Conditions are now choppier and one of the less experienced crew members looks nervous and is staying very quiet. What should the skipper do?

A. Ignore them and focus only on sailing the boat

B. Talk to them calmly, explain what is happening and that the boat is now well set up for the conditions, give them a simple task to focus on (like holding a line or watching for other boats), and check they are clipped on and wearing a lifejacket

C. Send them below decks alone with no explanation of what is happening

D. Tell them loudly to stop being nervous and toughen up

A. Take this as an early warning and start preparing the boat for stronger wind now, before it arrives — it is much easier and safer to reef (reduce sail) in good time than to wait until it is already blowing hard

B. Sail faster to try and get back to harbour before the weather arrives, ignoring the current sail set

C. Wait until the wind actually increases before doing anything

D. Assume the dark sky means nothing and carry on exactly as before

A. Difficulty steering means the rudder is broken and must be checked immediately

B. Heeling more is exciting and a sign the boat is sailing well — no action is needed

C. The boat should be sailed faster to "power through" the stronger wind

D. The boat has too much sail up for the current wind strength — this is the classic sign that it is time to reef (reduce the size of the sails) to bring the boat back under easy control