Just a curiosity question. If you were to start a regatta with crew, would you be able to finish with out crew? Assuming you removed the jib of course.
Short answer: NO.
Long answer below.
You cannot change your setup in the middle of a regatta. Never ever. There are equipment and crew rules preventing you from doing so (not F16 rules, but generic RRS).
For club racing you may ask your fellow competitors if you can do so in case of mitigating circumstances. If any of the competitor refuse, you can't change because if you do he will protest you and win the protest.
In any case the race organizer may choose to accept the change but apply the 'Wouter solution' as it will disadvantage the switcher no matter what and will get more boats on the water, something always good at any regatta.
Nothing could be simpler.
I don't see how it is different from having an incapacitated crew member on a two man boat (F18 or Tornado). Your crew can't sail with you anymore because he's got a bad case of the tourista/can't stand you anymore/developed a fear of water: You find a replacement crew but then any other boat can protest you and you will lose. But if you ask nicely a gentlemen agreement may be reached letting you finish your regatta with the alternate crew (From my experience with F18 sailors, a pretty unlikely event). And of course the race team may choose to score you as a separate boat like Wouter suggests instead.
