Okay, I marked you both as "friends" in my User Control Panel. I've done some group TA/AI sailing at
Canyon Lake, TX and it was a lot of fun spending the day with other TIs and AIs.
Lake Livingston, TX is nice too, and practically devoid of any boats. Group outings are the best.
vetgam, I was in the Navy from 1990 - 1994 in a SAR helicopter squadron aboard aircraft carriers; mainly the USS John F Kennedy. I did the Gulf War and the Balkans Conflict. The rescues I was involved with were all far off shore and mainly involved downed militaray aircraft. It turned out that, in each incident, the aircrew were dead before the carrier air-wing was even aware that a plane had gone down... but we were dispatched nonetheless. So, we never saved any one while I was in the service. Such is aviation at sea. After the Navy, I worked my way through college as an ambulance driver.
As for Hobie AIs and TIs needing a resce, I'm not aware of anybody ever requesting one, but I have seen a uTube video of a TI rescuing two sailors in the Florida Everglades Challenge (2009? or 2010?).
Coughtn54, I've been wanting to hit those areas you mentioned. I also hear that Bird Island Basin in Padre Island National Sea Shore is very nice for "flat water sailing."