US teen sets date for solo round-world attempt: Friday or Saturday

5:22 AM Wed 20 Jan 2010 GMT

'Abby - waiting for the weather' Liz Gizara Click Here to view large photo

A second 16-year-old is set to sail for Cape Horn.

Californian sailor Abby Sunderland, younger sister of Zac Sunderland who sailed a solo cruising route round the world for two years to become the youngest sailor to do that in history, is now only waiting for the weather.

She plans to set off either Friday or Saturday on her Open 40 Wild Eyes to 'better' her brother's record.

'Better' because she is, like Australian teen Jessica Watson, trying to complete the feat non-stop and unassisted. Jessica, in remarkably good conditions for that spread of ocean, rounded the Horn last week, and is now past the Falkland Islands and heading across the Southern Atlantic Ocean towards Africa.

When Zac set his record, he was soon eclipsed by British sailor Mike Perham, who set out later, but in a much faster boat, and was some months younger than Zac.

It seems as though the informal race between the two girls could turn out to be a mirror-image of the race between the boys. Jessica is a little older, started earlier, but is on a a Sparksman & Stephens 34, slower and smaller, but maybe tougher. By comparison, Abby's Open 40 is faster, less stable and a full six feet longer, which means it is about double the size. (Every five feet of waterline length approximately doubles the size).

Both girls have attracted their share of sharp criticism, and Jessica catapulted her attempt into mainstream world headlines when she hit a cargo ship on her first solo night at sea in her new boat, Ella's Pink Lady. Hence the Hare and Tortoise progress of the two teenage sailors, as they vie for the 'youngest' title, will be watched by a world-wide audience of sailors and non-sailors alike.

Wild Eyes - set to head for the Horn - Liz Gizara

What record?
The World Sailing Speed Racing Council, who recorded the current record holder Jesse Martin's position as the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the world non-stop and unassisted, has ceased to take records of the 'youngest' for any reason. Therefore there is no official body to record what either of these girls achieves.

Non-stop and unassisted:
Mike Perham, who holds and unofficial record as the youngest sailor to circumnavigate, set off to attempt to complete his solo journey non-stop and unassisted. However, equipment failure obliged him to break his journey when he had only reached the Canary Islands from Britain, and he stopped several times subsequently. Both Abby Sunderland and Jessica Watson are attempting to circumnavigate non-stop and unassisted

Zac Sunderland never set off to circumnavigate without stopping - his was more of a cruising journey, where he 'accidentally' ended up holding the record of the youngest circumnavigator until Mike Perham finished his own voyage a couple of months later.

by Nancy Knudsen