SUNBEAM is approaching a busy channel with other boat traffic, and steering is still limited even with the emergency tiller fitted. What should the skipper do?

A. Stop completely in the middle of the busy channel and wait there

B. Continue exactly as planned through the channel since the emergency tiller is now fitted

C. Speed up to get through the busy channel as quickly as possible despite the limited steering

D. Slow down (reduce sail or engine power) to make the limited steering easier to manage, and if possible move away from the busy channel into clearer water until full control is confirmed and steering is more reliable

A. "STEERING FAILURE!" so everyone knows immediately, then check if it is a temporary snag (something jammed) or a real loss of steering, while trying to keep the boat as steady as possible using sail trim or the engine briefly

B. Immediately stop the boat dead in the water without checking anything else first

C. Say nothing and quietly try to fix it alone first

D. Assume the rudder has fallen off completely and act as if there is nothing that can be done

A. It means the engine has also definitely failed at the same time

B. A snapped cable is a minor issue that can be ignored — the rudder will still respond to the wheel as normal

C. This means the whole boat is sinking and must be abandoned

D. The wheel will no longer move the rudder at all — the boat needs another way to be steered until this is repaired, since the cable itself usually cannot be fixed quickly at sea