Duncan's numbered points below correspond to the enumeration of the DCA Boat Safety Recommendations, as printed inside the back cover.

As I have no hope of winning such a quiz, perhaps it is time to bare my soul and tell others what I actually do, in a safety context, while cruising in dinghies.

1. I sail a 16' dinghy singlehanded; I weigh 12 stone.
2. The boat I sail exceeds recommendation 2 by times 2, but it is virtually impossible to right such a boat from fully-inverted single-handed, even in ideal conditions.
3. I agree with this entirely.
4. Yes, but washboards need to work too. Otherwise a foredeck is mere bracing for the sides, a wave scoop.
5. Fully agree.
6. Absolutely.
7. Yes. Maybe two anchors, two pumps, fire blanket AND extinguisher.
8. Yes, but extreme advanced continuous care required to keep many of these items dry.
9. No, I don't. I have a long list of reasons why not, which I shall not bore you with, but they all boil down to one thing – self-sufficiency. I hope I do not die regretting this viewpoint.

Additional Safety Points

Pyrotechnics – buy one now, new one each year. Fire off the oldest, from your extensive collection, on November 5th. (I live way inland; the nearest sea is 20 miles away.)

Buoyancy aid – 100N, always worn, must have a crotch strap.

Capsizes – are most likely on a run, due to the lack of a kicker, or the kicker too slack, or hardening-up from a run to a reach (too much plate down, too much sail up!)

Inversion – can be eliminated by carrying 30 litres of masthead buoyancy.