Will Dutch Court ban teen sailor or allow TV Reality Show?

by Nancy Knudsen on 30 Oct 2009 This Friday the Dutch children's court that banned 14-year-old Laura Dekker from setting out on a round-world solo voyage on 28th August for two months and put her under the care of the court, will decide whether to continue the ban or allow her journey to be turned into a TV Reality Show.

Originally Laura had planned to set out on her 8.3-metre (27-foot) Hurley 800 sloop named Guppy in September, financed by sponsors, while pursuing her education via the internet and keeping in touch with her family via satellite phone. The journey was expected to take around two years.

The Utrecht court will study the reports of child protection services and a psychological expert before making its ruling on Friday. When banning her journey, the court said a full study was needed to assess the dangers before Dekker could be allowed to embark on her trip, and placed her with welfare workers. This effectively stripped the teenager's parents of the right to make decisions about her for that period of time.

Her father supports her plans to become the youngest person ever to sail around the world solo, while her mother has expressed some concerns in the Dutch press.

Welfare workers asked the court on Monday to extend the custody arrangement, but her lawyers had other ideas. They described how the trip will be made into a reality TV show.

It could be the ultimate reality TV show: 14-year-old girl sails around the world solo, explores the Caribbean, the South Pacific and South East Asia, braves the pirate-infested waters off the coast of Somalia, faces rough storms, dead calms, loneliness and physical exhaustion.

Her reward: the Guinness world record for becoming the youngest sailor ever to circumvent the planet solo.

The ban on her journey had an effect similar to the effect when Australian teenager Jessica Watson, who two weeks ago set our to circumnavigate the world non-stop and unassisted, hit a tanker on her first solo night at sea. The media attention multiplied and gained her extravagant offers of support from around the world. After considering several proposals, 'Team Laura Dekker' has agreed to go into business with one, as yet unnamed TV station.

An experienced sailor has put himself forward to follow Laura during the entire trip in a faster boat.

Laura's website has received offers of free hotel rooms and private accommodation.

Someone has proposed to be her spokesperson free of charge, and she will be met and taken care of at every port of call during her trip.

But will this sway the three juvenile court judges as they weigh their decision this week?

Watch this space...