Comments on: Some Thoughts on Laura Dekker

By: Peter West

Peter West — Sat, 22 May 2010 18:19:03 +0000

Why are you all being so negative I think it is an achievement for anybody to sail around the world young or old.

By: seasea

seasea — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:07:57 +0000

Why should Laura Dekker’s parents be allowed to pull her out of school for two years of sailing?

Why should MIKE PERHAM’s parents be allowed to pull HIM out of school for two years of sailing?

By: evaholland

evaholland — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:19:23 +0000

Thanks for reading and chiming in, all! Glad to see I’m not alone on this one.

By: James L. Moore

James L. Moore — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:26:57 +0000

This tale parallels The Balloon Boy (and his publicity hound parents) story. It would be one thing if she and her father were going to sail around the world together. Something else entirely in pursuit of some meaningless (except as a steppingstone to publicity and possible fame) objective.

It does sound suspiciously like the father has some undue influence and his own personal agenda.

By: geotraveler

geotraveler — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:13:50 +0000

“A single parent who pulled her fourten year-old out of school and sent him to work at McDonald’s to help out with the rent would almost certainly be accused of child abuse.”

Excellent breakdown Eva. Looking at the world through privileged glasses tends to be murky.

All about publicity and limelight at a very young age.

Kick her ass back to school, I say!

By: CPF

CPF — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 01:17:35 +0000

You got it with the comparison to the other recent record breakers – there is nothing to prove here. Maybe to do it faster, or twice, or with some impairment to overcome, but youth is at least a physical advantage. The only bragging rights in youth records is that you did it with the least experience. Is that really something to be proud of?

It’s reminiscent of the 2008 underage Olympic gymnast scandal in that minors do need to be protected from overachieving when the risks are too high. Allowing Laura to attempt this trip would have two possible outcomes: failure, or succeeding in lowering the record age and prompting someone even younger to try. Neither one is good so the government was right to step in.

By: Adam Roy

Adam Roy — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:05:02 +0000

Very well said. That’s been my thought on the matter since I first heard of it.

I’ve been writing about pro sailing for a good while, and from everything I’ve seen during that time, I think she underestimates the challenges of circumnavigating the world.

Until you can actually wrap your mind around the possibility of your own death (something I don’t think any 14-year-old can do, and that I’m not really sure I’ve even got the hang of), I don’t think you’re mature enough to make the decision to take that big of a risk.

By: Carlo

Carlo — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 04:53:45 +0000

Great perspective Eva! Very interesting case. You raise some excellent points.