Conference unifix::sailing

I have very mixed emotions about Tania Aebi. I admire her for doing what 
she has done. Offshore sailing, especially alone, is at times frightening 
and grueling. To circumnavigate on a Contessa 26 is a remarkable 
achievement.

On the other hand, I am quite taken aback by her at times apparent lack
of maturity, her not always careful seamanship, and her lack of the
basic skills needed to maintain a boat in seaworthy condition. By the 
time she was knocked down in the Med she certainly should have known 
enough to be more careful, tired or not. Somehow I keep thinking that 
she has been very favored by the gods of the ocean. 

In printing her articles I have the feeling that Cruising World is in a
sense condoning poor seamanship and planning, or at least is excusing
Tania because of her youth. Would Cruising World have printed the
articles if a middle aged (fe)male had written them? 

    I agree with "mixed feelings" about Tania Aebi.  I admire her enthusiasm
    but also agree that after 2+ years at sea she should have been better
    prepared.  I know that after many weeks at sea there is a tendency
    to get careless but if there's one thing I have learned from sailing
    is that you need to take deliberate precautions so as not to be
    caught off guard.
    
    Cruising World not only seems to be condoning poor seamanship but
    also ENCOURAGING other unseasoned sailors to take similiar chances.
    
    Earlier in her voyage I remember reading many editorials in CW from
    outraged parents who couldn't believe that Tania's father would
    allow such a trip for his daughter.  Although I disagreed with many
    of them, it does seem that he would have instilled caution and safety
    in his daughter before she left.  I suppose that at 20 years, however,
    she should have enough "boat smarts" to avoid such problems without
    dad leading her by the hand.
    
    All things aside, boating provides an education that no learning
    institution can provide.  Will Tania make the grade?

    If I remember correctly, Tania's boat was knocked down in the Indian
    Ocean earlier in her circumnavigation. I would have expected her
    to learn from that particular experience and be better prepared
    for another like (or worse) experience. We all should learn from
    our own and others experiences.
    

    ... and if *I* remember correctly, her father didn't know much (if
    anything) about sailing when he flew the whole family over to Europe,
    boarded a 40+ foot something they had just bought, and sailed back to
    New York.  He's an artist.

Well, she's back.  She arrived in New York on Friday (6-Nov) and got a brief
mention on the evening news.  Also I found an article in the Saturday Boston
Globe.  A few snippets:

1)   She doesn't get a record for youngest person or first woman to solo
around the world, because she carried a passenger for 80 miles in the South
Pacific.  (At least when Robin Graham did his trip, he would double back
to make sure every forward mile was traversed single-handed.)

2)   One report referred to her as a "rebellious teenager".  She was "unhappy
with formal schooling" (just graduated from high school, remember?) and
her father offered her money for college OR the boat, with the condition
that she sail it around the world.  Tania's last job before this trip was
as a bicycle messenger in New York.

3)   WCVB said that she did not get the real hang of navigation until she
reached the Galapagos.  (Natalie Jacobson pronounced it GAH-lah-PAH-gos.)

4)   She said in an interview that she completed the trip through "dumb luck".
(I didn't see the interview.  I just heard it reported.  Anybody actually
hear her talk?  The networks did not give the story much time on Friday.)

I dunno, maybe sailing around the world isn't as difficult as it used to
be.

I did check back in the CW story about the knockdown, and she did say she
was extremely tired due to lack of sleep, having to constantly change sails
and watch out for shipping in the crowded Med.

	"Thinking back, my mistake was the bare poled bit.  Had I had
	my wits about me, I would have set a small jib, or had conditions
	worsened, I should have heaved to.  Fatigue is the sailor's enemy."

This is probably the most dangerous aspect of single handed sailing.  "Yes,
I'd do it again," she said.  "But probably not alone."

re .1:

>>>  1) She doesn't get a record for youngest person or first woman to solo
around the world, because she carried a passenger for 80 miles in the South
Pacific.  

