The Schoolboy Who Sailed the World, Thursday 9pm, Channel 4

Posted by Will Parkhouse

If you watch The X Factor, you’ll probably be under the impression that it’s the dream of most teenagers to win The X Factor. And that if you don’t help them fulfil this dream by phoning in your vote, they’ll cry and make you feel bad.

Not so 16-year-old schoolboy Mike Perham. Tonight's documentary begins with him staring out the classroom window imagining himself becoming the youngest person ever to sail alone non-stop around the world. Fewer than 200 people have succeeded in this – that’s people full stop, not under-18s – and apparently it’s quite a long way, so his dream is more than a little ambitious.

From the evidence of the programme, it isn’t be unfair to suggest that father Peter, also a sailor, is about as enthusiastic about the challenge as Mike: “It’s not just my dream, the trip – it’s mine and my dad’s,” says the youngster, which certainly sets off the Orange Towers Pushy Parent alarm bells.

Once Totallymoney.com sets sail (yes, it really is called that, thanks to a sponsorship deal with… someone or other), it encounters a series of setbacks, with bits of the vessel falling apart port, starboard and centre. These issues are frustrating for both Mike and us as an audience, giving the documentary a stop-start feel. More importantly, the hold-ups also mean Mike has to downgrade the record he’d wanted, bringing home how incredibly difficult this was actually going to be.

But the second half of the programme, when he really gets going and loosens up – read: “went a bit loopy from solitary confinement” – is filled with drama (scaling the 65-foot mast), moving moments (speaking on the phone to his parents on New Year’s Eve) and rather disturbing interludes (getting drunk on champagne, alone in the middle of the Pacific).

In the end, though, you’ll need a heart of stone and a face full of Botox not to have break into a large smile when Mike finally arrives home. What a way to fly the nest. It makes the achievements of The X Factor gang look a little tame.

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Comments

[JOHN IRWIN]

WHEN WILL THE PROGRAMME BE REPEATED?

[D.]

He doesn't come across as spoilt at all. It's more like naive and innocent. The girlfriend?... a bit more cunning!

[Captain Birdseye]

Taking nothing away from Mike's achievement, but just how accessible is sailing to most people? It seems to pride itself on its exclusivity.

I bet most sailing/yachting clubs would welcome a load of inner-city kids with open arms...

[Colin]

Since this documentary is not being broadcast until 9pm this evening (Thursday), how is Mr. Parkhouse able to review it?

[dagmar hingston]

dave,I would like to see you battling the seas.My grandson sails but I do not think he could ever attempt what he did.Better than hanging out with a gang.

[Jake]

Good on him - he had a dream and he followed through despite numerous setbacks. He's an inspiration to kids around the world that no matter how big your dreams are, that with perseverance and dedication, you can achieve something incredible. And just because he might be from a priviledged background doesn't make his acheivement any less impressive. I think that the fact that it was festooned in Sponsors logos obviously implies that some serious work has gone into the fundraising for this trip - he didn't just raid his piggy bank!

[dave]

spoilt little rich kid, how many other teenagers do you know who have a yacht to play with and no i'm not jealous