I just felt compel to respond to the name of this thread.... Can IFR really get me home?

Yes it can but remember that at the end of the day you still have to Visually identify the runway at the end of your successful fight. I always tell my students that the IFR rating is not a rating to go fly into less than favorable weather, but a rating to get yourself out of less than favorable weather and sometimes fly through it after careful attention to detailed planning.

I just feel that you might be cutting it to close without the IFR rating and that you should get one if your tinkering around with coastal maritime weather phenomenon at your home airport.

That's just my .02 cents and I will now step down from my soapbox. Happy flying though and good luck with whatever you decide to do.