RE: Retrieving a sailboat...
I think consideration may also need be given to why you need to retrieve the sailboat. I have had to rescue mine twice because it was caught on obstructions (one a branch snagged a stay - the other - a root caught the bulb) that required being on the water with a dinghy to recover it. Using a hook or rc rescue boat would not have helped in either instance (though it would have worked in others).