Solo teen sailor will go on, says Wanganui aunt

The Wanganui aunt of a 16-year-old Australian schoolgirl aiming to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world has no doubt her niece will push on with her bid despite hitting a cargo ship.

Jessica Watson left Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast on Tuesday on a 10-day preliminary solo journey to Sydney in her 10.4-metre sloop Ella's Pink Lady.

However, early yesterday her yacht crashed into a 63,000-tonne cargo ship believed to be heading north, 15 nautical miles east of North Stradbroke Island's Point Lookout.

Ms Watson's media spokesman Scott Young described the collision as a "small incident" and said she would continue her journey after repairs were made.

Mr Young said a preliminary assessment of the yacht indicated there was no structural damage.

"There's mostly just damage to rigging, which can be replaced," he said.

Jessica's aunt, Cath Watson, said her niece was an experienced yachtie, having taken up the sport at 8 years old.

"She's a lovely, lovely girl, and a fighter. I  don't think she'll be put off by this at all."

Despite the dangers, Cath said she was behind her niece's attempt "100 per cent".

She said she would be following Jessica's blog. "I'll be on the internet all day and all night."

Jessica, who visited her aunt in Wanganui earlier this year, hopes to become the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world.

In 1999, Australian Jesse Martin became a household name and entered the record books at 18 by covering 27,000 nautical miles in 328 days by himself.

His record was broken last month by 17-year-old Briton Mike Perham.