Youngest sets sail wired with keep-in-touch technology

by Thrane & Thrane Inc on 2 Feb 2010 Thrane & Thrane Inc. has sponsored daring teenager Abby Sunderland with a SAILOR 250 FleetBroadband for her personal quest to become the youngest solo, non-stop circumnavigator. Abby, 16, set sail aboard her Open 40 racing yacht from Marina del Rey, California on 23 January 2010, facing 27,500 nautical miles alone, but safe in the knowledge that her SAILOR 250 FleetBroadband will ensure she is in contact with friends, family and a legion of followers and well-wishers worldwide.

Abby has an extensive sailing background, being in and around sailboats since a toddler. She has accumulated thousands of miles of coastal cruising and experienced a number of hazardous weather conditions, which has prepared her well to take on this daunting challenge. Abby plans to break the record her older brother Zac set in July 2009 when at 17, he became the youngest person to circumnavigate the world, completing the perilous voyage in 13 months. Not to be outdone, English teenager Mike Perham broke Zac's record a month later, completing his journey also at the age of 17, but two months younger than Zac.

'SAILOR FleetBroadband is already proven in extreme conditions, having been installed aboard hundreds of commercial vessels and every Volvo Open 70 taking part in the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race, with the feedback from the teams after the race being overwhelmingly positive,' says Ron Lockerby, Sales Director, Thrane & Thrane Inc.

'Unlike the professional Volvo teams, Abby's primary goal may not be speed, but as she faces a lonely, dangerous journey she can be confident in the tried and tested reliability of her SAILOR 250 FleetBroadband and indeed the fact that she will always only ever be an email or a phone call away from home.'

Abby's Open 40 racing yacht, Wild Eyes, was specifically designed for single-handed sailing in the Southern Ocean, and is equipped with a cutting-edge suite of marine electronics of which the SAILOR 250 FleetBroadband is a vital component. With the high-speed FleetBroadband internet connection from anywhere on the planet, Abby will primarily use the system to regularly update her blog with the latest news from her voyage. The reliable bandwidth offered by the SAILOR 250 FleetBroadband will also enable her to send pictures and use the connection for important weather, navigation and safety updates in addition to getting help and support for any medical problems or issues with her boat or equipment that may arise.

'We are proud to sponsor Abby with a SAILOR 250 FleetBroadband,' continues, Ron Lockerby, Thrane & Thrane Inc. 'All at Thrane & Thrane wish her Godspeed and the very best of luck in this amazing voyage and hope that our small role helps her overcome a momentous challenge.'

To follow the progress of Abby's journey visit her web site at www.abbysunderland.com or her blog at soloround.blogspot.com. To find out more about the SAILOR FleetBroadband range visit www.thrane.com