A 505 Crew's Lament

From "Yachts and Yachting" circa 1960
  (slightly customized)

My feet are freezing, my mouth is parched,
I've dislocated my knee;
I'm out on the wire and my body is arched,
And the back of my head's in the sea.

My eyes are glazed and my bones all ache,
I've got no skin on my seat;
I think my ankle's about to break,
And my heart is ceasing to beat.

The kicking-strap has torn off an ear,
There's blood in my starboard eye;
I can't go on! I must make him hear!
"We'll have to retire!" I cry.

The gale's increasing, the sky's like jet,
I think I've broken a rib;
And his kindly answer is, "Can't you get
Some more on that blasted jib?"

Any crew should understand!
It was a class cliche' back then...