Just seems to me that if you try to sail a boat around the world alone, you need to accept that you may not live through it. If you're an adult, go for it, no skin off my nose. I question if parents should allow a child to make that decision.
There is always a fine line between adventure and foolish risk. Very adventurous people evidently don't value their own lives very highly.
I question if parents should allow a child to make that decision.She's old enough to get married in most states. Once upon a time, in a more self-sufficient era, 16 was NOT a child.
/johnny