I fought fires, hunted with real guns, and did all kinds of other dangerous things that could have taken my life. Not to mention football which is a very dangerous sport.

About the only dangerous things I never did was drink or do drugs.

I refused to live my life in a plastic bubble and I refuse to insist that other kids should even though I didn't.

 

[CoCo]

It does not change the fact we are talking a child, 16 is a child. What should the cut off age be? 10 if this was a 10 year old child would that be wrong? I don't think anyone is claiming she is incapable of sailing but even for the most experience sailors taking a journey like that is very dangerous

And who gets to choose what dangerous exploits underage kids will be allowed to undertake if those exploits are in fact legal? Kids & their parents. Not kids and posters on a message board.

We'd have differences of opinion on here about a whole host of activities kids might participate in at certain ages. When its ok, and when its not. If the law doesn't preclude it, then I guess it'll be up to the parents & kids. Getting all upset that you disagree won't change things.

I don't believe every 16 year old is mature enough to drive a car. But the law allows it they follow the right steps. As a result the parents won't be legally culpable if an immature, but legally compliant driver, causes an accident and harm to others.

 

[Doomsday101]

Now you're just stretching the argument to a ridiculous level.

Why age means nothing if that 10 year old is qualified then why keep them from a once in a life time experiance? She is a child no matter how you slice it and it is stupid to let a child sail around the world without any type of adult supervision along regardless of her skills at sailing.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Maturity is not an age. I understand often times the two go hand-in-hand but it is not absolute.

I think people are being too legalistic about this whole thing and in particular when you suggest that if she's 18 and wants to then she should be able to. If its all about an age then it really doesn't matter what the sailing skills or circumstances are which is of course absurd. But that, IMO, is how some of you are treating this.

16 = wrong (no matter the skill or circumstance)
18 = anyone is fully capable of saying yes/no regardless of skill or circumstance.

The world is FULL of 18 year olds who can't reasonably assess that or far less risky propositions. So if the parents are legally culpable at 16 I would also presume they used their adult judgment in helping her make the decision to begin with.

Everybody realizes that maturity isn't an age. The problem is, there is no tried and true measuring stick to determine how mature someone truly is. This is why I believe humanity made the right decision when they set the age of 18 (adulthood) to be the age where a man (or woman) can make his own decisions that override his parents. (except for Alcohol of course)

At 16, she had no business being out there alone. It is in my opinion that her parents are negligent in this case.

 

[Doomsday101]

And who gets to choose what dangerous exploits underage kids will be allowed to undertake if those exploits are in fact legal? Kids & their parents. Not kids and posters on a message board.

We'd have differences of opinion on here about a whole host of activities kids might participate in at certain ages. When its ok, and when its not. If the law doesn't preclude it, then I guess it'll be up to the parents & kids. Getting all upset that you disagree won't change things.

I don't believe every 16 year old is mature enough to drive a car. But the law allows it they follow the right steps. As a result the parents won't be legally culpable if an immature, but legally compliant driver, causes an accident and harm to others.

I'm stating my view like it or not she is a child by law she is a child hell we may as well through all the laws pretaining to child safety out the window because as long as some idiot parents said it is ok then no one should complain about it.

 

[CoCo]

Dangerous is dangerous, period. Supervision or not.

I don't get this idea of protecting kids from everything. I rode bulls, jumped motorcycles, and drag raced cars as a teenager. I fought fires, hunted with real guns, and did all kinds of other dangerous things that could have taken my life. Not to mention football which is a very dangerous sport.

About the only dangerous things I never did was drink or do drugs.

I refused to live my life in a plastic bubble and I refuse to insist that other kids should even though I didn't.

And I agree.

In the end folks it's parents who get to call the shots for their kids. In situations where the law feels the need to be explicit to help protect the child and the rest of society they have done so.

Whether or not a 16 year old should be allowed to sail around the world is not at the top of my list of areas where I think the state needs to further involve itself in our private lives. There may be other areas because there are certainly hordes of examples where parents and other adults are screwing up kids lives, but this sailing incident is by far not the most egregious IMO.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Dangerous is dangerous, period. Supervision or not.

