Move over, Richard Heene! It looks like there's a new dad who's trying to capitalize on his children's death-defying adventures.

This time, not in a balloon, but by sea.

Yes, the father of 16-year-old Abbey Sunderland, the California teen who was rescued this weekend about 2,000 nautical miles off the coast of Australia while trying to become the youngest person to sail around the world, has admitted to The New York Post that he had a deal for a reality TV show.

And what a clever title it has: "Adventures in Sunderland"!

According to The Post, the show started filming four months ago with the premise of recording the lives of born-again Christian Donald Sunderland and his seven "daredevil kids." Donald copped to the fact that he was motivated to do the show because he was broke.

Abby's solo sail around the globe started last January. Her parents defended themselves last week for letting her go on the trip in the face of heated criticism after Abby ended up stranded in the middle of the Indian Ocean with no satellite reception.

And Donald is now defending himself in light of these new revelations:

Sunderland insists Abby's trip wasn't just a stunt.

The reality show was, he said, "the last thing on my mind.

"The wheels in motion for this trip had actually started when Abigail was 13 years old," he added.

Sunderland also defended his decision to let his daughter take the risky journey.

"I love my daughter dearly," he said. "I love the passion of sailing dearly, and this was about Abigail following her dream. She followed the criteria that I had set out, and met all the requirements to embark on this trip."

Read more at The New York Post >>