Isam sat at the stern of his boat, the mainsheet line in one hand, the rudder's tiller in the other. The wind wasn't very strong today, so the boat only just crawled along on the water. He probably could have gotten out and pulled the damn thing faster, but it was cold and Isam didn't want to get wet. The graceful drifting would have been relaxing had he not been sick. Isam's whole body had a general, unpleasant feeling. He considered going back into the cabin and laying down again, but the need to get off the boat and stretch his sore legs defeated his urge to lay around like a dying slug. 

The wind picked up a little bit, propelling the boat forward a little faster. Isam found himself spacing out as he watched the sails fill. He was pulled back down to earth when he heard a splash in the water on the port side of his boat. A fish maybe? No, definitely not a fish. Isam startled when a man crawled out of the water and tried to board, clinging to the rail and asking for help. He jumped up, dropping both the tiller and the mainsheet to grab his rifle. Isam pointed his gun at the man, eyes wide. 
"Who the hell are you?" He demanded with a thickly accented voice, not making any move to help the stranger onto his boat. His hands shook; the man was visibly frightened by the surprise encounter. He was probably unsettled enough to actually shoot should the stranger continue trying to haul himself aboard. 

But before Isam got the chance to blast his visitor in the face, the boat's rudder shifted. The craft began to turn to the side, the wind catching the sail in the opposite direction now. The sail whipped from port to starboard, the boom making good of it's name and striking Isam right in the head. Isam yelped, dropping his gun as he fell back. 
"Ebn el sharmoota!" He swore in frustration, along with a few other choice words, most of them directed at the man clinging to the side of his boat. Pain blossomed on his left temple. His hand automatically reached up to feel the welt, which was now trickling blood down the side of his face.