this probably won't turn out well...
 

Wishing safety to the rescue crews.

Desperate search for 16-year-old lone US sailor Abby Sunderland | World news | The Guardian

agreed. on both accounts.

On a scale of 1 to 100 how ambitious/wreckless is it for a teen to attempt to sail around the world solo? I'm just wondering.

It's probably safer than going out to a party with her girlfriends.

Link to her last blog post yesterday...

Abby's Blog: A Rough Few Days

fingers crossed

I'm not a sailor but aren't those things pretty "unsinkable" if you tie yourself to them or in them and ride out the storm ?

well a sailboat is in most cases able to right itself after being capsized because of the weight of the keel but they still can sink.

unless the keel breaks off, for whatever reason (fatigue, whale strike, partially submerged shipping containers).

I remember when this was in the news...
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/26/sports/solo-sailor-is-presumed-to-be-dead.html?pagewanted=all?pagewanted=all

I hope Abby Sunderland has good fortune and is rescued.

Wow as a parent I don't think I could let my 16 YO girl travel around the world herself, let alone, sail the seas by herself.

I hope it works out...

Lets pray they find her safe and sound.

I can't help but admire young people like this. Good on her for having a go.

Is she the sister to the young guy who recently completed his 'round the world trip?

Us arrogant humans have NO respect for Mother Nature. She's a *****. She's kind, gentle, vicious, cruel, brutal, and yet she is the most beautiful thing on this earth. No respect, she hates you and will kill you. Love & respect her and you will have the best experience of your life, the most beautiful pictures, and a life time of memories.

A prayer will be said for the young lady and I hope MN releases her from her grip.

It depends on the 16 year old but I believe I was fairly self sufficient at that age as well as more trained than I am now in the art of not dying. I was heavily involved in Boy Scouts and am an Eagle scout. If this girl is so inclined then there is no reason she should not be allowed to try - we need more children like her - not less. I hope that when my boys are this age - that I get the opportunity to make hard choices because they are so determined.

I hope she's okay.

yes

i hope they find her OK

+1 I'd never let my kids (at that age) undertake a challenge like this but I hope she is found safe.

My 13 yr old can't even find the hamper. Hope it all turns out ok. Read a few of her blogs and you start to feel the weight of the situation. The closest boat is 40 hrs away? Holy crap.

I guess Quantis (sp) is sending an airbus out to search. I hope they find her safe.

I admire her determination and spirit of adventure, but WTF? What kind of parents let their child (and she IS a child--physically, legally, and mentally) do such a thing? I consider them 100% responsible if this turns out badly.

The kind of parents that are confident in their parenting and confident in their child's abilities to handle it. 200 years ago 16 was old.