More and more old sailing pals of mine are taking tickets in the belief that Big Brother Corp will one day sooner than later demand we have licences to go offshore.

Max Liebersen, 51, who once sailed a 23ft bilge keeler to Norway and back from the Thames with his wife and six-year-old daughter,to name just one of his adventurous cruises, has – as all who know him concur – no need of sustifficates.

He is, nevertheless, undergoing a Yachtmaster Instructor’s course with Downwind Sailing on the Hamble, to add to his Yachtmaster offshore in order to be able to teach the many fellow yachtsmen at his club the Thurrock YC at Grays in Essex, who fear they may be barred from the water one day unless they can show paper.

I wish him well and don’t doubt he’ll become suitably papered up.