He's cheating :)

higgs · Dec 29, 2006

Not really a solo crossing.....

Having a chase boat 2 miles away for the trip is not what I call solo passage, but it is still an impressive passage.

sailortonyb Allied Mis · Dec 29, 2006

Not really impressive...

When you are "alone", decisions have to be constantly be made because it is a potentially life and death situation. Now with help just a few miles away, one can easily keep on going. I will speak from my perspective. I'm too old to think about crosing the atlantic solo. NOT EVEN ON A DARE !!!. But.... if i had a chase team a few miles away all of the time, i would go and do it just for the experience, without hesitation. Its much easier to hang in there with the cavalry right behind you.

Paul Akers · Dec 29, 2006

He May Be "Cheating", but...

...he's doing something that many of us have never done. Even if he does have the asterisk next to his name, who else can claim that they have done it? If it were my son, I'd feel a lot more comfortable accompanying him, too!

Ross · Dec 29, 2006

In this case help is about 2 hours away. I presume

The father is not alone. From the news clipping it seems that Dad is alone so the only hands on assistance he could give involves one of those men leaving his ship. How does a chartered marine surveyor have an upper shroud break?Or is he a land surveyor?

Ross · Dec 29, 2006

Franklin, unless junior is dead in the water

Dad won't be able to catch up at 6 knots. They are tradewind sailing so even under bare poles junior is going to be making way.

David10790 · Dec 30, 2006

Still really impressive

He may have help 2 miles behind, but he is still managing all the boat systems, sailing the right direction and feeding himself. I have had two 14 year olds. Neither could have done this; nor have I met anyone that age who I would have bet on. So, even if it is a publicity stunt, the kid still sailed across the Atlantic in a 28 foot trailer sailer by himself. I'm impressed.

Ross · Dec 30, 2006

Read the accounts of Robin Lee Graham

in this link.http://www.bluemoment.com/dove.html

Alex · Dec 30, 2006

Bonding

I wish my dad did that or my son will do that with me. It took gus and admiration. Just think about the bonding between father and son.How many armchair critics sailed across a sizable lake never mind an ocean? And besides you only live once. For that I salute him and his dad.

menestheus15689 · Dec 30, 2006

alex.........

i'll be your son lets go ........

Dave5031 · Dec 30, 2006

It's easy....

to sit here in our nice warm houses at our computers and offer opinions. This Kid is out there in the Atlantic singlelhanding a 28' sailboat, i don't care if the US Navt is 2 miles behind him. Unless we can or have done better, maybe we should just offer congratulations.

sailortonyb Allied Mis · Dec 30, 2006

Its an unfair advantage.

Its not about bonding or about guts or even about admiration. Its about the fact that its easier to go on under the worst of conditions when you know help is right around the corner. I'm not trying to take anything away from the young man except the title. Consider this....would he have made the trip alone, truly alone. There are many points on a long voyage like this that you ask yourself "do i go on or is it better for me to turn back"?. If i run out of food , i could always bum some. If im really in a bind, I will have help nearby, etc., etc., etc., OK, I'll continue onward.Also, as a father, what would your response be if someone took the world title away from YOUR son in the same manner.Read the link that Ross posted about Robert Lee Graham. Somehow ITS NOT THE SAME.Sorry if i'm highly opinionated, but i used to compete in sports when i was younger and I know how i would feel if i thought someone took my record away from me in what i considered unfair advantage although legal , he did do it solo.Im at work right now and my problem is too much time on my hands, sorry if anyone is offended. Its not meant to be offensive. Tony B

higgs · Dec 30, 2006

Sailortony:

Tell us the details of your solo Atlantic crossing.

Brian D · Dec 30, 2006

I thought there were child protection laws!

Just my .02!

Robert Gainer · Dec 30, 2006

He deserves congratulations and has my respect

I did my first solo trans-Atlantic in 1974 using an un-powered 22 foot boat when I was 21. For several years I thought I was the youngest but later found that Robin Lee Graham had in fact crossed in 1968 at the age of 19. The age was dropped in 2003 when Seb Clover crossed at the age of 15. Now a 14 year old, Michael Perham is just days away from becoming the youngest. I don’t care if he is sailing near someone else he is alone on that boat and if they get separated by weather or other problems he is truly alone. It’s easer to do things like this then it was in my day because of the advances in navigation etc but it still takes something that most people don’t have to set out to cross an ocean and even more so if it’s your first try and can you imagine trying it at 14. He deserves congratulations and has my respect for even trying it. I wish him well,Robert Gainer

Ross · Dec 31, 2006

This venture is probably safer than

walking across Baltimore looking like you may have money in your pockets.

NautiDuck · Dec 31, 2006

I agree with everyone

It is a great achivement but not a single-handed crossing.

Robert Gainer · Dec 31, 2006

Not single-handed?

Randy,You don’t think it’s a single-handed crossing? Do you mean to say that if you sail across during a race composed of people all on their own boats you didn’t cross single-handed just because someone else was in the area going the same way? It’s somewhat safer to travel in company with other boats but it’s still an ocean and you still have a very good chance of getting separated or having bad weather. In a storm I want to know how much good it does to have a boat 2 miles away if they can’t do anything to help. All the best,Robert Gainer

Ross · Dec 31, 2006

If there is no one in the boat with him it is

singlehanding. If you learn to fly an airplane the first time you take off alone you are soloing. if you teach your kid to drive, the first time he/she takes the car out alone that is soloing, if you choose to follow in another car you can only watch you can't help. I could let Nancy single hand Bietzpadlin and be in the cockpit the whole time but just as cargo.

He's cheating :)

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Robert Gainer

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