Marianne is doing what many moms would consider unthinkable: allowing her teenage son to sail around the world alone. Momlogic got the exclusive interview with Marianne before her son sets sail:

Momlogic: Is sailing a huge part of your family?
Marianne: My husband grew up in the south coast of England and sailed all his life. When we got married, our first home was a boat, and when Zac was born, he lived on the boat for awhile. When Zac was seven years old, we took three years off and sailed around the local islands and Mexico. When Zac was around 11 or 12, he started sailing. He would accompany my husband on sailing trips.

Zac is heading out on his journey June 14th. He was originally scheduled to leave earlier but we are replacing the engine in the sailboat now--which delayed Zac's departure.

Momlogic: Do you have any hesitations about letting him go? 
Marianne: My husband being in the sailing business was able to talk to people to find out what boat Zac should take and how much it would cost. As we began to look into it, pieces sort of fell into place. One day we were like, "We're really going to do this." We started sending out sponsorship letters to see if anyone would be interested in sponsoring him and had a good response. I started researching routes and read up on the modern technology.

As a mom, I'm quite amazed that all this is happening. When it came up, I didn't think so much of it. I didn't think it was such a big deal. I'm excited to have a son who can dream big and that we're able to help him achieve his dreams. Zac has a lot of experience. I know he has a lot to learn. Sailing is kind of intuitive. It can't be taught. Just because you know the rules doesn't mean you know how to do it. I don't doubt that Zac can master that with the correct boat, correct equipment, and guidance.

Marianne: Every situation is different. Our daughter, who is 14, wants to sail around the world. She wants to be the youngest. We said she is just not old enough in our mind to do this. It depends on your own kid. Since Zac's trip has become public, he's received a lot of emails from people with words of encouragement and from people saying they wish they had followed their dreams when they were younger.

For Zac, he's going to go to other cultures and see other places and meet other people. He's going to learn to be responsible and self-sufficient. It will take him about a year to travel around the world. We expect him to be home around June of next year. He really wants to write a book and he has some really good cameras on board so he will document his trip and maybe make a DVD. There's been talk about going to college for film, but I'm sure he'll change a lot during this experience.There are so many good things that you can see coming out of this. I think we've looked squarely at the risks and minimized them responsibly.

I think we should be able to think outside the box a bit more. You don't just have to go to school, go to college and then get a job. You should have a balance in your decision. This is a natural progression of Zac's life. I would encourage parents to encourage their kids to pursue their passions. If God gives you a passion about something, as long as it's moral and not ridiculous, I say follow it.

Click on an image to view the "Zac Sunderland" gallery!