were a problem , he said . Sunderland 's Web site says he bought the boat with his own money . His parents had hoped he would find something that would spark a fire in him , a passion that would direct him away from all the negative and harmful influences that are so prevalent in society , but even they were stunned by the scope of his dreams and desires , it says . Watch Sunderland give advice to fellow teens '' He was 16 when he left Marina del Rey on June 14 , 2008 , aboard his boat , Intrepid . Solitude and exhaustion were just a couple of factors that faced him each day . `` The hardest constantly was the tiredness , '' he said . `` I mean , you get over the loneliness , but tiredness , it 's an ongoing thing . Half the time I have n't slept in 48 hours and it 's just hard to get enough rest . '' Sunderland said he made some good contacts along the way . `` It 's interesting just thinking back to the different places in the world because I have so
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Southern California teenager has serious bragging rights : After docking back in his home state late Thursday morning , Zac Sunderland , 17 , can claim to be the youngest person to sail around the world alone . The hardest part of a solo voyage is always being tired , Zac Sunderland says . Sunderland was greeted with thunderous applause and congratulations as he arrived at Marina del Rey in his 36-foot sailboat . `` It 's kind of crazy to have it done now because , I mean , for the past year I 've been just fighting for the next ocean , fighting to get back . And now I 'm back so it 's amazing , '' he said . The teen acknowledged the 27,500-mile voyage was n't easy . He told CNN that pirates off the coast of Indonesia gave him quite a scare . '' -LSB- I -RSB- had a boat circle in and ended up calling in the coast watch and they chased them off but , yeah , -LSB- I -RSB- lucked out there ! About an hour and a half of hell . '' Severe storms also