Ask the distinguisted old gentleman, Matt Miller.
A few years ago now, a group of experienced (read old, 20+ years of racing/sailing cats and other performance boats) were in San Diego on Mission Bay. It was blowing 25 knots with big gust coming through. My Hobie 20 was rigged but sitting on the grass at Mission Bay Yacht Club because an experienced sailor knows that even in sheltered Mission Bay, sometimes it is best to leave the big boats on the beach, besides, we had a Wave to thrash about.
First I went out and at 275 lbs worked the wave. I slam tacked next to the beach, power jibed, flew a hull, and stuffed the bow further than I thought was recoverable. Then Lyle Lundberg did the same to hoots and hollers from the beach. Then Matt did the same but wanted to out do us two amateurs. He was going to stand up and ride the bow stuff like a surfboard. Unfortunately, he was blasted by a puff coming off the beach before he saw any ripples on the water. Bam, he was thrown clear of the boat and all we saw from the beach 50 yards away was the hole in the water where he dissapeared. When he surfaced, he looked shocked, and then saw Lyle and me falling to the ground laughing hysterically.
I love the opportunity to tell this story.
Happy b-day Matt.
Now, each of us was experienced, wearing a life jacket, and surounded by other boats and sailing in an enclosed bay. Use judgement and when in doubt, leave the boat on the beach and fly a kite or something.