15-year-old Jessica launches her round-world yacht

by Nancy Knudsen on 16 May 2009 Australian fifteen-year-old Jessica Watson, the latest teen to chase the 'youngest solo around the world' trophy, has launched her yacht, aptly called 'Youngestaround'. This brings her dream, which involves leaving in September (now two months earlier than the original start date of November) a little closer.

While in Australia there has been some criticism by family groups about the dangers of the voyage for the slightly built teen, Don McIntyre, the adventurer who with his wife Margie were the first to winter over at Commonwealth Bay since the great explorer Mawson, has given her project a vote of confidence by donating the yacht to Jessica.

The yacht is an S&S (Sparkman and Stephens) 34, the same type of yacht used by her two other Australian predecessors, David Dicks and Jesse Martin, who both completed round world solo passagers in their teens.(David is still the youngest, but Jesse did it non-stop and unassisted.

Victorian adventurer Jesse Martin, who set his record in 1999, has also defended Jessica's adventure, telling the ABC, 'It's Jessica's choice, she's the one who's making the decision.'

In the meantime, Californian Zac Sunderland, 16, has arrived at Grenada in the Caribbean after a 34 day journey across the Atlantic in his yacht Intrepid during which a rogue wave damaged his boat, his inverter caught fire and failed, and this meant his satphone was unable to be charged.

After repairs, he has now set out for Panama. The rest of his voyage, while still potentially hazardous, does not involve any long ocean passages. He is also (in a laid-back fashion) attempting to become the youngest to sail around the world. His destination - Marina del Rey in Los Angeles - is getting closer.

Down in the Tasman Sea, British teenager Mike Perham, also 16 but 108 days younger than Zac, on his 55ft racing yacht Totallymoney, has just sailed around the northern tip of New Zealand and is heading for Auckland, forced to stop there to repair yet another steering problem on his boat.

Both of these young adventurers have made stops along the way, so they are not competing for the 'non-stop unassisted' record.

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Letter received from reader (Louise Martin, Jesse Martin's mother)

Sender: Louise Martin

Message: I would like to commend Nancy Knudsen on her accurate report - at last a journalist has done their homework and got all the correct facts. Even a reporter from The Melbourne Age could not get all the correct facts on Mike Perham's world sailing attempt when he docked in Hobart.

I would also like to encourage Jessica on pursuing her dream and to please 'listen to her own heart and feelings' and not that of the millions of 'armchair critics.' To Jessica's parents - listen but do not take on board all of the criticism you will get as being irresponsible parents from other parents who overprotect their children. I believe our children do not belong to us - they are individual human beings - and our role is to guide not control them. Someone made the comment that 'Jessica's parents do not even have television' I would say that perhaps that is even more reason why their daughter has her dream and she has been brought up with values to be admired that are not learnt by watching television, computer games etc. etc. I have never met Jessica or her parents but I would like to encourage them to always be available to the media no matter what time of day or night they want an interview from you because it is better they get your interview than something the journalist has to obtain for the newsroom that they end up making up - it will be in Jessica's interest on how you avail yourself to the Australian media, radio, television and print. Go for it Jessica.

Again - great report Nancy.

I was also regarded as a very irresponsible mother but Jesse Martin proved them all wrong. It is amazing how those critics all of a sudden want to be your friend when you achieve your goal. All the best Jessica I will be following you and my prayers will be with you.

Louise Martin