Fourteen-year-old Dutch girl Laura Dekker has bought a 37ft Jeanneau Sun Fizz ketch in which she plans to sail solo, on an around the world cruise starting this July.

Meanwhile Australian Jessica Watson, 16, is half way across the Indian
Ocean and on the home run, and Californian Abby Sunderland, five months younger than Jessica is in the’roaring’ 40’s in the Pacific Ocean and heading for Cape Horn.

Dekker, was forbidden by a children’s court from sailing until 1st July.
While the Gin Fizz is now out of production, the French-built yacht has a
fine reputation as a solid and reliable cruising yacht. Laura’s new boat is
37-foot aft-cockpit fibreglass ketch designed by Philippe Harlé. It was
produced from 1974 to 1980.

Both Jessica Watson and Abby Sunderland are trying to become the youngest
person to solo circumnavigate non-stop. Abby is not quite two months into her trip.

So Jessica could set a record only to have it broken by Abby a few months later, and Abby could then lose it to Laura, who, even after a ‘relaxed’ two year odyssey, could still arrive home younger than both.