I have a similar story to add to this discusion from the 2014 EC. I entered with a Wayfarer 16. This boat has a very low freeboard and I was quite confident in being able to re-board if I was separated from the boat. In spite of that, I installed a collapsable ladder that could be let over the side to assist with a re-board event. However, I presumed a swamped boat with even lower freeboard and mounted the ladder amidships. When my accidentally jibed boom knocked me out of the boat just southwest of Indian Key Pass, I was fortunate to grab the portion of mainsheet trailing the boom with my left hand as I fell backwards. I was able to then knock the self steering off and the boat was head to the wind. The water was fairly calm, but I made several attempts to jump up and grab my ladder to no avail. After a couple of jumps, I noticed that I was getting further from my goal and knew that this was not going to work. I rested for a while, clinging to the side of the boat, thinking of options. When I came up with a plan, I was very reluctant to let go of my death grip on the mainsheet. I finally decided to proceed and carefully made my way to the stern of the boat. It was there that I determined to shimmy up the rudder using my legs for power. I made it and hyperventilated in the cockpit for several minutes before I could do anything further.
During this fight to get back on my boat, I injured my shoulder, neck and my previously injured back. (As anyone knows, disc surgery never is completely normal again.) After several hours, I made it to Chokoloskee and dropped out of the race. I had good luck in my situation: i.e. grabbing the mainsheet to stop the boat, fairly flat water and a dying breeze (boom left a lump on my hard head, but it didn't knock me out). I cannot imagine how Jim could have reboarded his boat with higher freeboard, heavy seas and a drifting boat in high wind.
Be safe out there folks.
Gary (Mishigama)