Plenty of sailors dream of sailing around the world, but far fewer actually cast off and venture forth. Crystal Corthell, 18, of Rock Springs, Wyoming, is a young woman who enjoys snowmobiling, visiting with family, and dreaming big. Her sailing experiences to date have been limited to trips on Canada’s Ghost Lake, Nevada’s Lake Meade, and San Diego Bay aboard her family’s MacGregor 26X. She has yet to leave sight of land or contend with a storm (or even a squall) offshore. Yet at her dad’s suggestion, Corthell will be taking part in next fall’s Clipper Around the World Race, with the goal of completing a full-on racing circumnavigation. “I love to travel and I’m interested in the adventure of it,” she says. “So far I have enough funding to do the training course and Leg One, but I’ve only begun to seriously raise funds.”
As for her fears, Corthell cites only one: “I’m scared of heights, and I’m nervous about having to go up the mast.”
Corthell is presently working to raise the roughly $60,000 needed to pay for a full circumnavigation with Clipper Ventures. “I’ve done some fundraising before, so I know I can do it. Plus, I’m working seven days a week to earn money.” Few young adults demonstrate such gumption and commitment to a dream. We at SAIL wish Corthell the best of luck with her adventure.
