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I agree with Denver - sounds like hydroplaning because of the sudden spin and lack of ability to recover. Once the tires are separated from the pavement by a thin film of water, there is NO traction. It ends when the tire contacts another non-water surface, either on the road or off. I have hydroplaned (in other cars) briefly on puddles but caught it on the other side. Not a good feeling at all.
Defense against hydroplaning:
1. Slow down. The higher the speed, the sooner a tire will hydroplane. In heavy downpours I drop to 45 or so, less if visibility is a factor.
2. Tire choice: some of the Boxster OEM rated tires are known as being notoriously bad on wet roads, like Pirellis. Others are better. My Sumitomos (I know, cheap tire) are great on wet roads.
3. Tire wear: Any tire will hydroplane more quickly if it's worn, since the grooves are shallower and move less water. A car in front of me left the road abruptly during a rain shower in Florida. No one else hydroplaned, and we were all going the same speed. The car was an older car - I suspect the tires were worn. Boxsters go through tires quickly.
4. Road construction: Roads in rainy areas are sloped to get the water off the road. Also, many roads are grooved to allow the water to move off, yet still offer some contact with tires at the top ridges of the grooves. In dry climates this may not be the case, so when it does rain, the water stays on the road longer.
Sorry to hear about the accident, hope it's repairable, and good luck.
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