[Golden Legacy]

http://news.bbc.co.u...ope/8226196.stm

A Dutch court has put a 13-year-old girl under state care for two months, stalling her bid to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world.

The decision by three Utrecht judges means Laura Dekker's parents, who support her plans, temporarily lose the right to make decisions about her.

A child psychologist will now assess her capacity to undertake the voyage.

Miss Dekker says she is happy with the ruling, but she will try to convince the authorities to let her set sail.

"I haven't had the same upbringing as so many other children," she told the Dutch television programme, NOS Jeugdjournaal, in her only comments after the ruling.

"Sailing has always played an important role in my upbringing and that's why I want to do this now," she added.

Back to school

The seasoned sailor, who lives with her father Dick Dekker, said she would return to classes when school reopens on Monday after the summer break.

"My classmates may be surprised to see me back at school, but I'm confident that I will set sail one day. I know I can do it," she told the Jeugdjournaal programme.

Mr Dekker had earlier had a request for her to miss two years of school turned down.

Miss Dekker had planned to spend about two years aboard her 26ft (8m) boat, Guppy, to break the record set this week by a 17-year-old UK boy.

Mike Perham tackled 50ft waves, gale force winds and technical problems during the 28,000 mile (45,000km) circumnavigation, which took him nine months.

Addressing concerns that she would be alone for long periods on her round-the-world trip, she told Jeugdjournaal: "I will always be surrounded by other people who are on a journey like mine. I really think I will meet these people and make friends easily."

'Live freely'

The Dutch Child Protection Agency had requested Miss Dekker be made a ward of court because, it said, it was "irresponsible for such a young girl to make a two-year solo trip around the world".

The judges agreed, ruling Miss Dekker would face mental and physical risks if she were allowed to go ahead with her planned record attempt.

Miss Dekker was put under the guardianship of the Utrecht Youth Care agency and the case will be reviewed after two months.

Peter de Lange, the Dekkers' lawyer, described the case as "exceptional".

"The crucial question is whether it is wrong for parents to allow their child to indulge in her passion," he told Radio Netherlands.

Caroline Vink, a senior adviser on youth protection in the Netherlands, said the case needed to be "looked into".

"We're talking about a 13-year-old," she told the BBC. "You can also question whether she's able to take this decision for herself, and whether the parents are making the decision in the best interests of Laura."

Miss Dekker was reportedly born on a yacht off the coast of New Zealand during a seven-year world trip.

She had a yacht by the age of six and began sailing solo when she was 10.

"Since I was 10 years old, I've known that I would like to sail around the world," she had earlier told Dutch television.

"I want simply to learn about the world and to live freely."


tl;dr “ I want simply to learn about the world and to live freely ”, 13 year old Laura Dekker


------

What do you all think?

[TheEnglishman]

I saw this on the news. 13 does seem kinda young to go off sailing around the world.

[Drizzy Drake]

too bad putting her in state care to make her not do isn't gonna do jack shit when she turns 16 and doesn't have to legally listen to a word her parents say (foster parents).

[Mallick]

Little miss amelia waterheart better sail a ship that has submarine capabilities.

[Ironsight]

Hey guys, they spelled program wrong!

[Mallick]

Darksword, on Aug 28 2009, 03:41 PM, said:

Hey guys, they spelled program wrong!

I don't see any such spelling errors.

[Nosferatu]

Darksword, on Aug 28 2009, 03:41 PM, said:

Hey guys, they spelled program wrong!

Programme is a word.

[Golden Legacy]

TheEnglishman, on Aug 28 2009, 06:20 PM, said:

I saw this on the news. 13 does seem kinda young to go off sailing around the world.

Miss Dekker apparently has quite remarkable experience. She was born on a boat off the coast of New Zealand and spent the first four years of her life with the family there. She has been actively sailing since she was 6, and has done solo sailing since 10 in the North Sea.

[Ironsight]

Nosferatu, on Aug 28 2009, 04:03 PM, said:

Programme is a word.

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/9405/789coolface.jpg

[Toasty]

Honestly? They should just let her do what she wants. Just because her dream sounds crazy doesn't mean she is. If she's been sailing solo for the past 4 years, then there's more of a reason to let her do it. It's obviously not like she doesn't know what she's doing.

