As I implied before, money is definitely a factor. If somebody has enough money to have access to spare equipment so they can get back into the regatta after they break something, that gives them an advantage. But it is the same advantage that wealthy amateur sailors have. So "Professional" really has nothing to do with it. Should some people be excluded from racing just because they have the money to have extra boat parts (or even boats) with them? Should we divide regattas into the races for us poor people and races for the rich people and the "professionals"? Interesting question.