Cape's word of warning

Sunday 11 October 2009 08:30 GMT

Whitbread/Volvo veteran Andrew Cape has urged teenage sailor Jessica Watson to reconsider her solo round the world attempt.

Cape, navigator aboard PUMA in the 2008-09 race, has written to 16-year-old Watson to voice his concerns. His warning for his fellow-Australian comes after Watson’s boat Ella's Pink Lady, collided with a 63,000-tonne Chinese bulk carrier just hours after setting off from northern Queensland last month on a training run to Sydney.

"I do not want to shatter your dreams but to undertake such a voyage requires more experience than you currently have," Cape wrote in the letter which was published by The Australian.

"Obviously you have to start somewhere to gain experience but to head straight into the Southern Ocean on your own is foolish."

Cape estimates Watson’s chances of making it around the world at 33 per cent, of damage to boat or crew that "prevents continuation" at 33 per cent, and "33 per cent of total loss of boat or crew. Believe me that when you are at the mercy of the weather it is a matter of probability. These odds change rapidly with experience gained."

In the letter, Cape compares Watson’s attempt to "growing up on a farm and, upon acquiring a 303 rifle, (feeling) you are ready to take on the Taliban”.

"You would also not climb Mount Everest on your first climbing adventure," he adds. "The Southern Ocean is an unforgiving place that is always exceedingly cold with winds and waves that are extreme for any sailor that should never be taken lightly.

"Continuous exposure to these survival conditions can be extremely depressing and even more so when sailing alone."

Cape recommended that Watson complete a shorter passage to Hobart, followed by navigation around the south of New Zealand to Dunedin, then on around the east coast of the country and back to Sydney.

"If gaining such knowledge puts you outside the limits of your record for being the youngest person to sail non-stop around the world then so be it," he wrote.

"Please do not try shortcutting the preparation required to attempt a sailing adventure of such scale."

Watson appears undeterred by Cape’s warning. The teenager and her team are making final preparations in Sydney where from where she could set sail next week in her attempt to become the youngest person to sail around the world.

Meanwhile, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority is preparing to release its report into her collision with the Chinese coal carrier last month.

A damning report from Queensland's Maritime Safety Authority found that Watson made basic mistakes on the night of the collision off Point Lookout.