Sailing solo in a Beach Cat, from my frame of reference - retired US Freestyle/Extreme Ski Competitor/Coach of 30 years - is tremendously similar to any sport endeavor which exemplifies man's propensity to continually challenge himself, and in doing so, engage in life threatening practices. All the questions, as well as the answers are very familiar to me, and are appropriate to most of the challenges I have readily accepted over the years. Whether ice climbing in Vermont's intense mountain "notches, or the "canyons" of the Wasatch range of Utah, skiing the desolate snowy and avalanche prone peaks of the Tetons, trekking by horseback across the desert wastes of Nevada, climbing to and skiing the glaciers of "grizzly" country Montana, Hobie sailing the Great Salt Lake, and the vast Florida Bay, flying hulls in the Gulf Steam, surfing the "closed out" beaches of the Hawaiin Islands, passagemaking the largest wooden schooners of old across the Pacific depths, or even riding the old Harley chopper into the bandito infested regions of Mexico, I inevitably find myself alone. At least, for me, this seems to provide the ultimate in challenge and concomitant satisfaction. I always believe that there truly exists the possibilty that I may not return from any of these sorts of adventures. My only practiced safeguard is that I go to great pains to ensure that no other being is adversely affected in any way by my actions. In doing so, I at least have the satisfaction of knowing truly that I am doing exactly what I want, am capable of, desire, and which makes me happy.
Therein lies my only justification for such blatant disregard of the omnipotent forces of nature.