Salty Dog,
I'm sorry to hear about your man overboard in the parking lot. I'm glad that you were not more seriously injured. Sometimes when I'm rigging my boat, climbing in and out, and especially climbing out, I think about the possibility of falling.
Hiking out is fun, isn't it! It will be more fun with the straps, for sure. With the straps, it feels very secure. It might take you a little bit to get them adjusted and just where you want them, but that usually doesn't take too long. Every inch that you can get yourself further out allows you to handle a lot more power in the sails. With straps you can get your center of gravity past the edge of the rail, i.e. you can hang your butt over and then lean out. This makes a huge difference in righting moment. If the conditions are right, this boat planes fairly easily, but only if you hike out. With the straps you are much more in control in gusty situations, as well. You can lean out and quickly lean in, to adjust ballast, without going for a swim.
Getting a good start in a race is so satisfying. Unfortunately, most of the time, I don't get that satisfaction. There is an online sailing game that can help you with your racing skills, including the start. It's a way to practice mentally, at least.
http://www.sailx.com/ To be class legal you need a crew of at least two. What I have observed with mixed class fun races, is that the rules are sort of on a sliding scale. That is, the rules apply much more seriously to the winners and those at the front of the fleet than those at the back of the fleet.