Crash triggered by a gust - but caused by lack of awareness and proper reaction.

 

Travelling in approx. 10 m/s (gusting to 14 m/s) cross offshore wind on a Tabou Manta 74 with a NP RSR 8.4.

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In contrast to this example of lack of awareness you could try to look at this little video with Gunnar Asmussen (from Germany) - especially a couple of seconds in the beginning (between the 14th and the 17th).

Our victim is approx. beam reaching, but as the wind is cross offshore and as the coastline (with high, steep slopes) isn't that far away it's pretty gusty out there ...  Apparently he meets a gust, and the nose of the board rises a little.

The nose keeps lifting, and it's about time for our man to start anticipating what might happen.

On the other hand, we all know the fantastic sensation of max speed with only the fin and a tiny area around the fin touching the water - and the fantastic satisfaction if you have the guts and the ability to keep this very delicate balance ...

This is a classic tail-walking situation. Apparently our guy is determined to keep up his speed (no sign of easing off the sail power and/or the pressure on the mast foot). But if he isn't capable of adjusting to the situation at the slightest sign of lack of control (for instance if the fin leaves the water and he's too late to pull in the straps/turning the board to leeward) he's in bad trouble!
Dazzled by his apparent success he has over pushed his luck. Still he has a theoretical chance of salvaging the situation, if he pulls down the rig, turns the board to leeward and hinders the fin leaving the water (or pulls heavily in the straps). However, if he tries this maneuver he's in high risk of a catapult! Let's see what he chooses to do ... Well, he has chosen to do absolutely nothing, and now he has to be prepared to take his punishment. The fin has lost grip, and with stiff legs he's pressing the windward rail down - and consequently the board starts capsizing in the air. This is truly the point of no return!
The board has capsized to a close to perpendicular position, and the sailor's feet are about to say good bye to the foot straps (and the board).  The feet of our poor man have hit the water, and he "planes" forward on his back head first. The board is now separated from the unhappy guy and planes nicely on in a more leeward direction. Apparently there's still a link between man and rig (through harness line or his right arm?) that causes the sail to get drawn to the water in a windward direction.
Rider and gear haven't come to a halt yet. If our guy's lucky the falling mast will narrowly miss his skull. The crash is complete - and God knows in what state man and gear reappear when the spray reunites with the sea?