If there is a possibility that injury or damage will result in a claim (insurance, legal, personal, or otherwise), then it is absolutely vital to have a protest hearing. Although the protest committee (in the USA) does not adjudicate any claim for damages (see USS prescription 67(b)), responsibility for damages is based on fault as determined by the rules (see USS prescription 67(c)). Without a finding of facts from a protest hearing, insurance companies (and the courts) are unable to determine fault. Even with the facts, they are notoriously bad at applying the rules, so PC has to do that too.

If you think Protest Committee made a mistake in conducting the hearing or in applying the rules, then file an appeal. If you think the Appeals Committee got it wrong (and yes, I've seen it happen), appeal to a higher authority.


There are times when, for the sake of getting along, it's best to just let things slide. On the other hand, one sometimes needs to protest, even if it's unpopular. Remember the Basic Principle of Sportsmanship and the Rules, which states "competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they are expected to follow and enforce".

I once protested a boat racing one-design in a different fleet. The other skipper was very upset and couldn't understand why I protested, as I had nothing to gain by it. He yelled and complained (as did some of his other fleet members) until I finally asked him "do you really think it's ok to break the rules, just because the other boat is in a different fleet?".


If an event organizer threatened to exclude my fleet because we enforced the rules, then I suspect that's an event we would not attend again anyway.

Regards,
Eric