Do you Know the Whole Story?
If you did, you would know that Abby’s quest for the “record” was due to start July/August 2010 which would allow for relatively smooth passage of the Southern route.
When they learned another young lady, Jessica Watson, left Australia in October, 2009 they had to rush to acquire a boat (which by the way had done a circumnavigation) and outfit it. It was a rushed, hurried situation. The boat wasn’t fully painted and outfitted until mid-December. She only did one over night, no shakedown, no real experience with that particular boat.
It was a bad choice of equipment (chosen most likely because it would not sink) and terrible timing so that she would beat Jessica if she made it.
If she had waited until her original departure date and given up on the nebulous “record” we would all be cheering her effort. Questions would remain about the wisdom of a 16-17 y/o doing it alone and her personal experience and qualifications but at least it wouldn’t be rushed in the futile quest for fleeting fame and possible fortune.
But this is a craven fraud.
Travis called the parents “Balloon Boy media-whore fame-grubbers,” based on his experience on a sailboat and a few news reports from people with low expectations for young adults, from people who hate homeschooling Christians, from people who’d prefer young adults play video games than travel the world.
The girl and her parents may have been motivated to break the record, but that does not mean her parents are “Balloon Boy media-whore fame-grubbers.”