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

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

C. 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

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