Making better decisions at sea

James Stevens is author of the Yachtmaster Handbook and spent 10 of his 23 years at the RYA as chief examiner

The decision to abandon a voyage and turn back is rarely an easy call. Returning can be a big and demoralising decision, but it might also be a huge relief to the crew. The skipper, fretting about the course of action, is in that grey area between prudent seamanship and being a wimp, possibly missing an opportunity to put miles under the keel and reach a longed-for destination quickly. There are a multitude of factors which can influence the decision including the structural integrity of the boat, the weather, a medical condition, engine problems, electrical failure, steering seizure and water contamination or shortage.

Whether to return is complicated because a huge factor is the experience and resilience of the skipper and crew. For example deciding to turn back with small children is easy; they make their view heard audibly and you have to be a heroic parent to continue with that in the background.

Much harder is the crew who think they are the tough team but whose endurance can be measured in minutes rather than hours and days. A seasick crew are not just miserable shipmates they are useless for doing much more than steering and some not even that. There are therefore safety implications if the skipper is left to do all