Jessica Watson Aiming to become the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop, unassisted around the world in 2009 |
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Jessica aims to become the youngest non-stop, solo, unassisted sailor to complete a voyage around the world. Growing up in an adventurous free-spirited family, where home alternates between a large motor launch and a fully kitted out motor home, Jessica's family support her ambitions. Devouring books about Joshua Slocum, Kay Cottee and Jesse Martin amongst other solo sailing legends from a young age, Jessica has been planning this record-breaking voyage since she was eight years old. She began sailing dinghies around the same time, and has since built up an impressive resume of Pacific Ocean voyages over the subsequent years. |
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| Spending an afternoon onboard her family's vessel Home Aboard, it is apparent that the whole family supports her, and are equally at ease with her ambitions. Everyone is keen to assist, with ideas to help the project along coming from all members of the family. Mooloolaba boat builder Bruce Arm, a single-handed sailor who has competed in the solo Trans Tasman onboard his own yacht Big Wave Rider, is mentoring Jessica in the art of solo sailing. He regularly gives up his weekends to help her to refine such skills as climbing a mast unassisted, sail handling and boat maintenance. He's also been able to provide an insight into understanding the emotional issues confronted by a sailor alone on the sea, as he also prepares for his next short handed challenge, the Trans Tasman Yacht Race. Jesse Martin was 18 years when he returned to Melbourne to claim the current record for youngest solo, non-stop unassisted circumnavigation in 1999. Jessica aims to depart shortly after her 16th birthday in May 2009, giving her plenty of time to return home safely to Mooloolaba and make history. While Martin took 327 days and Cottee took 189 days, Jessica is expecting to back within 210 days (7 months). |
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Until Jessica secures the absolute right boat for her voyage, she is analysing the type of vessels others have used to complete similar voyages in. Jon Sanders, David Dicks and Martin all used an S&S34in their successful solo circumnavigations. Jessica and her supporters will equip the yacht for the rigours of an arduous ocean passage, carrying out a major refit followed by extensive sea trials. In the meantime, while the search for the right yacht continues, Jessica is racking up the offshore sea miles. She's also studying her RYA Yachtmaster certificate, as well as completing her regular high school studies through distance learning, all the while learning everything she can about maintaining the systems onboard a yacht. Signing up sponsors to support her record-breaking attempt, Jessica considers the logistics of preparing such an ambitious campaign to be far more daunting than the actual voyage itself. A quietly determined young woman, she has such a strong vision of achieving her ambition, it's hard to believe she won't sail herself into the record books in 2009. |
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