I don't get this idea of protecting kids from everything. I rode bulls, jumped motorcycles, and drag raced cars as a teenager. I fought fires, hunted with real guns, and did all kinds of other dangerous things that could have taken my life. Not to mention football which is a very dangerous sport.

About the only dangerous things I never did was drink or do drugs.

I refused to live my life in a plastic bubble and I refuse to insist that other kids should even though I didn't.

I 100% fully agree with the not living your live in a plastic bubble, but I have one question for you. At how young of an age would you refuse to allow your daughter to sail around the world by herself?

It's not about shielding your child from danger. (I have to tell my wife that all the time!) She can get all the danger she needs without doing something so monumental at such a young age.

Would you let your 16 year old daughter climb mount Everest on her own? That would be a death sentence. She couldn't make it, but I'm willing to bet there is a 16 year old climber out there that is already a skilled professional that is willing to try and die doing so.

btw, Sailing is a physical sport and sailing around the world takes a very long time. At 16, the human body isn't completely developed yet. Just another reason she had no business being out there.

 

[CoCo]

I'm stating my view like it or not she is a child by law she is a child hell we may as well through all the laws pretaining to child safety out the window because as long as some idiot parents said it is ok then no one should complain about it.

And you alone will determine what is idiotic I assume. Because if this situation is legal then that is exactly what you are doing.

One issue at play here is whether or not you are willing to consider the opinions of others in arriving at good judgment. Your posts take a pretty strong stance on this.

I've neither supported nor condemned the decision to allow her to go. I've said all along I don't know enough specifics. But I do support a parents right to make risk assessments & decisions with their child where the state allows it.

You will always have exposure and second-guessing of parental decisions until you find a way to definitively measure maturity, test people for it, and then restrict their ability to raise a child as a result.

 

[Hostile]

I 100% fully agree with the not living your live in a plastic bubble, but I have one question for you. At how young of an age would you refuse to allow your daughter to sail around the world by herself?

I cannot answer that because I do not sail and do not know enough about sailing to give you an honest, well thought out answer.

It's not about shielding your child from danger. (I have to tell my wife that all the time!) She can get all the danger she needs without doing something so monumental at such a young age.

I disagree, it is entirely about that.

Would you let your 16 year old daughter climb mount Everest on her own? That would be a death sentence. She couldn't make it, but I'm willing to bet there is a 16 year old climber out there that is already a skilled professional that is willing to try and die doing so.

If my daughter were a skilled climber and that was her goal, yes I would.

btw, Sailing is a physical sport and sailing around the world takes a very long time. At 16, the human body isn't completely developed yet. Just another reason she had no business being out there.

If she gets her mast repaired I bet she will still make it. Which would prove this theory incorrect. I've read nothing to suggest she was in over her head.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Okay, I have not really been paying attention to this story, but decided to google her name and read the first article I came across that paraphrases what happened to see what the fuss is about in this thread.

I stopped reading the article after this:

CANBERRA, Australia – A 16-year-old California girl who was feared lost at sea while sailing solo around the world has been found alive and well, adrift in the southern Indian Ocean as rescue boats head toward her damaged yacht, officials said.

link

Every parent is certainly free to "manage" their household to their choosing, but I agree with those who find the decision to let a 16 year girl sail around the ocean alone extremely questionable and it is not surprising that something went wrong.

If I had a daughter, I wouldn't let her ride around the state of texas, let alone, sail around the world all by herself.

She would be an adult in the eyes of the United States in 2 years, so what was the big rush?

 

[Doomsday101]

And you alone will determine what is idiotic I assume. Because if this situation is legal then that is exactly what you are doing.

One issue at play here is whether or not you are willing to consider the opinions of others in arriving at good judgment. Your posts take a pretty strong stance on this.

I've neither supported nor condemned the decision to allow her to go. I've said all along I don't know enough specifics. But I do support a parents right to make risk assessments & decisions with their child where the state allows it.

