Safe to sail alone?

I've sailed alone on quite a few occasions from Margate. But as mentioned before if you've got a like minded buddy it's loads more fun & safer too making passages along the coast. Assess the weather carefully & if it starts looking a bit black over Will's mothers, start making for shore. It's also important to be aware of the tide if the breeze is light, staying uptide of your launch site & being aware of when it'll change. Check your boat over carefully & an odd length of string can work wonders at holding stuff together. Mmmmm...... I must get an Aquapac for my phone or carry a VHF.... Importantly though..... HAVE FUN!  

For most pond sailors, sailing alone isn't an option due to club/landlord restrictions so consider yourself lucky to have the option and treat it with the respect and care others have suggested.

I have sailed alone in a Laser many times.  The most useful peice of kit is a spare short length of line tied to the back of the toestrap.  It's often tied on kicker or mainsheet blocks if they come undone and once tied the gooseneck to the tack when the rivets failed, on each occasion allowing me to sail home quite happily.  Best advice is to be sure of your own capability and always stay within it. 

Dinghy cruising is the use of sailing dinghies for purposes other than racing - which can be anything from coastal sailing to pottering in a sheltered lake.

The Dinghy Cruising Association does publish safety recommendations - none of which seem applicable to a Laser.

Sailing on your own does mean not relying on other people to get you out of trouble. This is much the same ethos as climbers, hill-walkers, single-handed sailors...

What you want to think through is: how likely is it that X happens and what would be the result if it did? Breakages, capsizes you cannot recover and capsize followed by separation from the boat being the likeliest. Then, what could you do to mitigate the risk e.g. carry a small multitool and some line for lash-up repairs? 

I used to climb and you got used to doing this quite systematically. How likely am I to fall here and if I did, what would happen? Do I therefore want to make this move or not? If my partner falls and injures himself, what I am able to do? You can't eliminate all risk but you can assess and manage it.

In small-boat solo sailing the main variables are the wind strength and direction, current and waves but also very much air and sea temperature.  When it's cold, a bad situation gets worse very quickly whereas in late summer, if it all goes horribly wrong your chances are far better. At this time of year the water is still pretty cold.