It is all in the way you word it I guess.
Would or should it be "Suggested"? "Recommended"? or "Required"?

If it is required and the tether itself causes an unfortunate outcome as outlined in previous posts is the organizing authority liable because they "Required" the tether that caused the problem?

If you burn up in a firey car crash, is the government liable beacause it is against "the law" to drive a car without a fastened seatbelt?

Maybe we should also include a rule that sailors be "required" to wear helmets.... I'm sure many more sailors have been knocked silly by the unexpected jybe than have been seperated from their boat because of not having a tether.

We could argue both sides of the issue till we are blue in the face (no pun intended for you cold water sailors) and still not have the perfect one size fits all answer.

I say that the regatta organizer consider the issue, make a "suggestion" or a "recommendation", and then leave it up to the individual sailor as to what he/she decides to do in any particular set of circumstances.

Sailors by their very nature are independant thinkers and resent/resist being TOLD what to do.