What should a yacht's deck log record during an offshore passage and why?

A. Deck logs are only required on commercial vessels — leisure yachts have no legal obligation

B. Only the start and end positions — GPS tracks the rest automatically

C. Regular position fixes (at least hourly); course steered; speed; engine hours; weather conditions; barometric pressure trend; sail changes; crew watchkeeping; any defects or incidents; time-stamped radio communications. The log is a legal document and an accident investigation tool

D. Record only defects and incidents — routine information is unnecessary

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