Simon,
10 years or more back I read a report about the claimed beginning.
Mitch B and John F sailing the worlds race in a light weather, one trapped off the wrong sise of the boat raising the windward hull and won the race by 3 mins. The name "Wild Thing" came from the song they sang while doing it.

At least that in my recollection of the report.

http://www.aita.asn.au/tornado-info/38-how-to-do-the-wild-thing--with-the-old-rig