As Chief Officer responsible for voyage planning, what should your chart ordering process specifically check before a passage through unfamiliar coastal or strait waters?

A. Only that an ECDIS licence/subscription is current — the system handles chart selection automatically

B. That paper chart backups exist, regardless of ECDIS chart cell coverage

C. That the largest-scale chart cells available for the entire intended track (not just a regional overview) have been ordered, loaded, and checked against the planned route line, with no gaps in coverage at any point of the passage

D. That the previous voyage's chart selection is reused unless the Master specifically requests a change

A. The tidal height at the time of transit to confirm sufficient under-keel clearance

B. The yacht's fuel consumption for that leg

C. The colour of the seabed shown on the chart

D. Only the distance to the next waypoint

A. Switch the ECDIS to standby mode and navigate by GPS position alone

B. Ignore it — ECDIS alarms are frequently false and can be left running

C. Assess the situation against the planned route and charted depths, take action to maintain safe water, and inform the Master if there is any doubt

D. Acknowledge and silence the alarm immediately so it does not distract the helmsman