I will be sailing with my 11 year old daughter this season. I have bought the ball and key system, I carry a good knife on me, one in her life jacket and one in the tool bag with a hand held cable cutter. You have a whole new appriciation for safety when you sail with a kid. If it blows real hard I have her stay on the boat.
The regatta organizers should also take note. Have every chase/safety volunteer carry a knife and hand held cable cutter. The fastest boat can carry a large cable cutter. All must have good radios. When I have run an event I issue all the equipment to the chase boats if they don't have it and give instruction to get two heads above water regardless of what has to be cut including the sailor, they can be stiched up. You can not un drown someone.