I picked up a used Tiger with this kind of setup... in combination with a harness and recovery line, it allows me to get my weight out far enough to recover the F18 solo.
I also have a large recovery bag that allows me to recover my H18 with wings (heavy!) solo -- but again, I need a good recovery line and harness. I've tried, and I can't get enough leverage with my hands without a harness.
I worried about flips/flops and recoveries until I had done a few and established some level of comfort. Practice on a warm summer day and mast-top floaties will probably recede down the project list.