Posted on 06/13/2010 6:52:35 PM PDT by naturalman1975
THE United States' peak sailing body was so concerned about Abby Sunderland's solo record bid that it refused to sponsor her.
As the young sailor blasted her critics, the American Sailing Association confirmed it had knocked back the teenager's appeal for help, fearing commercial endorsement might encourage her to take too many risks.
"We chose not to be sponsors of Abigail because we did have concerns about the timing of her departure," said executive director Charlie Nobles.
Abby's route placed her in the treacherous Indian Ocean during the notoriously tough winter months.
"She had a lot of sponsors that were behind her and I think that puts pressure on her," Mr Nobles said. "We made a prudent decision not to contribute to that."
.....
Mrs Sunderland, who is pregnant with the family's eighth child, said the family did not have the money to compensate Australian rescue officials, with the rescue costing $300,000, the Courier Mail reported.
"The full cost of chartering an Airbus would be so high, you'd think they would have to work with the US Government for that," she said from her California home.
"We're not wealthy people," she said. "What price would you put on a child's life?"
....
Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed yesterday that the Government would not seek reimbursement for the cost of Abby's rescue.
"That is not the way that the law works," Mr Albanese told Channel 10's Meet the Press.
"If there was an Australian lost at sea, we would want the international laws on maritime to kick in and for every effort to be made to save that person."
A spokeswoman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said that Abby would likely be transferred to one of two other ships heading to the rescue site.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
"The full cost of chartering an Airbus would be so high, you'd think they would have to work with the US Government for that," she said from her California home.
"We're not wealthy people," she said. "What price would you put on a child's life?"
While I am not among those who believe the Sunderlands should have to pay for this rescue (that simply isn't how it works), I have to say I am not impressed by Mrs Sunderland's attitude.
We can't pay so if the Australian government wants money, the US government should pay.
We're talking about $300,000 - it's not a trivial amount of money, but a family which could afford to see two children sail around the world, should not find that type of amount impossible to pay over a reasonable period of time if it was required.
They just don't want to take responsibility.
I think that if you are going to try a stunt like this, you should have a Plan B. Maybe even a Plan C.
Pansies.
You never get any where unless you try.
“What price would you put on a child’s life?”
She can’t seriously being trying to use the “it’s for the good of a child” BS after allowing her daughter to attempt this, is she?
They should be made to pay, the sorry moochers are into slave labor, where is a court accounting of the money they made forcing their son to do the same thing. These people are plan and simple in to child labor supporting themselves.
I’m with you. The kid is pure guts.
And the fam, to show some dignity and grace, should agree to TRY to do the best they can to reimburse.
But those guts. Wow!
Imagine if all teens had that one’s courage. We’d be a super-nation.
Instead of led by a woos.
sigh..I would have to agree with you. Did the Sunderlands even factor in the “emergency” option, just in case? I also can see the class of the Aussies for not billing the Sunderlands for the rescue, but the French fishing boat has yet to make a clear statement if they are going to bill for the rescue..especially when the captain of that boat was thrown overboard while trying to rescue Abby reportedly..
"We're not wealthy people,"
Then why are you having eight kids, lady?
Why do your kids sport about on expensive boats?
Hypocritical cow.
If these so-called ‘parents’ were really concerned about their daughter’s safety and well-being, they would have told her ‘Hell, No!’ when she asked to sail around the world solo.
See how simple and inexpensive that would have been? Not to mention the RESPONSIBLE thing to do.
While I do not believe that the costs of a rescue at sea ought to be borne by distressed mariners, the financial status of the Sunderland family is bound to change. No doubt a book and movie deal is in the offing, and the question of underwriting the costs of her adventure will come up again.
Apparently the Aussies put more on it than her parents did.
Oh boy, naturalman, you’re opening a giant can of worms from Down Under ;-0
” Then why are you having eight kids, lady?
Why do your kids sport about on expensive boats?
Hypocritical cow. “
I agree on the boat comment, but WE NEED THE KIDS, regardless of whether they can afford them to the level necessary to send them around the world.
By having 8 kids, they are making up for much of my family and friends that, in most cases, did not even bother to get married.
Yes, I think that's precisely what she's trying to do. And such a statement ought to put the final nail in the coffin of the debate over exactly what these people's motives are.
I agree with the ASA it was risky.
So was most every act that made this once great nation great...
These people remind of me octomom and the balloon boy. Fame freaks.
“They just don’t want to take responsibility.
“
But I bet they are more than happy to take the sponsership money and the 15 mins of fame... the curse of ‘reality’ everything is that it brings all the glory hounds out of the woodwork from Balloon boy’s parents to these ‘poor’ folk who can aford sail boats. I have no clue about boats but I assume sail boats cost a pretty penny and all the associated expenses that go with them.
Cry me a river lady, can’t afford to pay then don’t expect all the rest of us to do it for you, or in this case the Aussie tax payers.
Three suggestions.
The Australian Volunteer Coastguard for the obvious link to sea rescue in Australia.
CanTeen - The Australian Organisation for Young People Living with Cancer - a charity with a youth focus supported by Qantas who provided the aircraft that responded.
Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer. A French volunteer organisation that rescues those in peril around the French coast, in recognition of the sailors who picked her up.
I'd only point out that there's a world of difference between "every act that made this nation great," and some high-end jackass stunt.
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