Splice the whatever-it-is

Much flapping of mainsails and hauling of anchors by the media as a 14 year old Dutch girl departed on her bid to become the youngest person to sail around the world. Laura Dekker, an experienced sailor, is in a 38ft yacht and expects her trip to take over a year. Should she have been permitted to go? Should child protection authorities have intervened? Does a 14 year old girl have the emotional and physical strength to undertake a feat like this? For me, as it always does, it comes down to the 14 year old girl in question. It's not about "a fourteen year old cannot do this", it's about "can THIS fourteen year old do this?" If she's been sailing since she was seven then she's had seven years of experience. Would a caring parent allow their child to do this if they didn't think she was capable of it? Blanket rules never apply as there is always someone who doesn't quite fit under the blanket.