Your 20-ton ketch-rigged sailing vessel is sailing close hauled on the port tack in a moderate breeze with all sails properly trimmed. You wish to bear off quickly to avoid a floating hazard. To utilize your sails to assist with the turn, you should which action should you take?

Correct Answer: Option B — Slack the mizzen sheet

Slacking the mizzen sheet on a ketch reduces aft sail driving force, allowing the vessel's stern to fall off downwind. This aerodynamic adjustment creates an immediate turning moment, assisting the rudder to bear off rapidly away from hazards in emergency maneuvering.