The Woohoo! Report

Mike Perham waves after arriving at Gunwharf Quay in Portsmouth.

LONDON (AFP) – A 17-year-old teenager who this week became the youngest person to sail solo around the world with assistance landed in England Saturday to a rapturous welcome.

Mike Perham entered British waters on Thursday after 156 days at sea in his 50-feet yacht, crossing the finishing line between Lizard Point, the most southerly point in Britain, and Ushant in northern France.

“I was close to tears when I came round the corner and saw the crowds. It was just incredible, I’m overwhelmed and quite honoured,” he said Saturday as he sailed into Portsmouth on the southern English coast.

“Hopefully this will be an inspiration to other people and lots of other kids can go out on the water as well.”

He said anyone thinking of repeating his challenge should “go for it”, but refused to say whether he agreed with the decision by a Dutch court Friday that a 13-year-old girl cannot set sail on a solo around-the-world trip next month.

The court did not rule out the possibility of Laura Dekker eventually embarking on the record-breaking quest but ordered her to be placed in the temporary care of social services for two months to assess the dangers.

“It’s an interesting case. If she is an average 13-year-old I would say absolutely not, just as if I was an average 17-year-old I would say no. You don’t only need to be a good sailor but a good mechanic,” Perham said.

Perham hoped to complete the challenge non-stop, but problems with his boat’s rudder and other hitches forced him to pull into port three times, meaning his world record is the youngest solo circumnavigation with assistance.

He took the record aged 17 years and 164 days, two months younger than Zac Sunderland, an American who completed his voyage last month.

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