Fuji,
Thread creep warning!
You make many valid points, perhaps sending someone off with a more experienced PPL might sort out the x-channel thing.
The liferaft is of course excellent advice but many of us do that risk assessment and skoosh over sometime at low level to remain VMC as our aircraft have no capacity for the dinghy!
The Irish Sea , I always find more daunting than the Channel.
Stik