THOUSAND OAKS — The feat of sailing around the world unassisted and nonstop is not about breaking a record or becoming a star in the sailing world: To Abby Sunderland, it’s more about the journey itself.

Photo by: GizaraArts.com Abby Sunderland

“I’d really rather do without all that (media attention) stuff,” Sunderland said during a phone conversation. “It gets a little annoying after awhile.”

The Sunderland family found themselves thrust into the limelight when Abby’s older brother Zac Sunderland began — and successfully achieved — his quest to be the youngest to sail around the world singlehanded, finishing his year-long cruise in June at age 17.

Abby Sunderland implied that a quieter trip, one without back-to-back interviews, would not be that bad.

“I would really like to sail around the world, even if I do go without a record,” she said. “If there was any way I could do it with a sponsor and without the media coverage or the record, I would still do it.”

The levelheaded 15-year-old plans to depart on a personal quest that will send her sailing singlehanded around the world — nonstop and unassisted. It’s a dream Abby Sunderland said she has held since she began singlehandling at age 13.

Born into a sailing family, Sunderland’s ability to sail is almost innate in the 15-year-old. She learned a lot from her dad, Laurence Sunderland, a shipwright who would bring Abby along with him during yacht deliveries.

“I talked about it a lot, and my parents didn’t take me seriously until I was 14 — and I started talking about it much more seriously,” she said.

Her dream was almost realized last year when she and Zac discussed sailing around the world together, but on separate boats. In the end, a time crunch that left the family time to only plan for one trip left Abby back on land watching her brother complete the goal.

“It was great watching him go first, really,” she said. “Now, I am hoping to go.”

Zac Sunderland has helped prepare his younger sister for the trip by offering words of encouragement and insight on what to expect.

Abby Sunderland, who will celebrate her 16th birthday Oct. 19, is now in the process of searching for sponsors and a vessel that will help her complete her feat. She estimates that the trip will cost approximately $300,000. If she is unable to purchase the boat — an open 40 — before the month’s end, her trip may have to be put off until next year.

While the thought of having to wait another year isn’t as pleasant as taking off at the end of November, Sunderland will not be deterred from hitting the open ocean. If plans fall through for fall, she will consider leaving next season and following the same route as her brother, Zac.

With one major sponsor already on board, Sunderland is hoping to pull in several more to help make her dream to sail the world alone a reality.

“I am really looking forward to getting the actual boat that I am going to be going in down here, because then I can start training,” she said.

Sunderland does not seem phased about spending countless hours alone, away from family and friends — but, at the same time, she realizes that accomplishing her goal will not be easy.

“I’m both nervous and excited,” she said. “You can’t really not be nervous, because it can get crazy out there.”

Abby Sunderland plans to depart from Marina del Rey in November. Her planned route will take her south of Cape Horn, South America, through the South Atlantic on an eastern course, past the Cape of Good Hope, through the Indian Ocean and into the Pacific — in time to arrive home next April, at the age 16.

For more information on Abby Sunderland, visit her Web site: www.abbysunderland.com.