I was sailing as crew for a friend on a Prindle 19. Heavy air, rounded the weather mark so fast that he flew away from the boat only holding onto the tiller. This caused the boat to pitchpole. He was on the wire and was swung around and hit the mast, which broke his neck. Foretunely it did not sever his spinal cord. He spent 6 months in a halo, he had to give up sailing (cats anyway). However he was very lucky and is not paralyzed.