She's evidently an experienced sailor and has been doing it all of her life. Of course, she didn't sail the entire globe without aid. She made several ports of call, and had lots of help at each stop. But the time in the ocean was evidently all her by her lonesome.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Dekker
The original plan called for Dekker to be met at 14 locations by a support team, which also would help her along difficult spots such as the Panama Canal.[15] In reality, for cost reasons, people from home (mostly family members) met her only five times, although she was given some assistance by other leisure sailors she met, for example through the Panama Canal. The plan said she would not be sailing for more than three weeks between stops. After Australia she however decided to skip some stops so she in reality did two 6–7 weeks long legs.
"Maidentrip (2013), mostly shot by Dekker and directed by Jillian Schlesinger, is an 82-minute documentary about this trip."
so sayeth wikipedia
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