On Wed, 24 Oct 2007 19:25:26 -0400, "Roger Long"
wrote:

unless you think surfing up on a beach is a good
alternative (which it actually has turned out to be for a few vessels)

It can be a good plan but you need to pick your spot carefully..

There was a case a few years ago of a dinghy missing in gale. It
turned out that he had successfuly beached somewhere but staggering
around in the dark he fell into a farm slurry pit and drowned. Bummer!