Originally Posted by Mark Schneider
Eric

I don't believe that there is any way you can force a sailor to appear at a protest hearing and present a case.

...even in the case of major damage.



True, but that does not prevent the hearing from proceding:
Quote
63.3 Right to Be Present
(a) The parties to the hearing, or a representative of each, have the right to be present throughout the hearing of all the evidence. When a protest claims a breach of a rule of Part 2, 3 or 4, the representatives of boats shall have been on board at the time of the incident, unless there is good reason for the protest committee to rule otherwise. Any witness, other than a member of the protest committee, shall be excluded except when giving evidence.
(b) If a party to the hearing of a protest or request for redress does not come to the hearing, the protest committee may nevertheless decide the protest or request. If the party was unavoidably absent, the committee may reopen the hearing.

(emphasis mine)