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Jessica Watson is possibly the youngest person to skipper a transtasman crossing - Source: ONE News -
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A 16-year-old schoolgirl whose yacht collided with a cargo ship off the southern Queensland coast says she remains confident of becoming the youngest person to sail solo around the world.
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.
But her yacht crashed into the 63,000-tonne cargo vessel Silver Yang in a busy shipping lane at 2.30am (AEST) on Wednesday, 15 nautical miles east of North Stradbroke Island's Point Lookout.
Speaking to reporters after arriving under water police escort on the Gold Coast, she said she felt fine despite a lack of sleep.
"The whole incident gives me confidence - wow, I can actually handle this," she said.
"It could have happened to anyone ... I'm unlucky I suppose, but you also learn from it."
Watson, who was below deck at the time of the incident, was not injured and there was no major structural damage although it is understood the yacht sustained some damage to the mast, rigging and hull.
"All things considered the boat did come up well," she said.
"The big thing for me is I came through the whole thing feeling confident ... it was a pretty scary incident.
"Everyone back at base jumped into action and it all worked beautifully."
She said she had no idea when she would restart the journey to Sydney.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating and two investigators left for Queensland on Wednesday morning.
Watson's family media spokesman Scott Young said all navigation lights and safety devices were working and national safety authorities were able to detect the yacht's beacon.
"So we don't know why the captain or the lookout of the container ship was unable to see that," Young said.
He said Watson contacted the ship on marine radio but the conversation was only brief.
"The communication was limited due to the language barrier," he said.
"We do believe the vessel slowed, but it didn't stop - these ships take a long time to stop, they can't just stop on a dime."
Watson hopes to become the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world.
Australia's former world record holder for being the youngest person to sail solo around the world has encouraged the schoolgirl to continue with her own attempt.
Jesse Martin, who became the youngest person to sail solo around the world in 1999 when he was 18, said Watson's incident happened on a training trip and there was still time to fulfil her dream.
"Everyone's got something in their mind they want to be doing and she's out there doing it like I did and I think that's a great thing," Martin told ABC Radio.
"I'm certain she'll probably get out there again ... I still think she should."
Martin covered 27,000 nautical miles in 328 days by himself in his 1999 world record attempt, which was broken last month by 17-year-old Briton Mike Perham.
