Transat Congrats to Seb Clover, and YM rethink?

[tcm]

Congrat to Seb Clover, who yesterday completed sailed across the atlantic from canaries aged 15 and arrived in Antigua a week or so before his 16th birthday. Quite an achievement for a young chap, or indeed anyone of any age.

Alternatively...what on earth is any parent doing letting their kids go on unnecesary long sea voyages solo, surely irresponsible and what if something had happened?

Realted issue...I see that you can't qualify as a Yachtmaster until you are 17. And don't bother trying as soon as you are 17, cos unless the instructor fails to trip you uyp, they feel fine about failing a 17-yearold for lack of experience, not like a car driving test. If youngsters are gonna try long voyages (and i bet more will do so soon) shouldn't the age limit be reviewed?

 

[bedouin]

Agreed, it is a great achievement for someone of his age.

In fairness his father was never far away - so whether it genuinely classes as a solo voyage could be debated (but then most "solo" sailing now has a huge back-up team back at base).

Given the purpose, and commercial significance, of YM the lower age limit does not seem to be unreasonable. Ability to manage a crew is just as important as sailing ability - and however good a sailor he may be it would be difficult for a 16 year old to manage an older crew effectively.

 

[david_e]

Agree, another Ellen on the way hopefully, my 14 3/4 year old daughter is intrigued by this and wants to meet young Seb, only she will dwarf him by a few inches which makes me think his achievement is all the greater.

Do we know how or whether he fixed the broken stay(?) that broke of the mast?

 

[tcm]

So where was his dad?

was his dad shadowing him in an escort boat then? I didn't read that bit!

 

[Forbsie]

I was surprised that his dad seemed to be about 15 hours ahead of him. The weather must have been ideal to re-assure him enough to go ahead and join the reception party.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.seafin.co.uk>Tender to...</A>

 

[Strathglass]

Re:Rigging problems ?

I had read that he had rigging problems but not that the mast had broken.
Is there anywhere that more info can be found?

The Contessa 32 site was flag waving a bit but had no real info when I looked.


Iain

 

[Jacket]

They were racing- his father wasn't acting as a back up boat. At least that's what they claim, and I see no reason not to believe tham.

 

[Guest]

Post deleted by danfoley

 

[claymore]

Boring old fart

Why wasn't he at school
And please don't pedal the 'He learned far more out there' line he must be in Year 11 which means that this is his GCSE year.
I blame the parents - Irresponsible -
Harrumph

regards
Claymore

 

[Jacket]

Re: So where was his dad?

I'm still sure they were racing, but even if they weren't, so what? The fact that there's another boat near you doesn't make much difference- he would still have to everything himself (Except maybe navigating, but then a lot of people crossing the atlantic have a computer to do all the hard work for them). Sure, he had someone to talk to over the VHF, but then so do a lot people crossing the atlantic in these days of satelite comunications.

I think he deserves the record, and feel its a much more valid record than many being claimed just now.

Just one question. The photo's of him crossing the finish line show him wearing a wet suit. Anyone else wear a wetsuit when sailing a yacht?

 

[david_e]

Re: Boring old fart

you boring old fart you!

Can't think why any adventurous 15 year old would want to do this when they could be at school. Just think of all the drink & drug crazed parties he will have missed out on) Then again, he might be invited to one next year as a special guest.

 

[Sybarite]

It is interesting to note that in medieval times boys were considered adults at the age of 15 and it was not at all abnormal to get married well before this age.

Richard the Lionheart was considered sufficiently adult by his parents Henry II and Eleanor of Acquitaine to exercise power and was given the effective Dukedom of Acquitaine (which at the time was greater than the Kingdom of France) at the age of 14.

Have we educated young people away from responsibilty?

 

[Cornishman]

Crossing the Atlantic doesn't make you a Yachtmaster. I once had the privilege of interviewing the delightful Claire Francis who with several single handed Transats to her name told me that she knew nothing of inshore pilotage, little of IRPCS and was taken to the start line (engine sealed) and taken to a berth after finishing. She was sure she would not pass a YM exam.

 

[jimi]

Re: Boring old fart

Funny you say that! Our 15 yr old's main excuse for not going sailing is that she's studying for her GCSE's (knows what button to press with mummsie!).So guess what my first innocent question was, daughter's first answer was that most of it was over the Xmas holidays and he could have taken his homework with him anyway .. guess what my response was .. end result .. usual teenage daughter v. middle aged father barnie!

 

[claymore]

Re: Boring old fart

Hmm
I always wondered where they got it from, this inordinate ability to tailor a response to suit the needs of their argument. I eventually concluded to myself that it must come from their Mothers.

regards
Claymore

 

[Mirelle]

Case in point

Quite a few years ago now, my sister became what was then the youngest Yachtmaster. The practical took place aboard the examiner's Contessa 32 on a perfectly vile day, so she was covered in oilies and wellies and going blue from cold. All of which adds decades (temporarily) to a lady's age... Having told her that she had passed, the examiner asked her details for the certificate and on discovering her age said, "If I had known that I would have failed you!"

 

[Jacket]

Re: Case in point

Yes, I've never quite understood the "you're too young" response. The very best skipper I've sailed with was at the time the youngest person to have passed the YM exam. I would have trusted them anywhere, in any conditions.

After all, if you start sailing young, and are keen, by the time you're 16 or 17 you can have more experience than many of the "old" people who complete circumnavigations. Looking at the ARC entrants, many of them are retired couples who have only been sailing for a few years. So not only don't they have much experience, but also they often won't have the strenth and stamina of younger people such as Seb.

 

[tcm]

Re: wetsuit

seems quite good idea wearing a wetsuit. Of course, one would need to be young and slim, and not a bit of a spreading git like me when it mite be uncomfy

 

[warrior40]

Yes, many congrats, well done, don't want to be too sour, but if my parents had bought me a Contessa 32 at 15, I'd have been there quite a few years ago and beat him to it.

 

[Gunfleet]

<<if my parents had bought me a Contessa 32 at 15>>
You don't know that he didn't just have the biggest paper round on the IOW