It may be unnecessary, but often unavoidable. This weekend we are racing in Rehobeth. At the 98 and 03 H16 Nationals in Rehobeth if you were out on Thursday it was a more a matter of how many times you would flip than if. In 98 the sailors were talking about the huricane at A mark. The mark boat was recording 38 knots. Try and turn downwind in that. This years event had wind at about 20 knots and some of the best sailors in the world pitch poled down wind in big waves. It happens.