Looking back on the whole day, what is the single best habit for any new skipper to take from this experience?

A. Only reef once the boat feels genuinely frightening to be on

B. "When in doubt, reef" — if you are even wondering whether you should reduce sail, that is usually already the answer. It is always easier to shake a reef out later if it turns out not to be needed, than to be caught out overpowered in a sudden increase of wind

C. Wait for someone else on the crew to suggest reefing before considering it

D. Never reef under any circumstances — it slows the boat down too much to be worth it

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