It turns out the morning forecast had already mentioned the wind increasing later in the day. What lesson does this give the skipper?

A. Checking the forecast is only necessary for trips longer than one day

B. Forecasts are not reliable enough to be worth checking before a day sail

C. Only the conditions exactly at departure time matter — later changes cannot be planned for

D. Always check the full day's forecast before setting off, not just the conditions at the time of departure — and check it again during the day if possible, so changes are expected rather than a surprise

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