Naomi James circumnavigated singlehanded and nonstop (as I recall) some 
years ago and wrote an excellent book about her experiences.

This is what comes of listening to press reports.  Chet on WCVB said she
would have been the first.  I was surprised.

    Despite the folks who think she was crazy, I say more power to her!
    
    Good goin' Tania, and welcome home!
    
    
    Walt 

    I agree with Walt! I am impressed with her achievment. I toy with
    the idea, but haven't seriously considered it. So what if she wasn't
    academically inclined.
    
     And who among us could say we have ALWAYS learned from our mistakes?
    
     I admit that a knockdown is serious business, and that it might
    be the wrong mistake NOT to learn from. But that's the way it is.
    I bet she is a better stronger person for the experience. I am willing
    to learn from other people's experiences,and point out that which
    I would try not to do in similar situations, but I won't let that
    detract from her achievment.
    
    				Gregg Germain

    
    
    	I think it was a great achievement. Who among us can
    	drop everything and just leave for two to three
    	years and sail around the world? I enjoyed reading
    	about her adventures and hope Cruising World has
    	more articles about people who do challenging things.

    
    If I were just out of high school and my father bought me 
    a sailboat, I might be able to just leave for two or
    three years.

    Personally, I do not want to lose sight of her willingness to "do"
    instead of "talk". Although there are some things we all may/would
    have done differently, her accomplishment speaks for itself. I have
    a great deal of admiration for her. I think the message from the
    boating community to her should be "well done, and welcome home".
    

> I think the message from the boating community to her should be 
> "well done, and welcome home".

 I saw here on Dave L. latenight last evening! Prior to interview I would
 have agreed with the above statement, now I'd say "Boy, are you lucky!".
 Her attitude is "White American Smart... Princess". I just hope
 she has enough concience to not encourage others! In my opinion she didn't
 learn a thing, and from what I saw, she sure didn't mature much.
 Then again, I'm an opinionated SOB anyway....

	Greg

    It was nice to read some positive replies in this topic after a
    very negative start.  Tania chose to sail around the world for reasons
    all her own.  She completed her voyage.  Maybe she learned something
    and maybe she didn't.  Maybe she matured and maybe she didn't. 
    Sure she made mistakes but don't we all?  Even Naomi James, who
    I respect a great deal, didn't learn to navigate until she almost
    ran into Africa; had it not been for Rob James who was racing ahead
    of her in the Fastnet and communicating with her daily, she could have 
    had some real problems getting home.  
    
    So, who are we to judge another's accomplishment?  If I can
    learn something from that person's feat then I can grow.  I can
    learn from mistakes as well as the accomplishment itself.  Anyone
    attempting a similar adventure does so of his or her own choice.
    Tania's articles and tv interviews may provide information to
    other individuals interested in making a similar voyage, but the 
    ultimate choice to  begin such a trip is left up to the individual.
    

	mumble...hamble...ramble (It's hard to talk around the humble
	pie I'm eating....)

	re: .14

	You are right! Opinions, and observations are personal and esoteric. 
	I guess I had my parent hat on too tight. The biggest fear I have is 
	my (darling) daughters (19 and 17) going into something so 
	ill-prepared that it will get them killed or maimed. They generally 
	get only "Go for it.." from thier peers, and "you don't know what 
	you're getting into" from adults (and parents).

	Strange coincidence... My 19 year old came to me and said "Dad,
	I want to go hiking around Australia for a year. What do you think?"
	My first reaction was "I don't think that is very smart, without a lot
	of study and preperation. Have you really thought this out. You
	ought to wait til you are older. You ought to finish college first." 

	THEN the next day I remembered that 
	a) I got married at 19 (when everyone said "You'll never make it.")
	b) We had her (my oldest) at 20 (when everyone said "Are you nuts!") 
	c) I really didn't know what I was getting into, BUT I LEARNED QUICK.
	d) We did make it (20 year wedding anniversary was last summer)
	e) We have had a good and happy life. (gray hairs from teenagers
		excluded...)
	e) We aren't nuts (what nervous twitch?...) 
	f) You have to live your life for yourself and your mate, not others. 
	g) Caution comes from experience, not via advice.

