The three skippers

Anna Bingham and the co-owners of Quaker Girl dice with a 35,000-tonne cargo ship on a day trip to the Isles of Scilly

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Quaker Girl is waiting patiently at the end of steep granite steps for her third skipper. Not that she needs three, or even one for that matter. But as I step on board, the usual argument about who is in charge breaks out – and, as usual, no one backs down. Our shared enthusiasm can sometimes get in a (modern) girl's way. 'It's not that I don't trust you,' I state as I emerge from the galley with beer for them, and the almanac for me.

There's a 24-hour weather window that should get us to the Turks Head (St Agnes, Isles of Scilly) in time for dinner – and back. Our start is determined by the tidal gate at Penzance Harbour, and wind. Or lack of it.

It's a journey of 36 miles that can be notoriously bumpy. So, we are thankful for light seas and clear skies when we eventually set off several hours ahead of the fair-going tide.

'Looking goooood baby!' Dan croons from the bow. He and Aly are dancing – pleased with themselves for having captured precisely one extra breath of wind in the spinnaker they've been wrestling for the past 25 minutes. 'Woooo hoo! It's adding almost a knot.' Yup, it's true, our speed has crept up to a heady 4.2 knots.

Shame we are heading in the wrong direction. But patience, I remind myself, makes a good sailor and it’s not a bad idea to use this time to try stuff out. I reach into the cabin for the Cockpit Companion and study markers and knots so as not to be outdone.