Watson, 16, warned: give up solo round-the-world bid
Andrew Cape, a world-leading Australian yachtsman who has rounded Cape Horn seven times, has written to Jessica Watson, 16, to warn her of his ‘concerns’. Cape believes she has a one in three chance of losing her boat or her life.
‘Obviously you have to start somewhere to gain experience but to head straight into the Southern Ocean on your own is foolish’, Cape advises. Her chances of making it around the world are 33 per cent, chances of damage to boat or crew preventing continuation are 33 per cent and there is a 33 per cent chance of total loss of boat or crew, according to Cape.
Jessica was due to set sail from Sydney last weekend in her bid to be the youngest person to sail solo around the world.