<Tr> <Th> Parent (s) </Th> <Td> Dick Dekker Babs Müller </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> www.lauradekker.nl/English/Home.html </Td> </Tr> <P> Laura Dekker (Dutch pronunciation: (ˈlʌuraː ˈdɛkər); born 20 September 1995) is a New Zealand born, Dutch sailor . In 2009, she announced her plan to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe single - handed . A Dutch court stepped in, owing to the objections of the local authorities, and prevented Dekker from departing while under shared custody of both her parents . In July 2010, a Dutch family court ended this custody arrangement, and the record - breaking attempt finally began on 21 August 2010 . Dekker successfully completed the solo circumnavigation in an 11.5 - metre (38 ft) two - masted ketch, arriving in Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten, 518 days later at the age of 16 . </P> <P> Dekker was born in the city of Whangarei, New Zealand, during a seven - year sailing trip by her parents . Her father, Dick Dekker, is Dutch and her mother, Babs Müller, is German . Dekker has Dutch, German, and New Zealand citizenship . Her parents divorced in 2002 . She lived with her father after the separation of her parents, and her younger sister Kim went to live with her mother . </P>

16 year old dutch girl sails around the world