I had just turned the windward mark on my 14 foot Maricat, eased everything, weight balanced in 5 to 12 knots when, Whammo, I was in the drink. I had no warning with absolutely no sign of any gust coming.

My 2nd time was when I was trying to head back to shore in rapidly rising winds. I got an enormous kick in the rear just after jibing and got spat off the tramp. I hit the shroud or something on the way because I couldn't breathe when I got my head out of the water and later found bruises from the right shoulder to the left hip.

It was blowing that hard I only just clambered onto the bow when the cat was blown upright. I sailed it right up the beach where half a dozen people turned it into the wind as I crawled off.

scared the crepe' out of me