A few years ago.....
I move my boat from mooring to dock and I spend an hour or so scrubbing. A nice breeze came up, so after the boat looked reasonable (not great but it's more fun to sail than clean) I decided to go for a sail. The boat was facing east, and the wind was just north of east at about 10 kts. I got all ready to sail (winch handles out, lines ready, sail cover off, engine on, etc.) and then decided that since I was already head to wind, I would raise the main while still at the dock.
My plan was to release the main sheet, raise the main, step off boat and onto dock. Release bow line, let the wind blow the bow off the dock, release stern line, climb aboard and sail away. It all worked fine: main sheet off and main up, main luffing a bit. Then I released the bow line and the bow started blowing off.
Then it all went to crap
The blow moved away the dock, but quickly. So instead of strolling back to the aft line I planned, I ran back and quickly released it. But the boat, instead of just pivoting to starboard like I wanted, started to sail away with out me! I gave a good tug on the dock line, but the boat was leaving the dock, with me or without me. I did not want to lose the boat so I jumped and grabbed the stern pulpit. I slipped a little, but I was able to scamper aboard. I reached the wheel and all was well after that. Once aboard I saw that the main sheet had a kink in it, so once the boat was off the wind, the sheet didn't run out, but instead the main started to power up.
The 'funny' thing was that two people in a rowboat got to see the whole thing. I saw them starting to row away from the dock but I had already released the bow line. The boat was trying to run them down, but the guy rowing wisely backed off. Once I was at the wheel they congratulated me on a 'nice save' but I was too busy feeling like an idiot to thank them.
Barry