DID in fact, reveal a downturn in % of boats, in accidents, rescues, at sea. Hypethetical(bear with me ), but that would be an interesting turn of events. THE question then- for sailors would be, why? What has changed?

We know the sea has not changed, so what's left?

New boats? Evolving technology and gear? Lastly, sailors, ourselves?

For anyone curious why newest data of rescues 'appears' to be on the wane, do you think any of your evolving gear has made you safer and less prone to accidents along the coast(most likely rescues)?

How about off shore, any boat gear you've aquirred that you think makes you and your boat safer and more reliable and self reliant in the last 10 years?

Then there is human part. IS the quality of the sailor improving, staying the same, getting worse? The only things that are known to make sailors safer, especially along the coast, is education. Are we getting more today? Then experience. Is the avderage off shore sailor today less experienced than 10 years ago? More?

The person part is the hardest-hypothetical question for me. I feel that hasn't changed dramatically, so my guess, IF, the statistical downturns have any basis in fact, would lean toward modern technology, making us safer.

Simple navigation technology alone I think has made me less accident prone along the coast. For offshore(which I do little), I would say weather communication tech to boats could be a big help.