You will always have exposure and second-guessing of parental decisions until you find a way to definitively measure maturity, test people for it, and then restrict their ability to raise a child as a result.

And there is a reason we have laws pertaining to underage kids requiring supervision and laws to protect them. Our hopes is that parents do make the right choices but there are many cases where the parents failed to do so and in those cases the authorities step in.

 

[CoCo]

And there is a reason we have laws pertaining to underage kids requiring supervision and laws to protect them. Our hopes is that parents do make the right choices but there are many cases where the parents failed to do so and in those cases the authorities step in.

No problem with that. Actually, I fully support that.

The question is whether they should do just that in this particular situation because of the venture undertaken and her calendar age without regard to any other information. You say yes.

I say all the unique details of this specific situation need to be thoroughly examined before reaching a conclusion.

 

[CoCo]

If she gets her mast repaired I bet she will still make it. Which would prove this theory incorrect. I've read nothing to suggest she was in over her head.

The "theory" that a 16 year old female can accomplish this task was already proven to be fact when the austrailian 16 year old girl successfully completed the journey.

Doesn't make it safe or advisiable for all 16 year old girls. Just that apparently some do have the strength and skills to accomplish the feat.

 

[Doomsday101]

No problem with that. Actually, I fully support that.

The question is whether they should do just that in this particular situation because of the venture undertaken and her calendar age without regard to any other information. You say yes.

I say all the unique details of this specific situation need to be thoroughly examined before reaching a conclusion.

Hey if they had a 2nd boat trailing her I would really not have an issue and she could still achieve the goal however allowing a 16 year old to sail around the world alone I think it is foolish.

She was lucky the French ship came across her as she was well off course due to the storm she encountered.

This is extremely dangerous even for the most seasoned sailors. My only thought and concern is with the safety of this young girl.

I do not doubt her ability or that she is a mature young girl but no matter how you spin it she is still a 16 year old kid.

Had this ended tragically and was found dead I think many more people would be singing a different tune about this.

 

[Hostile]

The "theory" that a 16 year old female can accomplish this task was already proven to be fact when the austrailian 16 year old girl successfully completed the journey.

Doesn't make it safe or advisiable for all 16 year old girls. Just that apparently some do have the strength and skills to accomplish the feat.

I'm with ya man.

 

[CoCo]

Hey if they had a 2nd boat trailing her I would really not have an issue and she could still achieve the goal however allowing a 16 year old to sail around the world alone I think it is foolish.

She was lucky the French ship came across her as she was well off course due to the storm she encountered.

This is extremely dangerous even for the most seasoned sailors. My only thought and concern is with the safety of this young girl.

I do not doubt her ability or that she is a mature young girl but no matter how you spin it she is still a 16 year old kid.

Had this ended tragically and was found dead I think many more people would be singing a different tune about this.

I wouldn't be.

In the same way I don't think that just because the austrailian girl made the trip successfully any 16 year old should be blessed by her parents to do so.

You want to make this all about the age, and all about whether the trip was successful or not.

My particular experiences in raising 3.5 adults (the youngest is still 10 ) leads me to a different conclusion.

 

[Doomsday101]

I wouldn't be.

In the same way I don't think that just because the austrailian girl made the trip successfully any 16 year old should be blessed by her parents to do so.

You want to make this all about the age, and all about whether the trip was successful or not.

My particular experiences in raising 3.5 adults (the youngest is still 10 ) leads me to a different conclusion.

I don't doubt we have a many adults are not mature but it still does not change the fact this young girl is still a child. By the way I would say the same if we were talking a 16 year old boy. Just want you to know I'm not a sexist.

 

[YosemiteSam]

The "theory" that a 16 year old female can accomplish this task was already proven to be fact when the austrailian 16 year old girl successfully completed the journey.

Doesn't make it safe or advisiable for all 16 year old girls. Just that apparently some do have the strength and skills to accomplish the feat.

Don't forget luck too!