Looking back, the morning forecast had mentioned a chance of fog patches later in the day, but the crew had not checked it again before setting off. What is the lesson?

A. Checking the forecast is only worth doing if rain, not fog, is mentioned

B. Fog is only a risk for long offshore passages, never for short coastal day sails

C. Fog cannot be forecast in any way, so there is nothing that could have been checked in advance

D. Always check the forecast for visibility as well as wind before setting off, and keep a fog horn, extra torch, and a clear idea of how to navigate without visual landmarks ready on every trip, even when fog seems unlikely

A. Slow down to a safe speed for the visibility, and get the boat's position fixed and written down (from GPS or the last known landmark) right away, before it gets harder to tell exactly where you are

B. Carry on at the same speed since fog does not affect a small sailing boat

C. Stop the boat completely and wait without doing anything else

D. Speed up to get out of the fog area as quickly as possible

A. There is no need for an extra lookout — the skipper at the helm can see everything that matters

B. Put a dedicated lookout right at the front of the boat (as far forward and as quiet as possible to help hear other vessels), and turn on navigation lights even in daytime so SUNBEAM is easier to see if visibility improves slightly or another vessel gets close

C. Have everyone go below decks to stay warm and dry until the fog clears

D. Turn off all lights to avoid attracting attention from other vessels