I can not help but comment on the litigation issue. I have never been to a regatta where the sailing instructions dont make it clear that the decision to race is the skippers and that the whole responsibility is the skippers.
It doesn't matter how much language like that you put in SIs or release forms. If a grieving widow and her fatherless children go in front of a jury they'll probably win no matter how weak their case.
And she probably will sue you no matter how many times she declares that she'd never dream of doing something like that.