	So I swallowed the humble pie, gave her a list of everything I 
	could think of she should do to prepare, got her an AT&T international
	credit card for emergency calls, offered to drive her to the 
	airport, or harbor, or train station, and said "Its your life have
	fun, but CALL WHEN YOU GET THERE!" (once a parent...always a parent).

	So I apologise for my tone, the opinions expressed were mine and
	mine alone (and those I REFUSE to apologise for), but she does deserve
	the credit for "DAMN, You actually did it! Congratulations."

		Greg

	PS - My daughter decided (on her own!!) to finish school THEN
	go on a walkabout. (maybe I can stop worrying about her now,
	if only her sister were ....)

    
    I was envious when I first read about Tania's voyage, but I supported
    her endeavor and was eager to learn that she was successful.  I
    think that her seeming flippancy about many things may not have
    been real.  Sometimes our own feelings of inadequacy and fear and
    lonliness etc. are expressed in strange ways.  I remember when I
    was twenty, ready to take the bull by the horns, believing that
    I believed I could do anything--if I had a boat then, I very well
    might have done the same thing.  I do intend to sail around the
    world in a few years.  I hope I have as much luck and courage as
    Tania.  I've finally got the boat.  One things for sure--she did
    do something that most of us don't have the courage to do and many
    of us don't have the time to do.  There are, however, some of us
    who will make the time, if we have enough courage.
    

             From the just-received ad issue of Soundings:

(RI) JJ TAYLOR SLOOP CONTESSA 26  "Varuna", Canadian built "around the 
world" cruiser.  6 sails, Monitor self steering, Autohelm 1000, RDF, VHF, 
DS, 8hp Bukh inboard and boat recently overhauled.  Very good condition, 
many spares and extras, fully equipped to go anywhere, $25,000./OBO.  Call 
anytime (401)846-7664.

J.

re .17:

Yes, but she and Oliver Somebody_or_Other are getting married. Perhaps 
they'll continue cruising on his boat.

    Has anyone read Tania's book, "Maiden Voyage," or something like that?
    I read excerpts in Cruising World that sounded interesting, but I
    trust the noters more than the reviewers.

    I read the book it is not bad but it depends upon what you are looking
    for.  After finishing it I wish I had checked it out of the library
    rather than buying it.  I had just finished Dodge Morgans book and I
    preferred it.  Neither book is heavy reading each took a less than 8
    hours to finish.


    Forrest

Re .19:

I read the book and enjoyed it, although I agree with .20 that it wasn't
a masterwork.  The excerpt in Cruising World was somewhat different  --
better, actually -- than the corresponding chapters in the book, and that
tells the story; the book could have been better edited.  The story moves
well until Tania falls in love and heads up the Suez; I get the impression
that at that point in the voyage/writing of the book she lost interest and
just wanted to get it over with.

I read the book in one sitting, so it was absorbing enough to hold my
attention.  I walked away agreeing with Alan Beren's (I think it was him)
comment about Tania -- she's damned lucky to be alive. 

    I attended her Cruising World talk in Boston a few weeks ago.  She's a
    charming speaker and it was an enjoyable evening.  A couple notes:
    
    o  she did some blue water cruising with her dad before her trip - from
    the publicity I had assumed she had no experience.
    
    o  her problems with her engine made the addition of a solar panel
    paramount for her.
    
    o  her near collision with a freighter was avoided for the most part by
    her little boat surfing on the freighter's bow wave!
    
    o  she's now got her delivery license. [Enjoying her talk and letting
    her deliver my boat somewhere are two entirely different matters!]
    
    o  she's now got "a bun in the oven"  (her words).
    
    o  she'd recommend "oh, at least a 32' boat" to anyone wanting to
    repeat her experience, but wouldn't go bigger than 34'.
    
    -gayn