Kevin,
Excellent answer to the post.

In my case, I almost always sail solo because it's not always that easy to come up with crew. Plus, I like being alone 'cause the boat is faster!

I sail in Socal, generally out of local harbors on the ocean. I keep within a reasonable distance to the sand, never out of sight of anything. If the wind is strong, I'll opt for inside the harbor or just slightly ducking in and out of the entrance, playing the puffs and swell. Did that in Ventura one day and had a blast doing reaches in a close enough area to feel safe, despite heavy winds and seas.

Think of your worst case scenarios and figure out how to mitigate them.

Sheldon
P-18