New member of Caribbean Sail Training is Laura Dekker with sailing vessel Guppy
by Caribbean Sail Training 5 Apr 2022 16:50 UTC
Laura Dekker, know in the Netherlands as "Het Zeilmeisje " just became the newest member of the non profit association Caribbean Sail Training with her ''Laura Dekker World Sailing Foundation'' and her sailyacht Guppy, a Scorpio 72.
Laura was born on 20 September 1995 and in 2009, she announced her plan to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the world on her sailboat, single handed.
The dutch childcare stepped in and prevented Laura from departing while taking over the custody of her from both her parents. In July 2010, a Dutch court ended this custody arrangement and gave it back to the parents.
The record-breaking attempt finally began on 21 August 2010.
Laura successfully completed the solo circumnavigation in a 12.4 meter (40 ft) two-masted ketch sailboat named Guppy, arriving in Simpson Bay St.Maarten 518 days later at the age of 16.
On 20 February 2015, she obtained a Yacht Master Ocean 200 ton Certificate.
She started the Laura Dekker World Sailing Foundation together with her partner Sander and they now have a new and larger sailboat which she named again Guppy.
Laura & Sander started to do sail training with youngsters in Europe, did Atlantic crossings and have been cruising around in the Caribbean.
"My father and the sea were the best teachers I have ever had. And I want to pass on exactly these experiences that have shaped me so much, "says Laura. And where could a passionate sailor like her do it better than at sea? "We want to bring together young people from very different social classes and sail with them," Laura explains the concept. "They learn to take responsibility, they have to face the forces of nature, operate the boat, navigate, cook, repair equipment. This will be hard for some. But only what challenges you makes you grow and helps you to discover your self-confidence, your interests and talents."
S.V. Guppy is now member number 73 in the long list of Caribbean Sail Training vessels. The membership implicates that CST will eventually have some Caribbean students / trainees on the yacht in the near future in addition to the other International students which are on board Guppy.
The non-profit association Caribbean Sail Training offers youngsters from the Caribbean the possibilities to enroll as trainees on sail training vessels (mostly the so called Tall Ships) and sponsors the fees that the boats need for the sail training so that the parents or youngsters (who in many cases don't have the money to pay for the on board courses) do not have to pay those themselves.
CST pays also airline fares and hotel accommodation for the trainees if needed.
Several hundreds of kids have sailed in the past on CST member vessels as trainees.
Guppy just completed a several month's sail training around the Caribbean with 14 young students and left the Baie de Marigot in St.Martin on March 22 to Bermuda and is now on her way further on across the Atlantic back to Holland.
During the summer months, the yacht will undergo maintenance and upgrades and do some shorter trips in Europe before returning with "fresh" students after an Atlantic crossing to St.Maarten-St.Martin early November.
More information regarding Guppy and the foundation can be found on the Internet: lauradekkerworldsailingfoundation.com and additional information about Caribbean Sail Training at: www.CaribbeanSailTraining.com.