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Wild Eyes: The Abby Sunderland Story

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5904 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/18/2014 : 10:32:53

I watched the above video documentary of 16 year old Abby Sunderland's attempt to circumnavigate the globe non-stop, and thought it was revealing. (You can watch it on Netflix, or buy it on Amazon.) The video was apparently produced and directed by her father, who was accused at the time of putting undue influence on her to do it. I have always been skeptical of that idea, because my experience with 16 year olds is that it's pretty hard to get them to do anything they don't want to do.

The conclusion I would draw from the video is that the reason for her failure is poor preparation of the boat. The boat was equipped with two electronic self steerers along with wind and solar generators that should have been adequate to power the self steerers. Along the way, the wind generators and the self steerers failed. As a result, the boat suffered repeated knockdowns when she was below sleeping. She was forced to stop, and the wind generators were repaired and two new self steerers were installed. Halfway around the world, the boat was rolled and dismasted.

The overwhelming majority of long distance sailors use mechanical self steering systems, because they are much more reliable and robust, and are easier to repair and maintain while underway, and they don't use electric power.

It's too bad. It's hard to tell from a 77 minute video, but she appeared to me to have the sailing knowledge and skills to do it, as well as the mental toughness and maturity. I don't doubt that she could have made it if her equipment hadn't let her down.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9082 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2014 : 12:24:08

I've seen many instances of parents' influence on kids causing kids to do (or attempt) some things, sometimes with unfortunate outcomes--performers, tennis players, etc., that crash and burn... The influence generally starts well before the teenage years, but insidiously carries into them. Generally it's in the parents' pursuit of notoriety, in a vicarious sort of way.

The eight Sunderland kids were/are home-schooled, and so far, the first two have somehow been driven to be the youngest circumnavigators in history. Who knows what the other six will do, but I wish for their sakes it would be something less for self-glorification (at great expense).

I have "kids" (including "kid-in-laws") who serve with Doctors Without Borders in some really dicey places, and as an air-evacuation paramedic (who narrowly survived a crash)... Each might be in more danger than the Sunderlands, but I consider their missions to be infinitely more worthwhile. None has been due to any influence on my part. I've mostly winced, and hope they continue to return home safely. Nor have they done it for notoriety. (I occasionally am caught "bragging" about them, although I haven't produced 77 minute videos about any of them.) I guess the Sunderland parents are as proud as I am, but.......

I don't wish any ill on Abbey and her siblings--I just don't care.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 01/18/2014 14:54:06

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2014 : 08:59:47

It's hard to believe that a family of experienced sailors would not equip the boat with a windvane mechanical steering device!!! Long distance sailing is all about reliable systems!

["black eye" emoticon for the family's lack of foresight]

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Ape-X
Admiral

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USA
662 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2014 : 09:52:56

Watched this last night: Seems like a LOT of focus was made in the movie to recreate the conversation betweeen dad and Abby that it was "up to you, Abby" if you want to stop. It seemed to me as a bit self-serving to make such a big deal, such that they set up a scene, and acted that conversation back out in the movie.....

I would agree on a mechanical self-steering system, but do the big boys have that capability on their boats? Perhaps the wind vane steering system is out of date

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5904 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2014 : 19:49:33

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Ape-X
 I would agree on a mechanical self-steering system, but do the big boys have that capability on their boats? Perhaps the wind vane steering system is out of date
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">From what I've seen, fully crewed ocean racing yachts don't use self steering at all. Someone is always at the helm. But all the serious, shorthanded, long-distance cruisers that I know or have read about use mechanical self steering. I made a 375 NM passage last year on a boat that had an electronic autopilot, but we had to steer it manually all the way, because the electrical system failed. We had 2 crew on duty and 2 off, around the clock. There are too many things that can go wrong with electronic autopilots for them to be reliable on a long passage. If it fails when you're singlehanding, there's nobody to steer the boat for you while you sleep.

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awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2014 : 09:56:25

I watched the film about a month ago.

I came away from it feeling like it was a PR piece that was trying to reframe the story to make it more friendly to the family. I actually didn't pay that much attention to the story when it first happened, so I didn't have too much context.

From the research that I did afterwords it was clear that the boat was ill-prepared, the late launch caused Abby to miss critical weather windows, and I do feel like her family (especially father) pushed her into the attempt to try and get the record.

Abby appeared to be smart and I think she could have done it, but the desire for a record meant they rushed everything and that put her life at risk.

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