"Derek Copeland" wrote in
message ...

We don't get that many days when we can get above about
4000 ft above ground in clear air thermals, so we tend
to work down to lower altitudes than you might consider
sensible in the States. Speaking personally, I will
normally give up at 500ft provided there are landable
fields in the area.

Wow! Things have moved on since I retired from gliding then! We were taught
to start field selection at 1500ft AGL and have our field(s) sorted by
1000ft at the LATEST. I would be doing my circuit at 500ft, not looking for
a field. If this is indeed the current thinking no wonder there are so many
prangs. I made 20 field landings in my time with no accidents and no damage
and most of my colleagues were similarly accident free. Maybe you should
revert to the older better practice. You need the extra height and time to
allow a divert into your alternate field (selected also as above) should you
need to do so to avoid cattle or crops.

Alistair Wright
UK Silver 4759