Life, if you are prepared to live it is a risk. In 20 years of sailing cats in mad weather a rope tied to me is the LAST thing I would want.
Sailing is about freedom and if you are out by yourself taking the risks that make you closer to death, good on you.
The alternative is to wake up, get dressed, climb into the closet for the day and stay safe, get a virtual sailing program and you are sweet. Most modern men are more and more pathetic every day. This is why X games are so popular... they are freedom from the paranoia of insurance companies and health programs etc.
Why allow yourself to be frightened of dieing doing what you love?
Life vest, VHF and a little weather helm guys and get over it.