In the worst case, she'll die doing what she wants to do. Or natural selection. But w/e.

[Someone Else]

Let her do it. You can't honestly learn anything if you constantly have your hand held. That's always been a philosophy of mine.

It sounds like she has plenty of experience, anyway.

[Split Infinity]

Someone Else, on Aug 29 2009, 01:51 PM, said:

Let her do it. You can't honestly learn anything if you constantly have your hand held.

Or with your corpse rotting on the ocean floor, for that matter.

She wouldn't do it alone. Any circumnavigator worth their salt has an emergency crew or an escort, it's far too risky without one. Thing is... someone has to pay for all that.

[Mallick]

I'm thinking if she's been boating her whole life her family can afford to sail..

[Someone Else]

Split Infinity, on Aug 28 2009, 09:36 PM, said:

Or with your corpse rotting on the ocean floor, for that matter.

True, but the greater the risk the greater the gain. I'm a sucker for doing shit like this, maybe not this grand but...

I was in Europe with no family or anyone else I knew when I was 14. I still had supervisors and some peers the same age as me, but I did a lot of personal development during that time. A whole new world for me. Just once in life, everyone should do something and go somewhere out of their comfort zone. Maybe a sailing trip around the world at 13 years of age wouldn't be for everyone, but whatever floats your boat. Pun maybe intended.

[I'm Always BROKE]

Let her sail. Make sure to give her a phone to call mommy and daddy.

[Aquamarine]

Someone Else, on Aug 29 2009, 07:18 AM, said:

I was in Europe with no family or anyone else I knew when I was 14. I still had supervisors and some peers the same age as me, but I did a lot of personal development during that time. A whole new world for me. Just once in life, everyone should do something and go somewhere out of their comfort zone. Maybe a sailing trip around the world at 13 years of age wouldn't be for everyone, but whatever floats your boat. Pun maybe intended.

Hey, you could have payed a visit!

[Someone Else]

Only Western Europe unfortunately. =/

[Drizzy Drake]

so the non eurotrash part?

[Someone Else]

Depends on your definition of trash. I got my ass squeezed by an old French guy with one eye while waiting for a bus.

[Drizzy Drake]

http://concierge.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/05/19/eurotrash_dailytraveler.jpg

eurotrash ^

(we cant include France in this, because then the west is FUCKED)

[Toasty]

I think the dude in the green tee thinks he has cleavage to show off.

[Someone Else]

http://img2.allposters.com/images/10P/QF0100.jpg

Can't say I saw anybody like that on my trip. I don't remember, at least.

[Aquamarine]

http://www.goldensun-syndicate.net/forum/public/style_images/gssv3/snapback.png' alt='View Post' />Drizzy Drake, on Aug 30 2009, 08:35 AM, said:

eurotrash ^

(we cant include France in this, because then the west is FUCKED)

So what's so wrong about them? The fact that they're confident enough with their looks or the fact that they take good care of themselves and don't look like complete douches?

[Legolastom]

Lol yeah Europe is the bad continent.

[Golden Legacy]

I love how this has to do with the actual topic.















































NYC means I'm better than all of you.

[Caael]

Toasty, on Aug 29 2009, 04:32 AM, said:

Honestly? They should just let her do what she wants. Just because her dream sounds crazy doesn't mean she is. If she's been sailing solo for the past 4 years, then there's more of a reason to let her do it. It's obviously not like she doesn't know what she's doing.

In the worst case, she'll die doing what she wants to do. Or natural selection. But w/e.

This.

O SHI- I'm agreeing with toasty.

But yeah, delaying it isn't going to do anything other than make her want to do it more.

[Legolastom]

Meh this is a boring topic anyway.

[Split Infinity]

You have to consider though, what would you think if this was your kid?

[Nosferatu]

Split Infinity, on Aug 30 2009, 04:39 PM, said:

You have to consider though, what would you think if this was your kid?

I'd probably think "Fuck I hope a shark eats her."

[Ironsight]

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/9052/1251574695749.jpg

Aight, take it easy with the posts that are only an image.

[Split Infinity]

I love you guys.

[Neon]

I think it's more an issue of if her motives are right.