I've always heard that a knockdown
is being pushed over--by wind or a wave--far enough to put the spreaders in the water. We took such a knockdown--half the fleet did--in a club race. I was crewing on a C&C 33...gray day, spitting rain, light flukey winds out of the south...our heading was west. Ahead we began to see what could only be described as a "green curtain" start to develop over the water, moving toward us, but no indication that there was anything in it but rain...no lightning...the water wasn't whipped up. When we "collided" with the leading of it, it was like being hit with a fist--from the EAST. I was standing at the wheel, the next thing I knew, I was sitting on me arse on the cockpit sole...the boat was over nearly 90--spreader in the water...and my skipper was scrambing to release the main and jib sheets. When he released the main, the boat righted to about 15 degrees, but the jib halyard snarled...while he went forward to untangle it, I was on the wheel again, literally dangling from it with my feet tucked up under me trying to head up. The best I could do keep her from falling off any further. He finally released the jib...we completely righted and came around, but not before the wind put about $250 rip in the jib.I only got the stuffing scared out of me...others in the fleet weren't so lucky...no lost boats, but a couple of cracked ribbed and a broken arm.I'd never crewed in a race before..fortunately I HAD sailed most of my life, or I might never have set foot on another sailboat!