The forecast shows Force 6 building to 7 for the evening. Your passage takes 14 hours. What factors inform the go/no-go decision?

A. Vessel sea-keeping ability and crew experience in those conditions; availability of a port of refuge before conditions deteriorate; predicted timing of deterioration vs estimated arrival; whether the forecast is for the open sea or the coastal strip; what the sea state will be (wave height, direction)

B. Only cancel if the forecast is Force 8 or above — Force 7 is manageable for any vessel

C. Depart immediately and anchor halfway if conditions deteriorate

D. Force 6-7 is within normal sailing parameters — departure should always proceed

A. The passage plan need only identify the destination — diversion decisions are made in real time

B. A port of refuge provides a safe haven if conditions deteriorate. Suitability factors: accessible in the expected conditions (depth, bar, height of tide); distance from passage track; available facilities (fuel, medical, communications); whether it can be entered at night; holding ground if anchoring is the only option

C. Any port on the chart is automatically suitable as a refuge regardless of conditions

D. Ports of refuge only matter for vessels without an engine — sailing yachts can always divert

A. A point on the passage (headland, strait, harbour bar) that can only be safely transited within a specific tidal window — the departure time and speed must be calculated backwards from the tidal gate time to ensure arrival within the window

B. Tidal gates only apply to vessels over 20 metres in length

C. A tidal gate is another term for a tidal stream atlas symbol on the chart

D. A lock gate at a tidal harbour — only relevant to inland waterways